A study published this month by the Israeli Addiction and Mental Health Center (ICAMH) reveals an alarming increase in the diverted use of anxiolytic drugs since the terrorist attack on October 7 and the triggering of the war.
Based on representative samples of the Israeli Jewish population collected between 2022 and 2025, the study shows that problematic consumption of sedatives – such as Xanax, Valium or the Ambien – went from 3.8 % before the war more than 10 % later. A figure which, according to the researchers, was maintained at a worrying level in 2025, reflecting an installed dependence and a chronic stress persistent in the population.
“It’s not a surprise,” said Professor Dvora Shmulewitz, study manager at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in The Media Line. “In a context of prolonged war, people use the means they have access to cope, often outside a secure medical framework.”
The most affected are 50–70s, with a rate of diverted use of sedatives which reaches 14 %. The study also highlights a notable increase in the use of stimulants (ritalin type) and opioids, even if the levels remain below those of sedatives.
Beyond drugs, the researchers observed an explosion of mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress (PTSD), depression and anxiety. In 2025, more than 15 % of Israelis declared a problematic use of at least one substance or addictive behavior. Young adults (18–34) are particularly vulnerable.
Children are not spared. New data from the MacCabi Health Insurance Fund reveal an increase of 307 % of PTSD diagnoses in those under 18 for 2023. A phenomenon that experts have brought in prolonged exposure to danger, loss, and insecurity.
Faced with this worrying table, the Ministry of Health strengthens its devices. Training is given to general practitioners to identify early addiction signs, and specialized centers without stigmatization are being developed. “It is easier to prevent dependence than to treat it,” said Shmulewitz.
The team will continue their investigations in 2026, hoping that the end of the conflict will allow a start to return to psychological normal.
