The consequences of war are no longer measured solely by battlefield and economic losses, but also by the scale of the psychological erosion affecting Lebanese society. In one of the clearest indicators of the deep transformation caused by war and economic collapse in the country’s mental well-being, nearly $17.49 million was spent on psychiatric medications, sedatives, and antidepressants in Lebanon throughout 2025.
Behind this figure lies the image of a society living under constant pressure, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, where pharmacies have gradually turned into daily destinations for purchasing “temporary relief” amid mounting security, social, and economic burdens.
More than 2.81 million boxes of psychiatric medications and sedatives were sold in just one year, as pharmaceutical circles linked this sharp increase to the growing number of anxiety-related conditions tied to war, alongside worsening living conditions, economic collapse, and rising fears about the future.
