'Medical University Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov - Varna'
Doi
Abstract
Bulgaria is a country with high rates of suicide attempts and realized suicides, morbidity from unipolar depression, neurotic and eating disorders. Social instability, low income, and bullying at school and home create a high-stress medium. Chronic stress leads to intellectual and behavioral deficiencies which significantly worsen quality of life and productivity. The exact morbidity and prevalence are unknown because of persistent fear of stigmatization and misunderstanding. Attempts for self-medication with tobacco, alcohol and marijuana worsen the condition and create bigger problems with alcoholism and addictions.As the most accessible healthcare professionals, pharmacists can play an important role in the treatment and prevention of such disorders. A significant part of the patients prefer visiting the pharmacy for advice or recommendation before a visit to their GP, if such follows.Review of the tolerability, cost/effectiveness and risk/benefits ratios of the second generation of antidepressants, and especially SSRI`s class, shows that they have favorable profile and some meta-analysis show significant decline in suicide rates in countries with traditionally high baseline suicide rates.Giving pharmacy professionals prescription capabilities for the safest drugs can reduce the burden of the national healthcare and social systems, primarily by preventing serious healthcare issues by an early onset of proper treatment for mild cases and by more efficiently directing moderate-to-severe cases for psychiatric consultation
