Increased Use of Psychotropics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze whether there was an increase in the use of psychotropic drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an integrative bibliographic research of a descriptive and explanatory nature. In this context, it was found that the prolonged use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence and other undesirable side effects. The literature review was conducted by surveying scientific productions using databases available in the Virtual Health Library. Only publications in the form of scientific articles were considered. The analyses demonstrated that predictors such as inflammation, mental stress, age, and SARS-CoV-2 positivity more significantly affect the kynurenine pathway activity than catecholamine metabolism. With the advent of the pandemic, there was a marked increase in the sale of antidepressants. The global health crisis brought a significant impact on mental health, with increased levels of anxiety, stress, and depression among the population. Furthermore, studies suggest that fluvoxamine has a potential protective effect against COVID-19 complications, boosting its sales. It is concluded that the studies presented reinforce the relevance of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, pointing to both the direct effects of the infection and challenges in accessing treatments during the pandemic.