EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON ANTIDEPRESSANT CONSUMPTION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PRE AND POST-COVID CONSUMPTION IN A MUNICIPALITY IN BAIXADA SANTISTA, STATE OF SÃO PAULO

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to mental health 
worldwide. The objective of this study was to analyze the consumption of antidepressants 
dispensed in public pharmacies in the municipality of Praia Grande, before and after the 
pandemic. Data on the consumption of antidepressants dispensed between January 2018 
and December 2024 were collected. The project was approved by the Research Ethics 
Committee of Santa Cecília University under number 7,420,283. We observed an increase 
in the consumption of all medications, with the largest increases recorded: amitriptyline (219%), clomipramine (209%), fluoxetine (186%), and citalopram (183%). The study 
reinforces the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified depression and 
anxiety in the population, resulting in a greater need for pharmacological treatment.