Young people between the ages of 21 and 35 top the chart of demand and admissions to mental health units due to the consumption of various types of drugs in the country, according to the Annual Report on the Evolution of Illicit Drug Consumption and Trafficking Registered in the Country in 2023, presented on Thursday in Maputo.

The document from the Central Office for Preventing and Combating Drugs, to which we have had access, indicates that last year 13,589 cases of people seeking mental health care were registered in Mozambique. The figure represents a decrease of 10% compared to 2022, when 15,122 cases of care for people with mental and behavioral disorders (PMC), resulting from the consumption of psychoactive substances, were recorded.

"With regard to the age distribution of patients who sought services for the treatment of drug addiction, the data shows that the predominance is for patients in the age range between 21 and 35 years, with greater emphasis on the 26 to 30 age group. On the other hand, CMPs resulting from the consumption of cannabinoids are more prevalent in the 21 to 25 age group," we read.

Overall, in 2023, cases of outpatient visits to mental health services due to drug use and consumption increased by 30%. The data shows that there was a 100% increase in male cases. In 2023, there were 10,316 outpatient visits compared to 5002 in 2022. For female cases, there was a decrease of 60.7%. In 2023, there were 3,273 cases, compared to 5,392 cases in 2022.

In terms of hospitalizations, there was a decrease of 38% on average, with an emphasis on females. The use and consumption of psychotropic substances led to the hospitalization of 2,305 males in 2023, compared to 1,953 in 2022. There was a decrease of 22.2% in females. In 2023, there were 617 cases, compared to 2,775 cases in 2022.

Among the main causes of seeking mental health services are the consumption of cannabinoids (1,096 cases), alcohol (4,834 cases) and multiple substances (5,466 cases). The city of Maputo leads the ranking of provinces where the most cases were recorded.