[Hebrew University] — A sweeping national study conducted by the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health (ICAMH) , at Hebrew University of Jerusalem has revealed a troubling rise in substance use, behavioral addictions, and mental health disorders in the Israeli population since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the Swords of Iron war.
The report, titled “ Prevalence of Substance and Behavioral Addictions and Common Mental Health Disorders in Israel, 2022–2025 ,” presents data from three nationally representative samples collected before and after the crisis: April 2022 (pre-war), December 2023 (post-attack), and February 2025 (approximately one year later). The findings provide an unprecedented longitudinal look at the psychological effects of war and trauma across a general population.
Produced by a multidisciplinary team of psychologists and mental health researchers from ICAMH at Hebrew University , the report is authored by Dr. Dvora Shmulewitz, PhD student Maor Levitin, Dr. Vera Skvirsky, Merav Vider, Prof. Shaul Lev-Ran, and Prof. Mario Mikulincer — all affiliated with ICAMH.
Findings: A Nation Under Chronic Psychological Stress
The data reveal substantial increases in:
According to prevalence estimates:
Younger, Secular Populations Most at Risk
The report highlights pronounced sociodemographic disparities:
These subgroup distinctions were statistically modeled using logistic regression, controlling for age, gender, and religiosity across repeated samples.
Evolving Trends and Post-War Mental Health
One of the study’s most urgent findings is that some mental health indicators have not returned to baseline , even more than a year after the onset of hostilities. Key takeaways:
These patterns suggest that certain forms of trauma-related distress may entrench themselves over time, requiring sustained national mental health responses .
Methodological Rigor and Policy Relevance
The study is based on a repeated cross-sectional survey of Jewish adults in Israel, with a longitudinal subset. The research design enables both population-level prevalence estimates and within-person analysis over time — a methodological strength rarely seen in post-conflict mental health research.
By tracking how addictions and psychiatric symptoms evolve through and beyond a national trauma, the report provides critical data for public health policy , resource allocation, and intervention strategies targeting high-risk groups.
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