The impact of the Celtic Tiger and Great Recession on drug consumption

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the Celtic Tiger economic boom and Great Recession influenced drug and alcohol use in one Irish city. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 people, living in Cork City, who had previously used drugs and/or alcohol problematically. All participants had engaged with services for their problematic use and had at least one year of abstinence at time of interview. Findings Some participants reported that their drug and/or alcohol consumption increased during the economic boom; others, who were already in (self-defined) active addiction, reported how full employment lessened some of the harms of their problematic use. For others, problematic use struck once the economy entered a downturn and, heavy drink and drug use became a means of soothing the strains of economic recession. Originality/value The paper provides two key contributions. Methodologically, it demonstrates how large-scale national quantitative data can mask local idiosyncratic tendencies, suggesting the need for mixed-method approaches for understanding drug market trends. The paper also provides insights into the impact of global and local economic conditions on drug and alcohol consumption in Ireland.

Financial Crisis and its Effect on Psychological Well-Being, Health, Satisfaction, and Financial Incapability; A Systematic Review

“…According to Chen et al 43 , the number of mental healthcare visits in women increased during the economic crisis in comparison to men although the overall statistics of mental healthcare visits remained constant. Similarly, an increase in the use of psychotropic drugs was observed in the post-recession era 44 .…”