Addiction in Egypt is far more widespread than public conversation suggests. Behind closed doors, in homes, hospitals, and rehab centers, thousands are caught in a cycle of substance use, mental health struggles, and systemic neglect.
A national survey from 2013, one of the most comprehensive to date, found that 13.2 percent of Egyptian men and 1.1 percent of women had used substances, with the highest rates of onset among youth aged 15 to 19. Cannabis (specifically hashish) ranked as the most commonly misused drug, followed by alcohol.
Rates were significantly higher among those living in coastal governorates, individuals of Bedouin origin, and those with lower levels of education. While newer national data is limited, this earlier research still outlines the contours of a crisis that has since continued to grow, one that the healthcare system has yet to adequately address.
Drug use in Egypt has deep roots that stretch back decades. A 1986 United Nations study traced how cannabis has long been the most widely used drug, while psychotropic substances became more common in the 1970s, often as a way to cope with psychological distress. Cocaine and heroin, which first appeared after World War I, largely disappeared in the 1930s before resurfacing in the 1980s.
The reality of drug abuse came into sharper focus when TikTok creator Mahmoud Samir shared his personal story in a series of videos that garnered over a million views.
In them, he spoke openly about his years-long struggle with addiction, which began as a form of self-medication for his Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
Samir shared how, on multiple occasions, he was forcibly taken to detox, describing being grabbed by three men, injected with a sedative, and waking up in a rehabilitation center. Although these facilities offered group therapy and structured support, he said they never worked for him because, at the time, he did not want to quit.
The drugs helped him cope with his ADHD and emotional distress, and attempts to treat his mental illness with psychiatric care felt ineffective. Trapped in a cycle of addiction and frustration, he attempted suicide three times. One attempt left him partially blind after mixing substances; another time, he jumped from a third-floor balcony. It was not until he personally decided to quit that reality began to change. After more than a year of serious effort, he eventually achieved sobriety and now shares his story to offer hope to others navigating addiction.
Samir’s experience is not isolated; it points to a wider crisis that data across Egypt continues to confirm.
Similarly, a 2023 exhibition ‘Stranger Tourist’ by Egyptian photographer Fares Zaitoon shed light on the perils of drug consumption at Darb 1718 Contemporary Art and Culture Center when it was previously functional. His exhibition cast a light on the societal implications of drug use, particularly the separation and altered relations drug abuse can provoke.
Mental Health and Addiction: A Deeply Intertwined Crisis
Addiction in Egypt is rarely a standalone issue. For many, it stems from untreated psychological distress, especially in a system where mental health care remains both underdeveloped and difficult to access, according to WHO.
A national survey conducted between 2007 and 2009 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Egypt’s Ministry of Health found that 16.9 percent of Egyptian adults were living with a psychiatric disorder.
A 2022 study published in the American Journal on Addictions also found that 35 percent of Egyptians had undiagnosed adult ADHD. Those individuals typically began using earlier, consumed larger doses, and stayed dependent longer. Another study on tramadol users found 31 percent had undiagnosed ADHD, often linked to heavier and longer-term use.
Additionally, a separate 2023 study by Middle East Current Psychiatry found that female patients diagnosed with adult ADHD reported an earlier onset of smoking and substance use.
Yet, even when mental illness is diagnosed, care is far from guaranteed. A 2023 study in Addictive Behaviors Reports found that high levels of self-stigma among Egyptian substance users were associated with greater treatment dropout, higher relapse rates, and avoidance of care. Shame does not just silence people, it delays recovery.
But stigma is only part of the problem. Access to care is also constrained by an overstretched system. According to the WHO, most psychiatric resources in Egypt are concentrated in a handful of large hospitals, where 60 percent of beds are occupied by long-term residents, leaving limited capacity for acute care.
While Samir’s story highlights the absence of long-term support in addiction recovery, Ahmed’s account reveals the dangers of institutional neglect. Together, their testimonies reveal a dual crisis: one where care is not only insufficient, but in some cases, actively harmful.
Addiction and mental illness remain among the most under-addressed public health issues in Egypt. Beyond the numbers, they are individual experiences shaped by how systems respond to those seeking help. For many, access to care is limited, expensive, or inconsistent. In such a setting, recovery becomes a difficult and often solitary process, one that many navigate without the support they need.
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