The ongoing economic debacle in Greece is becoming more costly for the nation's population.

Due to the miserable economic condition, many people are now turning to the use of illegal drugs, prostitution and suicide.

In addition to these afflictions, increasing rates of HIV infections have been monitored by health authorities, according to Reuters.

David Stuckler, a sociologist from the University of Britain's University of Cambridge described the image of health in Greece as disturbing, in his report that was published in the Lancet medical magazine.

"We're seeing worrisome trends -- a doubling of suicides, rising homicides, a 50 percent rise in HIV infections and people reporting that their health has got worse but they're not going to the doctor even though they felt they needed to," he added.

A previous study, which also involved Stuckler, at the start of the third quarter of 2011 divulged that suicide rates across Europe, went up during the previous years.

Greece and Ireland were two of the countries that were severely affected.

Researchers also uncovered a considerable increase in HIV infections in Greece towards the end of 2010. Likewise, the same statistics suggest that new infections that cause AIDS will climb by more than 50 percent this year.

The proportion of heroin addiction increased by 20 percent in 2009 while budget during the previous years showed a loss of one-third of the country's street-work programs aimed at helping drug addicts and provide them with HIV prevention services.

Fluctuating budget cuts and mounting unemployment are pushing more people into terrible despair and drug-dependence.

Reductions in hospital budgets and healthcare services resulted in lesser people affording medical services.

Health budget slashes have also led Greece to cut down the prices it will pay for medicines, resulting in supply concerns.

Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who collaborated with Stuckler on the Lancet research, said this should serve as a grim reminder to other Euro zone nations.

"The experience of Greece is a warning of what can happen if there are major cuts to healthcare in the face of a recession," he stated in an interview.