Objectives: Collect data on healthcare workers' consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, and narcotics and determine whether there was an increase or decrease in their use during the increased stress caused by the "corona crisis" in the Republic of Croatia. Research structure: In April 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a prospective data collection method. Respondants and methods: The survey was administered via questionnaire to employees of the Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine. The respondents voluntarily participated in the study, and prior to the study, they were informed about the topic and objectives of the study. The questionnaire was completed independently by respondents. The questionnaire took about ten minutes to complete. Results: The findings revealed that there is a statistically significant difference in the relationship between gender and smoking status in relation to the gender of the respondents, and that there is a significant difference between the sexes in the opinion that stress and an increase in workload are justified reasons for cigarette consumption. It was determined that there is no significant difference in the behavior of subjects with alcohol and narcotics between the randomly selected value before and during the pandemic, and that there is no significant difference in the influence of years of service on the behavior of subjects with alcohol. Conclusion: Substance abuse endangers physical ability and resilience. Greater integration with primary health care, routine examinations, and systematic examinations are methods for determining whether a person is under the influence of substances in real time. It is critical that health workers have the ability to seek help in order to reduce the stress of their jobs and avoid excessive substance use.