Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, is the most prescribed psychiatric drug in the US — 44 million prescriptions for Xanax are written every year. The second most prescribed psychiatric drug is Lexapro, an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication. Interestingly, nine out of the top ten most prescribed psychiatric drugs are prescribed primarily for anxiety — not depression.
More facts about anxiety and depression:
Approximately 40 million Americans have been diagnosed with some form of anxiety disorder. Most people with anxiety have more than one anxiety disorder.
By 2020, it is estimated that depression will be the second most common health problem in the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 in 4 people in the world visiting a healthcare provider have some form of mental, neurological, or behavioral disorder, most of which are undiagnosed and untreated.