America has been called "Prozac Nation" in the past, but our problem with anxiety continues to grow. Xanax is an alternative some doctors recommend.
Dr. Melissa Allen, director of the UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center, says Prozac and Xanax are different. Prozac can used as a preventative.
“(Xanax is) a short-acting medication that does help in certain anxiety conditions by arresting the anxiety that's happening in the moment,” Dr. Allen says, “but it's not a great preventative medication.”
Xanax users can become addicted.
“People tend to experience panic attacks, then they take the Xanax and it provides a sense of relief,” she says. “That is something that can result in increasing usage and eventually dependence.”
That can lead to over-use and problems in the future.