
Rising Anxiety Meds Meet Backlash from MAHA
U.S. anxiety medication use has climbed to about 38 million adults by 2024, with SSRIs like Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft considered frontline treatments. The increase coincides with MAHA’s push to critique medications and promote diet, exercise, and therapy, fueling a broader debate about safety and access. Medical professionals emphasize the benefits and manageable side effects for many patients, noting telehealth and social pressures help drive uptake—especially among young adults, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals—while cautioning against long-term benzodiazepine use and acknowledging concerns about non-prescribed access.













