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Story summary
- Anxiety medication use rose from 11.7% in 2019 to 14.3% in 2024, driven by young adults.
- Sadia Zapp, a 40-year-old New York breast cancer survivor, began taking Lexapro for anxiety after treatment.
- Critics, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., argue SSRIs are harmful and may lead to addiction.
- Many doctors say SSRIs are safe and effective; the pandemic heightened stress, especially among women, increasing medication use.
