About one third of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, and one in five have had one in the past year. The consequences of anxiety go far beyond the suffering experienced by the individual. When anxiety and depression appear together, the impact on health is as great as that of obesity or smoking. The effects of panic disorder on mental well-being can be greater than that of heart disease and cancer. In seeking relief, many Americans—as many as 15 percent every year—take medications, which come in what can seem a bewildering variety. In this book, Dr. Mendelson draws on 40 years of experience in demystifying anti-anxiety medicines, explaining the science behind them, their benefits, limitations, and drawbacks, as well as non-medicine alternatives. Because of their widespread use, marijuana and CBD are also discussed, emphasizing both what we know about them and what we don’t. Lavishly illustrated and written with both compassion and scientific precision, this book is an essential guide for anyone who wishes to understand treatments available for anxiety.
