Which Psychiatric Drug is Prescribed the Most?

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.