Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Anxious Times And Anxiety Drugs, Noah Atlas, Austin Mcneill Brown

Population Health Research Brief Series

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused rising anxiety and a corresponding increase in benzodiazepine prescriptions. Experts worry that inconsistent access to physicians as a result of stay-at-home orders will lead dependent patients to seek counterfeit or street drugs if their prescriptions lapse. This brief discusses these repercussions and recommends approaches to monitor and support those suffering from anxiety.