By Susan Okie

More Americans are taking anti-anxiety drugs in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and new prescriptions for such medications have increased sharply in the New York and Washington areas.

Combined with recent national surveys and interviews with psychiatrists in this area and elsewhere, the latest data on prescription drugs support a picture of a nation recovering but still emotionally fragile after the attacks, which killed more than 5,000 people, triggered unprecedented security measures nationwide and launched a worldwide war on terrorism.

No national figures are available on how many Americans are being treated for anxiety, depression or other mental symptoms in the wake of the attacks. However, data on prescription drugs commonly used for such symptoms provide an indirect measure indicating the level of anxiety among Americans.

Selma Wade, 68, suffered a heart attack on Sept. 11, a few hours after learning of the terrorist attacks. Since then, while recovering from surgery at Washington Hospital Center, "I've been afraid to sleep in this hospital bed," she said.

"I haven't had nightmares about bombs. It's been more about troubles, confusion, anxiety, being worried about who's safe and who's not safe."

NDCHealth, a private company that provides information to the health care industry, compiled data on selected prescription drugs for The Washington Post.

The figures for several commonly used anti-anxiety drugs remained fairly constant during the past year, then showed a sudden jump in the weeks after the attacks.

For example, the number of new prescriptions filled for alprazolam (the generic version of Xanax) was 22 percent greater in New York and 12 percent greater in Washington during the week ending Sept. 28, compared with a year earlier. Nationally, it was 9 percent greater.

For lorazepam (the generic version of Ativan), prescriptions during the same week were up 19 percent in New York and 16 percent in Washington compared with a year earlier. Nationally, they were up 6.3 percent.

For diazepam (the generic version of Valium, an older anti-anxiety drug), the number of new prescriptions during the same week was 14 percent greater in Washington and 8 percent greater in New York, compared with the same week a year earlier. Nationally, the increase was 3 percent.

In contrast to the anti-anxiety drugs, Ambien, the most widely prescribed sleeping pill on the list, has shown a fairly steady rise in prescriptions over the past year, so it is difficult to judge whether the attacks contributed to recent increases.

The number filled during the week ending Sept. 28 was 20 percent greater than a year earlier. In New York, it was 23 percent greater and in Washington, 29 percent greater. A spokeswoman for Pharmacia Corp., the manufacturer, declined to comment on the findings.

Several psychiatrists said they were not surprised by the increases, noting that primary care physicians are probably writing most of the prescriptions. They cautioned that medications should not be the first choice of doctors treating people distressed by the attacks and other recent events.

"No competent psychiatrist would approach this as an anxiety that just needs to be medicated out of existence," said Michael Garrett, deputy director of psychiatry at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York. "I think the first thing one should do is talk about it.

But it's a matter of degree. There are some people who have a marginal capacity to sleep to begin with, and this pushes them over the edge. Giving them a decent night's sleep with some medication is exactly what needs to be done."

Seeing the attacks on television triggered severe anxiety and depression in some people who had a history of hospitalization for mental illness, said Stephen Peterson, chairman of the psychiatry department at Washington Hospital Center.

Washington Post October 14, 2001; Page A08

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

It is quite clear that the events of the last six weeks have had a tremendous impact on the mental and emotional health of our nation. This is not surprising. It is equally not surprising to find that many people are resorting to the quick and easy solution; doctor prescribed drugs. Clearly this is one option as they will work, but they will only work for a few hours and in no way shape or form will they solve the root cause of the problem. As I frequently tell my patients, this makes about as much sense as driving your car and putting a band aid over the idiot light that goes on your dashboard when there is a problem with your engine. It certainly solves the immediate problem of not having to look at a red light on your dashboard, but it does absolutely nothing about solving the problem. The first step you should take is to TURN OFF YOUR TV. This will prevent more negative programming which will only make the problem worse. You can check the news stations on the web for your information. My favorites are the: New York Times Washington Post CNN Secondly you will want to consider some very practical tools that seems to have very rapid and remarkable improvement in nearly all the patients I have used it on thus far. Emotional Freedom Technique is a very rapid and simple solution that appears to permanently resolve the underlying root cause of the anxiety. I will actually be teaching this locally on November 17 at Hoffman Estates Hospital. Unfortunately the class closed a few days after it was announced. I hope to offer another even more expanded 8 hour course before the year is over. I hope to capture the course on professional grade video and also offer it for sale a few weeks later. This will provide for the convenience of those who are out of town to not have to purchase plane tickets. To read more about the course and the video tapes, please click here. Additionally Richard Ross has put together a web site that offers free initial energy sessions on the phone or in person for those who are suffering from traumas related to these tragedies. He also has the following features on his site: 1) Resources of emotional healing processes that people in need can immediately use with EFT, and a large number of similar techniques that are also being offered. 2) There are FREE guided sessions on audio files and video files, that you can click on and listen to. 3) There are links to other main websites (EFT, TFT, TAT, BSFF) that offer practical release tools and/or lists of practitioners willing to help. 4) Listings of reputable facilitators and practitioners, all over the world, who will provide a FREE 1st session that includes emotional release work (as long as the issue is related to events following 9/11). At this moment they have practitioners listed from 4 countries, and from 17 US states.