Are children consuming anxiety medication without therapy? 

Many anxiety medicines are available today for patients who experience extreme anxiety or even panic attacks. The therapy for anxiety is even more complex in children, as extreme care needs to be taken to ensure that this medication does not affect their health. As per standard treatment procedure, these pills are only meant to play a supporting role in bringing anxiety levels down, with higher priority being given to therapy. However, a report by Pediatrics states that many children in the United States are today receiving anxiety medication without even getting proper therapy.  

Laura Chavez, a senior research scientist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, says, “This really shows that the burden of treating mental health conditions among patients is growing. Even when they’re able to navigate the health care system and visit with a physician in an office setting, they may not receive the treatment that they need.” As of 2019 alone, 5.8 million children were diagnosed with anxiety. There has since been a sharp rise in mental health cases in the country, with the multifold influence of the Covid pandemic, which has caused a tremendous burden on their healthcare system.