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The story of anxiety medication begins with humanity's ancient struggle to manage fear, worry, and psychological distress. Throughout history, people have sought remedies for anxiety through alcohol, opium, herbs, and various other substances, but the modern era of anti-anxiety medication began in the 1950s with the development of meprobamate and later the discovery of chlordiazepoxide, the first benzodiazepine. These medications represented a revolution in psychiatric treatment, offering rapid relief from anxiety symptoms with what initially appeared to be minimal side effects.
The introduction of Valium in 1963 marked the beginning of widespread cultural acceptance of anxiety medication as a solution to life's stresses and worries. By the 1970s, Valium had become the most prescribed medication in America, earning the nickname "mother's little helper" as it was routinely prescribed to women dealing with the stresses of modern life. This cultural phenomenon established the precedent for using pharmaceutical solutions to manage normal human emotions and stress responses, setting the stage for the addiction epidemic that would follow.
