There was a scene in a movie from about 30 years ago, in which a woman is having what appears to be a panic attack in a department store. She starts to sweat and become jittery as she lies down on the floor. Her concerned partner leans over her as a crowd gathers around. The partner looks about and anxiously asks, “Does anyone have a Valium?” About 10 people reach into their purse or wallet and each hands the man a pill. Around 9.7 million Americans take anti-anxiety medications, according to the health research firm IQVIA. Some 29.7 million Americans take antidepressant prescriptions such as Lexapro and Prozac. There was a 34 percent increase in anti-anxiety medication prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Express Scripts, an online pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager. Compare that to a 14.8 percent increase for insomnia aids and an 18.6 percent increase for antidepressants. …