“I started with Xanax for anxiety 30 years ago and have gradually increased. I used to take perhaps 0.25mg occasionally when I started, and now 30 years later, at age 71, I am up to three 0.5mg a day. I successfully fight to not take it more often and I almost always win the fight. When I don’t, I take an extra 0.25mg or 0.5mg. Meanwhile without it I would not have had a successful college teaching career , traveled to Europe 28 times, produced a cable TV show, written 3 books, had hundreds of friends who love and respect me, and even worked out at the gym where I swim, walk, and work out with weights regularly. My current psychiatrist tells me frequently (I ask him every few months because I read terrible things) that I should not be concerned, that I am using it intelligently, and it helps me live a great and fantastic life filled with success, satisfaction, love and affection of so many people. My anxiety could be debilitating, but here I am living a great life.”