Librium and Valium - anxious times

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leo Sternbach, an organic chemist by training, who is credited with the discovery of the anti-anxiety drugs Librium and Valium. Valium was the most prescribed medicine in the US between 1969 and 1982, and still has an important, but more limited, place in modern treatments.

Anxiety is a common emotion. Indeed, a bit of anxiety helps our concentration and motivation, so that we arrive at work on time, do better in competitions or examinations etc. But too much can be disabling, leaving us unable to make decisions or even tackle daily tasks. Such anxiety may be present continuously, or present intermittently as a panic attack. Sometimes the focus of the anxiety can be a particular thing or situation that others generally do not consider to be a problem, such as spiders or heights, or of being in a crowded place (agoraphobia). Anxiety can leave people leading restricted lives to avoid situations that worsen their symptoms. Such debilitating emotions can affect anyone, including David Beckham and Kim Basinger, who have spoken openly of their struggles with anxiety.^[1]