Final answer:
The claim that antidepressants are the most frequently prescribed drugs in the US is false. Prozac is a psychoactive drug and an SSRI that elevates mood by increasing serotonin levels. Anxiolytics and other drugs that target GABA receptors, such as benzodiazepines, are prescribed to reduce anxiety and have a depressant effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
B. The statement that the most frequently prescribed drugs in the United States are antidepressants is false. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are indeed commonly prescribed. Prozac, which is a well-known brand of fluoxetine, is a type of SSRI and is a psychoactive drug because it affects brain function, resulting in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior.
Three classes of psychoactive drugs that include opioids are narcotic analgesics, illegal opiates (such as heroin), and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl and methadone). Not all psychoactive drugs are illegal or available by prescription only; some are also available over-the-counter, such as caffeine and nicotine. Anxiolytics are indeed prescribed by physicians and can include drugs like benzodiazepines, which activate receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Drugs like diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) work by enhancing the effect of GABA, which often has a depressant effect on the nervous system, leading to sedation and decreased anxiety.