Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illness in the U.S. Nearly 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 8 children experience some form of anxiety. Worse, those who suffer usually battle other disorders simultaneously—like depression, sleep disorders, bipolar disorder, or ADHD.

Anxiety causes people to miss work and visit their doctors more often than usual, costing America more than $42 billion annually. While considered highly treatable, your doctor will likely prescribe dangerous, high-priced medications along with some form of talk therapy. Unfortunately, these drugs often fail to relieve symptoms and instead present significant harmful side effects. For most, that’s reason enough to consider other options.

And now, a new study provides even more motivation to refuse anti-anxiety medication.

A team of U.K. researchers at the University of Warwick analyzed the medical records of nearly 35,000 people over age 16 who were using anti-anxiety medications. These included anxiolytics like Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam), as well as sleeping pills (hypnotic drugs) like Ambien (zolpidem). Then, investigators compared those using prescribed drugs to nearly 70,000 non-users.

Over the study’s seven year follow-up period, the prescription drug group had about 4 more deaths for every 100 people than the control group. That means anxiolytic and hypnotic drug use essentially doubles your risk of mortality.

Not surprisingly, previous studies like this one also showed anti-anxiety medications increased your risk of death.

“The key message here is that we really do have to use these drugs more carefully,” said researcher Scott Weich, professor of psychiatry at Warwick. “This builds on a growing body of evidence suggesting that their side effects are significant and dangerous. We have to do everything possible to minimize over reliance on anxiolytics and sleeping pills.

All prescription drugs—including anti-anxiety medications—are man-made toxic chemicals that cause serious harm to your cells. While it’s always prudent to work with your doctor, it’s important to know there are healthier ways to address your anxiety—without worrying about an increased risk of dying.

You benefit by keeping your immune system strong, so take a high quality multi-vitamin containing the B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. If excess stress is the cause of your anxiety, supplement with extra vitamin B12 and vitamin C. P

Additionally, any number of relaxation techniques—like yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation—are scientifically proven to relieve anxiety. Acupuncture is gaining popularity as an effective method for taming anxiety.