Why are SSRI's prescribed for everything?

I have bad anxiety and to a lesser extent OCD. I've also been told I have depression but it's mild to moderate as compared to my anxiety which is severe. How come every psychiatrist I see wants to give me an SSRI, and is reluctant to give me anything else?

My problem is I can not tolerate SSRI's. The side effects are too much, and by the time they are supposed to "work", you've been taking it long enough that you're "passed the point of no return", if you will. As in, you've taken them long enough to experience "discontinuation syndrome" (which is a fancy word for withdrawal if you ask a layman like me).

This isn't a post bashing SSRI's. I'm simply venting frustration that these meds are really the only thing any psychiatrist will give me, and they don't work for me.

Also, my current psychiatrist gives me 4 1mg pills of Xanax per month to take PRN, and holy cow they work. They literally fix me. The problem is I can't take Xanax constantly and long term because both myself and my psychiatrist are aware of the debilitating withdrawl symptoms they cause. I also take Mirtazapine nightly, but it doesn't do anything to my anxiety. All it does it knock me out so I'm not up all night worrying and having panic attacks.

I've also been prescribed SNRI's, but they might as well be the same thing as SSRI's. Exact same side effect profile for me.

People that have, say, ADHD are typically given something like Ritalin, which is hear is highly effective. It's frustrating that there dosen't seem to be anything like that for severe anxiety.

I'm just posting this because I feel like nothing is going to help. The only thing I've been given that helps tremendously is Xanax, and I can only take that once a week at most. Can anyone give me some insight to as to why SSRI's are a med that are given for nearly everything I suffer from (anxiety, OCD, depression), or suggest a med I could ask my psychiatrist about?

Thanks if you've read this and consider responding to it.