Anxiety
How common is anxiety disorder?
It's hard to know how common anxiety disorder is. That's partly because many people who have it don't see a doctor, and when they do, they may not get the right diagnosis.
Doctors call this illness generalized anxiety disorder. We call it anxiety disorder for short.
We don't know if anxiety disorder is becoming more common or less common. Older studies looking at anxiety disorder used different
definitions for the disorder, so it's hard to compare their results with recent studies.
This is what we know about how many people have anxiety disorder.
- At any one time, between 1 in 100 and 5 in 100 adults have anxiety disorder.
Source:
Jordi Alonso and Jean-Pierre Lépine
Overview of Key Data From the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007; 68: 3-9
1Source:
Oakley-Browne M, Wells E, Scott K
Te Rau Hinengaro : The New Zealand Mental Health Survey
Ministry of Health, Wellington, 2006.
2Source:
Singleton N, Bumpstead R, O'Brien M, et al.
Psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households, 2000
International Review of Psychiatry. 2003; 15: 65–73.
3 - About 6 in 100 adults have anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
Source:
Oakley-Browne M, Wells E, Scott K
Te Rau Hinengaro : The New Zealand Mental Health Survey
Ministry of Health, Wellington, 2006.
2 - Many people with anxiety disorder suffer in silence. Only about one-half of people with anxiety disorder ever go to a doctor
for it.
Source:
Ninan PT.
Dissolving the burden of generalized anxiety disorder.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62 (supplement 19): 5-10.
4 - Most people with anxiety disorder have another mental illness at the same time. Often, that other illness is depression, phobia
or panic disorder.
Source:
Jordi Alonso and Jean-Pierre Lépine
Overview of Key Data From the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007; 68: 3-9
1See Other types of anxiety disorder to learn more. - People with anxiety disorder are also more likely to have physical health problems than people without anxiety disorder.
Source:
Lim L, Ng TP, Chua HC, et al
Generalised anxiety disorder in Singapore: prevalence, co-morbidity and risk factors in a multi-ethnic population
Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 2005/12; 40: 972-979
5 - Just under 1 in 10 people going to see their primary care doctor have anxiety disorder.
Source:
Wittchen HU, Hoyer J.
Generalized anxiety disorder: nature and course.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62 (supplement 11): 15-19.
6 - Women are about twice as likely as men to have anxiety disorder.
Source:
Ninan PT.
Dissolving the burden of generalized anxiety disorder.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62 (supplement 19): 5-10.
4Source:
Jordi Alonso and Jean-Pierre Lépine
Overview of Key Data From the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007; 68: 3-9
1Source:
Oakley-Browne M, Wells E, Scott K
Te Rau Hinengaro : The New Zealand Mental Health Survey
Ministry of Health, Wellington, 2006.
2 - Anxiety disorder is less common in older people.
Source:
Oakley-Browne M, Wells E, Scott K
Te Rau Hinengaro : The New Zealand Mental Health Survey
Ministry of Health, Wellington, 2006.
2 - In one study, just under 1 in 100 children aged 5 to 16 had symptoms of anxiety disorder.
Source:
Greer H, McGinnity A, Meltzer H, et al.
Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain, 2004.
Available at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/ (accessed on 7 January 2007).
7
Sources for the information on this page:
- Jordi Alonso and Jean-Pierre LépineOverview of Key Data From the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental DisordersJournal of Clinical Psychiatry 2007; 68: 3-9
- Oakley-Browne M, Wells E, Scott KTe Rau Hinengaro : The New Zealand Mental Health SurveyMinistry of Health, Wellington, 2006.
- Singleton N, Bumpstead R, O'Brien M, et al.Psychiatric morbidity among adults living in private households, 2000International Review of Psychiatry. 2003; 15: 65–73.
- Ninan PT.Dissolving the burden of generalized anxiety disorder.Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62 (supplement 19): 5-10.
- Lim L, Ng TP, Chua HC, et alGeneralised anxiety disorder in Singapore: prevalence, co-morbidity and risk factors in a multi-ethnic populationSocial Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 2005/12; 40: 972-979
- Wittchen HU, Hoyer J.Generalized anxiety disorder: nature and course.Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2001; 62 (supplement 11): 15-19.
- Greer H, McGinnity A, Meltzer H, et al.Mental Health of Children and Young People in Great Britain, 2004.Available at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/ (accessed on 7 January 2007).
This information was last updated on Mar 23, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.
Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.
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Source: ConsumerReportsHealth.org Copyright © 2005-2008 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
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