Anxiety Facts and Stats

Facts and Statistics

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-

• GAD affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.

• Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

• GAD often co-occurs with major depression.

Panic Disorder (PD)-

• PD affects 6 million adults or 2.7% of the U.S. population.

• Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

Social Anxiety Disorder

• SAD affects 15 million adults or 7.1% of the U.S. population.

• SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13.

• According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.

Specific Phobias

• Specific phobias affect 19.3 million adults or 9.1% of the U.S. population.

• Specific Phobias.- Women are twice as likely to be affected than men.

• Symptoms typically begin in childhood; the average age of onset is 7 years old.

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are closely related to anxiety disorders, which some may experience at the same time, along with depression.

Stress

• Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at one time or another.

• The difference between them is that stress is a response to a threat in a situation.

• Anxiety is a reaction to stress.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• OCD affects 2.5 million adults or 1.2% of the U.S. population.

• Women are 3x more likely to be affected than men.

• The average age of onset is 19, with 25% of cases occurring by age 14

• One-third of affected adults first experienced symptoms in childhood.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• PTSD affects 7.7 million adults or 3.6% of the U.S. population.

• Women are 5x more likely to be affected than men.

• Rape is the most likely trigger of PTSD: 65% of men and 45.9% of women who are raped will develop the disorder.

• Childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of the lifetime likelihood of developing PTSD.

Related Illnesses - Many people with an anxiety disorder also have a co-occurring disorder or physical illness, which can make their symptoms worse and recovery more difficult. It’s essential to be treated for both disorders.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are closely related to anxiety disorders, which some may experience at the same time, along with depression.