Facts about Anxiety
Like certain illnesses, such as diabetes, anxiety disorders may be caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Studies have shown that severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of chemicals in the brain that control mood. Other studies have shown that people with certain anxiety disorders have changes in certain brain structures that control memory or mood. In addition, studies have shown that anxiety disorders run in families, which means that they can be inherited from one or both parents, like hair or eye color. Moreover, certain environmental factors -- such as a trauma or significant event -- may trigger an anxiety disorder in people who have an inherited susceptibility to developing the disorder.
Anxiety disorders affect about 19 million adult Americans. Most anxiety disorders begin in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. They occur slightly more often in women than in men, and occur with equal frequency in Caucasians, blacks and Hispanics.
According to "The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders," a study commissioned by the ADAA and based on data gathered by the association and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, anxiety disorders cost the U.S. more than $42 billion a year, almost one third of the $148 billion total mental health bill for the U.S. More than $22.84 billion of those costs are associated with the repeated use of healthcare services, as those with anxiety disorders seek relief for symptoms that mimic physical illnesses.
People with an anxiety disorder are three-to-five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 6.8 million, 3.1%.
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 2.2 million, 1.0%.
- Panic Disorder: 6 million, 2.7%.
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 7.7 million, 3.5%.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: 15 million, 6.8%.
- Specific Phobia: 19 million, 8.7%.