Anxiety

FACTS ABOUT ANXIETY DISORDERS

• Anxiety disorders cost the U.S. $42 billion a year.
• Anxiety disorders may develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
• An estimated 19 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders.
• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only about one-third of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment.

WHAT IS GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD)?¹

• Characterized by excessive, uncontrolled worry about everyday things.
• Physical symptoms: muscle tension, nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, cold and clammy hands, difficulty swallowing, jumpiness, difficulty sleeping.

WHO SUFFERS FROM GAD?²

• About 2.8% of the adult U.S. population ages 18 to 54 – approximately 4 million Americans – has GAD during the course of a given year. GAD most often strikes people in childhood or adolescence, but can begin in adulthood, too. It affects women more often than men.
• Compared to most anxiety disorders, the onset of GAD usually occurs at a younger age and the symptoms are slower to emerge.

1. Anxiety Disorders Association of American Fact Sheet.
2. “What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?” National Institute of Mental Health, 2003.