How common is anxiety?

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition. If you or someone you love is experiencing anxiety, you’re not alone! In the United States:

  • In any given year, almost 1 in 5 adults (18%) show symptoms of an anxiety disorder.
  • 1 in 4 adolescents (age 13-18) live with anxiety.
  • Most anxiety disorders are more common in women. But social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affect men and women equally.
  • It’s common to experience multiple anxiety disorders at once. It’s also common to experience anxiety along with other mental health conditions, especially depression.
  • Of the people experiencing an anxiety disorder, only about 1 in 3 receive treatment.

The most common types of anxiety are:

Type % of U.S. population
Phobias (for example, fear of heights) 8.7%
Social anxiety 6.8%
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 3.5%
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) 3.1%
Panic disorder 2.7%
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) 1.0%

Because anxiety disorders are so common, we know a lot about them. Living with anxiety is a challenge, but it can be treated.

If you think you might have an anxiety disorder, take our anxiety test. Then keep exploring our site to learn more about anxiety, how it works, and what you can do to recover.

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Related Topics

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  1. Anxiety

Take an Anxiety Test

For people experiencing extreme worry or fear that affects their ability to function day-to-day. For the Spanish version, see "Test de Ansiedad".

Take an Anxiety Test