How common is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 people in the United States. The chance that any given person in the United States will develop it over a lifetime is estimated at 8% to 9%. More than 10% of people seen in anxiety treatment clinics are diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which affects more women (60%) than men (40%).

Because perceptions and descriptions of anxiety differ among cultures, it is hard to assess the global prevalence of anxiety disorders. Many people in the United States who are diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder claim to have been nervous or anxious their whole lives.

Researchers continue to gain insights into the causes of anxiety disorders and their relationship to genetics and experience. Although the causes of GAD in a person are not always known, the symptoms are recognizable, and effective treatments are available.