Everyone I know is really stressed out. Are anxiety disorders more common than they used to be?

Do you think that anxiety disorders are more common now than they used to be? There’s a common perception that anxiety disorders are more prevalent today than they used to be, but it’s not clear that that’s actually true. What does seem to be true is that there is less of a stigma attached to seeking treatment for anxiety disorders than there used to be and that more people who suffer from anxiety are willing to get help.I recently read an article about whether anxiety disorders are more common on college campuses than they were in the past. The author was responding to an article about how college counseling centers don’t have enough resources to adequately support the number of students seeking help. While the original article took the lack of resources as evidence of an increase in anxiety disorders, this writer argued that it’s actually a sign that the stigma that has been associated with receiving mental health treatment in the past doesn’t affect young people nearly as much as it used to. Students are now more likely to ask for help when they need it, and that’s a good thing.The article made a related point that I also think is really important. While anxiety disorders aren’t more common than they were in the past, the particular anxieties we experience are different. For example, people who are currently in college or have recently graduated have much greater anxieties about their financial future than young people had in previous generations when the economy was more robust.In the article, the writer mentions that “anxiety disorders” is actually a kind of umbrella term that covers a number of very different experiences. For example, feeling really stressed out before exam week isn’t the same thing as having panic disorder. How can you start identifying the kind of treatment that’s best for you? Different approaches work for different disorders and for different people. Some people respond best to cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on symptoms and doesn’t try to understand the causes underlying them. Other people do better with an approach that helps them understand the meaning of their symptoms.When you first seek treatment, you usually don’t know exactly what kind of anxiety you’re suffering from. For example, sometimes anxiety is a response to your life circumstances but sometimes it’s a symptom of an underlying depression. One reason to seek professional help if you’re suffering from anxiety is to help you get a proper diagnosis. If your anxiety stems from early childhood trauma or from depression, getting treatment for the symptoms without understanding the underlying causes probably won’t help you over the long term. Working with a therapist who can diagnose your anxiety and help you navigate treatment options can shorten the road to recovery. And, while it’s tempting to look for a quick fix for anxiety, having a relationship with a therapist you trust can itself be a major factor in helping you to feel more calm.How do you know if your therapist is a good fit for you? Starting therapy can be anxiety-producing in itself. It’s hard to open up to someone you’ve just met. One sign that your therapist is a good fit for you is that you feel more and more safe with her over time. When you bring up difficult subjects, she works to truly understand what you’re trying to say and doesn’t to try to force her point of view on you.  You won’t walk out of every therapy session feeling better. Sometimes, after discussing difficult feelings and experiences, you might feel worse. However, if you’re consistently feeling worse; your anxiety isn’t being alleviated; and if your therapist isn’t open to discussing how she might do things differently, it’s probably time to look for someone who’s a better match for you. Click to learn more about anxiety therapy and treatment with Dr. Jane Rubin.Click here to learn more about how to overcome anxiety.