Understanding Anxiety in Children and Teens

Regular anxiety becomes a disorder when young people have out-of-proportion responses to things most of us cope with easily.

• In the past 10 years, there has been increasing recognition of anxiety in young people by health care providers, including a 17% increase in anxiety disorder diagnosis.
• Yet anxiety symptoms are minimized or ignored. As little as 1% of youth with anxiety seek treatment in the year symptoms begin.
• At some point, anxiety affects 30% of children and adolescents, yet 80% never get help.
• Untreated anxiety disorders are linked to depression, school failure and a two-fold increase in risk for substance use disorder.

Download the 2018 Children’s Mental Health Report and Supplement or view our other reports.

• Read the companion blog from the National Association of School Psychologists.
• Read the companion blog from Common Sense Media.