Girl Behind the Fence: Anxiety

Per the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), anxiety affects over 2 billion adults worldwide and over 97 million in the United States alone, of which an estimated 54% of these are women.

¿The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry stated that anxiety treatment costs are over $42 billion per year in the United States. Of this, $23 billion is for repetitive healthcare services due to symptoms which mimic physical illnesses, such as heart attacks. Compared to non-anxious individuals, those with an anxiety disorder are 5X more likely to go to the doctor, and 6X more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders.

Anxiety is the #1 mental health concern in North America. Each year, more than 4 billion prescriptions are filled in the United States alone, of which Paxil and Zoloft are two of the top prescribed medications. Due to lack of medical insurance or funds, many people self-medicate with street drugs and / or alcohol. In fact, 42% of those who struggle with anxiety use recreational drugs.