More and more young people are looking for care for anxiety

This is according to a report issued by the Center for Epidemiology and Community Medicine (CES).

Anxiety conditions refer to several different diagnoses, such as phobia, panic disorder, non-specific anxiety state, and social anxiety.

Girls are most affected

Adolescent girls are four times more likely to seek care than boys. Among slightly older people, women are twice as common as young men.

According to the report, diagnoses of non-specific anxiety disorder in particular are on the rise.

We do not know for sure why there is increased interest in mental illnesses such as anxiety. Of course, it's possible that there are more people feeling unwell, but it's also possible that the number of people in the dark has decreased and that more people are seeking and receiving care, says Anna Ohles, MD, chief medical officer, on the CES website.

It's easier to seek care

This increase coincides with the fact that health centers are now the first point of contact for children and young people with mental illness.

– Anna Ohlis says availability of primary care and low thresholds can be key to reaching groups who do not seek care.

The report also shows that many young people are receiving antidepressants for anxiety, and that developing depression, ADHD or autism is common.

Diagnoses are increasing

Diagnoses of anxiety were investigated among children and young adults aged 6–29 years.

It is the diagnosis of non-specific anxiety that primarily drives this increase, but mixed cases of anxiety and depression are also increasing.

Source: Consumer Electronics Show