The statistics of anxiety disorder cases are difficult to determine with precision, and different sources cite different percentages (see David H. Barlow’s book2 for detailed discussion). However, in multiple transcultural, international studies, it appears that at any given point in time anywhere from 2 to 17% of the population may have one or more diagnosable anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, simple phobia, or social phobia.
Over a lifetime, that can translate into a 10 to 25% prevalence of diagnosable anxiety dis-orders before adding to that list those suffering from substance abuse disorders, apparent medical problems largely attributable to anxiety, or chronic anxiety that has become a core feature of a personality. As we examine the many faces of anxiety in general and focus on some of these syndromes in particular, I will high-light wherever possible the most recent estimates of the prevalence of any given syndrome in the U.S. pop-ulation. For example, Table 2 references estimated prevalence of anxiety disorders in the United States.