Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN)–The US Preventive Services Task Force, which issued new draft guidelines last month, says that all adults under the age of 65 should be screened for anxiety disorders.
Although the guidelines, which help guide clinicians’ decisions, aren’t final yet until later this month, this is the first time that the national expert group has recommended screening for anxiety disorders for such a broad segment of the US public.
So how common are anxiety disorders and are some populations more at risk than others? What are some symptoms that people may experience? How often should anxiety checks be done? And what are the consequences? What treatments are available? What do these recommendations mean?
Dr. Lena Wayne, CNN Medical Analyst, Emergency Physician, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health answers top questions.
According to a draft recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force, Wayne said the lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders is 26% for men and 40% for women.
This means that about 1 in 4 men and 4 in 10 women will develop an anxiety disorder at some point during their lives.
In doing so, Wayne pointed out the need to pay attention to mental health as much as we care about physical health.
It is important to distinguish between feelings of anxiety and a medical diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is a normal stress response, as people feel a certain level of stress about certain situations in their lives.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by persistent and excessive fear, or anxiety that affects a person’s ability to function. It includes a range of diagnoses, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and certain types of phobias.
Wayne explained that having another mental health condition increases a person’s likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder.
One large study found that 67% of people with depression also had an anxiety disorder. There is also an association between anxiety disorders, smoking, and alcohol use. Stressful life events, such as losing a job, may increase the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder.
People with anxiety disorders can have a wide range of symptoms, including feeling panicky, having difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and having panic attacks.
Panic attacks are characterized by heart palpitations, shortness of breath, or cold hands.
Wayne noted that some people may also experience physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach aches, nausea and fatigue.
Like depression and some other mental health diagnoses, anxiety disorders can be treated with medication, psychotherapy, or both.
Often, doctors recommend lifestyle changes, too, including meditating, exercising, drinking less alcohol and avoiding smoking.
Wayne said many people receive their treatment for a while, and then are monitored to see if they need it again.
Wayne reminds you to tell your doctor all your symptoms.
Some of these symptoms, which may not seem directly related, may indicate an anxiety disorder.