3 Eye-Opening Statistics About Children and Anxiety

If your child struggles with anxiety, you are far from alone.

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

It’s a heartbreaking issue.

Far too many children are impacted by anxiety. But, defined loosely as difficulty coping calmly with situations that most other people find easy, it’s a pattern many parents will recognize.

Here are three statistics about children and anxiety that will probably open your eyes and inspire action.

1. Diagnosis is Up

There has been a 17% increase in anxiety diagnoses among children over the past ten years. While that may not necessarily mean that anxiety is increasing, we can say that society is becoming more sensitive to how this condition presents in children.

2. Getting Help is Rare

Up to 30% of children and youth suffer from anxiety at some point in their lives, but 80% of them never get help. They are never taught coping skills, counselled, or given access to medications (including supplements) that might prove helpful.

3. Ignoring Anxiety has Consequences

Sadly, children who are not given support to cope with their disorders tend to develop other problems like depression and school failure. There is also a two-fold increase in substance abuse problems among teens with untreated anxiety.

While it’s a common problem, giving anxious children tools for coping is sadly relatively uncommon. As the statistics demonstrated, anxiety in children is a phenomenon we’re learning to recognize but are still slow to treat.

We MUST act. NOW.

References

1. 2018 Children’s Mental Health Report Awareness Campaigns, Child Mind Institute
2. Anxiety in Teens is Rising: What’s going on? Health issues, healthychildren.org