Anxiety disorders typically have an age of onset in childhood or adolescence. For example:

• The peak age of onset for panic attacks is between the ages of 15 and 19.
• One third of patients with OCD develop the disorder before the age of 15
• 50% report onset in childhood and adolescence.
• The aveage age of onset for social phobia is in mid-adolescence.
• Over half of adult patients with generalized anxiety disorder report onset in childhood or adolescence.

Anxiety disorders have high rates of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. While anxiety disorders typically have an age of onset in childhood and adolescence, individuals do not, if ever, seek treatment until many years later. As a result, adults with anxiety disorders are at an increased risk for secondary psychiatric comorbidity, significant occupational and educational under-achievement, social impairment, and increased seeking of medical treatment.

It is unfortunate that people with anxiety disorders do not seek appropriate treatment because proven pharmacological and cognitive behavioral treatments are available. Moreover, even brief interventions can result in significantly reduced symptoms, disability, and health care utilization.

Current evidence suggests that first line treatment for all anxiety disorders consists of behavioral therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), most often in combination with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) pharmacotherapy. It is important to note that these treatments work very well when properly applied. Unfortunately, although behavioral and CBT treatments can be very effective, they are often unavailable to many patients except in large urban areas or academic centres. Training opportunities for CBT are not widely available and training therapists to do CBT well, and making these services available, requires considerable resources.