New Research Findings on Anxiety Disorders

A recent study conducted by the RAND Corporation,  a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis, concluded that people with multiple anxiety disorders carry a greater burden of disability than those with a single anxiety disorder.  Key findings included:

■ As the number of disorders increased, functioning levels (including ability to perform usual activities or to participate in work, social and family activities) tended to deteriorate.

■ Patients with multiple anxiety disorders had a much higher rate of depression than did those with only one anxiety disorder: 88 percent compared with 56 percent, respectively.

■ The combination of social anxiety and panic disorder appeared to be particularly debilitating. Patients with both conditions had the lowest rating of their overall health-related quality of life.

Click here to read the Fact Sheet on this study titled The Effects of Multiple Anxiety Disorders on Patient Functioning and Well-Being. For more information on mental illness, including resources for individuals and families, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.