Anxiety disorders are among the most common yet most ignored mental health conditions in India, and new figures show just how wide the treatment gap remains. The National Mental Health Survey, conducted by NIMHANS across 12 states between 2014 and 2016, found that 2.57 per cent of adults had an anxiety disorder at the time of assessment – and around 83 per cent of those affected were not receiving any treatment. Nearly 60 per cent experienced disability of varying severity, according to the study published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry in 2022.

Doctors say the condition turns ordinary parts of life into emotional ordeals. One Mumbai businessman plans every meeting trip more than three hours in advance so he is never more than five minutes from a hospital, fearing a heart attack while driving; a 32-year-old marketing professional describes a paralysing dread before routine meetings. Psychiatrist Dr Kedar Tilwe of Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said anxiety disorders are frequently under-recognised and inadequately treated, with stigma and a lack of awareness contributing to the problem.

How anxiety takes hold

Anxiety can appear in many forms, from social anxiety and academic stress to persistent, intrusive thoughts, said child psychiatrist Dr Kersi Chavda. In children it may surface as refusal to go to school; in adolescents facing examinations it can show up as headaches, body aches or backaches. Social anxiety is another growing concern, with the pressure to appear perfect – amplified by curated lives on social media – intensifying the fear of being judged. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty lists crowded trains, inadequate sleep, workplace demands, educational pressures, financial worries and concerns about personal safety as forces that keep people in heightened stress, alongside weakening support systems and reduced emotional connectedness.

In adults, panic disorder can bring agoraphobia – fear of situations where escape might be difficult if a panic attack strikes. Dr Tilwe said patients may avoid bridges, crowded trains, flights or traffic jams, with some refusing to travel without their spouses or turning down promotions that require venturing beyond familiar surroundings – a life, as he put it, lived in second gear.

It is treatable

The condition is treatable, but a trained physician is needed to recognise the problem. Treatment depends on the type and severity and may involve psychotherapy, medication or both. Dr Tilwe said a person with a severe anxiety disorder may need counselling along with medication for up to six months to be able to cope. Dr Shetty recommends attention to sleep, time management, breathing exercises and meditation, and doctors say cutting down on excessive caffeine and smoking can help some people manage symptoms. Everyday anxiety is a normal response to uncertainty, doctors note, but when fear becomes persistent or disproportionate and interferes with daily life, it is a disorder worth treating – not something to endure in silence.