Anxiety is the most common mental illness

Running head: Mental Health 1
Mental Health Nursing
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Word Count: 1,955

Mental Health 2
Anxiety Among Adults aged 25-65 years
PART A
Introduction
Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the general population and affects both the old and
the young. The disorder is characterized by the emotional state of tension and thoughts of worry.
It is a usual experience in life, but if it rises to the level at which it hampers normal life
functioning, then it is classified as a disorder. Anxiety disorder consists of a group of mental
illnesses with varying symptoms. It has severe effects on both physical health and mental health
(Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015). Studies have indicated that adults aged 25-65 years are more
vulnerable to anxiety disorders. A survey was conducted in Australia on the prevalence of
anxiety disorders among adults, and the findings indicated that 20% of the mental disorders were
experienced in adults (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). Its prevalence in Australia can be
attributed to multiple factors such as the growing population of older adults. Other frequent
negative experiences in life such as the loss and bereavement of loved ones are significant risks
for developing anxiety in adults (Australian Psychological Society, 2015). This essay aims at
providing comprehensive detail on the prevalence, causes and therapeutic approach to anxiety.
Prevalence of Anxiety
Global statistics indicated that approximately 272.2 million people have been diagnosed with
anxiety at any one given time in 2010 (Baxter et al., 2014). The females were doubly affected
(5.2%) compared to males (2.8%). Additionally, an adult age group of 20-64 years were the most
affected than other age groups. According to the 2010 study by the Global Burden of Disease
which comprised of 21 regions globally, the point prevalence of disorders related to anxiety was
6.1% in North Africa and 2.1% in Asia. The study concluded that countries experiencing
conflicts, developed countries and Latin America were the most affected with anxiety disorders.
The survey conducted by Wittchen et al. (2011) on the prevalence of mental disorders in Europe
found out that 28.2% of the population were affected by mental disorders with anxiety being the
most common (14.0%) followed by phobia (6.4%), and the least prevalent being panic disorder
(1.8%). A more comprehensive and extensive community survey was conducted across
seventeen countries by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH)

Mental Health 3
Survey Initiative. The survey found out that anxiety had a 12-month prevalence of 8.3% and an
average lifetime prevalence of 14.3% (Kessler et al., 2009). A 12-month prevalence study on
anxiety disorders among adults was also conducted by the Australian National Survey of Mental
Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB). The findings indicated that there was a lifetime prevalence
of 20.0% and 12-month prevalence of 11.8% (McEvoy, Grove, & Slade, 2011). The above
studies show that anxiety disorders are a national public health problem that is affecting all
adults in all countries but more prevalent in developed countries. There is, therefore, need for
more research on the disorder concerning its causes, effects among adults and the most effective
approach in addressing it.
Causes of Anxiety among Adults
The biopsychosocial model suggests the existence of multiple and inter-related causes of
pathological anxiety. These causes have generally been grouped into three namely biological
causes, social/environmental causes and psychological causes. The biological causes in the
biopsychosocial framework consist of the physiological adaptive reactions of the body to fear
(Schetter, & Tanner, 2012). It can also include genetic characters and the functionality of the
brain that we inherit. Bourne (2011) observed that it is the genetic susceptibility articulated as a
personality type that is inherited. It is this personality that explains one’s response to stress such
as being more sensitive, reactive or both. The individuals born with these more sensitive
temperaments that are more prone to developing anxiety disorders in their adulthood because
their nervous system is aroused easily.
A biological vulnerability to stress is not sufficient to develop an anxiety disorder, however, the
risk of developing the disorder increases when there is a psychological vulnerability. Studies
have found four significant psychological factors that predict a psychological risk of anxiety.
These include perceived control, cognitive appraisals, beliefs and distortions van (Santen et al.,
2011). Gulliver, Griffiths, Christensen, and Brewer (2011) observed that psychological
susceptibilities to anxiety are caused by later life experiences. An example of such susceptibility
is the inability to exercise self-control over distressing events. An individuals’ perceived control
can significantly be influenced by childhood experiences especially when they lack self-control