This is one of a series of fact sheets on the mental, emotional, and behavior disorders that can appear in childhood or adolescence. The Center for Mental Health Services extends appreciation to the National Institute of Mental Health for contributing to the preparation of this fact sheet. Young people with an anxiety disorder typically are so afraid, worried, or uneasy that they cannot function normally.
Anxiety disorders can be long-lasting and interfere greatly with a child's life.
Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. Serious emotional disturbances affect 1 in every 10 young people at any given time. There are a number of different anxiety disorders that affect children and adolescents. Several are described below. Generalized Anxiety Disorder.