The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an unprecedented rise in anxiety disorders globally, with estimates indicating a 26% increase in prevalence during 2020 alone. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has identified this trend as a critical and ongoing public health challenge that demands policy attention well beyond the acute phase of the pandemic.
Data published in The Lancet (2021) by Santomauro et al. estimated that an additional 76 million cases of anxiety disorders emerged worldwide during the first year of the pandemic. Social isolation, economic disruption, bereavement, and prolonged uncertainty about disease transmission all contributed to this surge in documented cases.
The World Federation for Mental Health notes that this increase has not been uniformly distributed across populations. Women, younger adults, and individuals in low-income countries bore a disproportionate burden, reflecting pre-existing disparities in mental health service access. WFMH policy briefs have called for gender-responsive and age-sensitive approaches in post-pandemic mental health recovery planning.
Generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and health anxiety were among the most commonly reported conditions in population-based surveys conducted across multiple countries. Many individuals meeting diagnostic criteria did not seek professional help — a pattern that highlights persistent barriers including stigma, cost, and the limited availability of services.
The World Federation for Mental Health urges national governments to incorporate anxiety disorder management into post-COVID recovery strategies, alongside meaningful investment in mental health workforce development and digital mental health solutions. Evidence-based psychological interventions, particularly cognitive-behavioural therapy, remain critically underutilized in most national health systems. WFMH calls for immediate action to address this gap.