About Anxiety There are many different types of anxiety disorder and people often have more than one disorder. The main difference between an anxiety disorder and normal anxiety or stress is the degree of irrational worry about the problem and the related avoidance of situations. Anxiety disorders severely disrupt a person’s life. Anxiety disorders can profoundly affect a person’s social and personal relationships and interfere with her or his ability to cope well with work or school. Activities and opportunities are severely curtailed, and people’s finances are often affected. Depression commonly occurs when someone has experienced an anxiety disorder for a long period of time without receiving appropriate help. Are anxiety disorders common? Approximately 11% of the Australian community experiences an anxiety disorder. Children and adolescents experience anxiety disorders at about the same rate as adults. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in Australia, even more common than depression.