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By  Anthony Jorm , University of Melbourne

Australians have come a long way in understanding depression. Most recognise the symptoms and believe in the value of professional help.

But anxiety disorders have been left behind. National surveys of “mental health literacy” show Australians are far less likely to recognise symptoms of anxiety.

Around 15% of Australians suffer an anxiety disorder in any given year. This includes generalised anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

When given a description of a person who is depressed, around three-quarters of survey respondents recognise the person is “depressed”. With PTSD, only a third get the label correct. For social phobia, it’s less than one in ten.

Australians are also less likely to see a person with an anxiety disorder as warranting professional help.

Watch: Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman opens up about her life with generalised anxiety disorder. (Post continues after video.)

Everyday worry.

One reason for lack of understanding is that anxiety is something everyone experiences. And it’s not always a bad thing. Anxiety is necessary for our survival, because it protects us from danger. It can also motivate us to improve our performance in situations such as exams, sporting competitions and public speaking.

But, like many good things, it is possible to have too much. When the anxiety is intense, lasting and interferes with a person’s life, then it becomes an anxiety disorder.

However, there is no clear boundary between everyday anxiety and anxiety disorders. They lie along a continuum, just like obesity is at the high end of body size and hypertension at the high end of blood pressure.

"There is no clear boundary between everyday anxiety and anxiety disorders."

Not a weakness.

Because we all experience anxiety and manage OK with it most of the time, it’s easy to judge people with anxiety disorders as weak. Almost half (45 per cent) of Australians believe “weakness of character” is a likely cause of someone developing severe social anxiety.

But imagine feeling like a semi-trailer is going to run over you when you are crossing the road. Or you’re working in bomb disposal and have to defuse a device that could explode at any time. That is what it can be like for a person with an anxiety disorder, even though there is no semi-trailer and no bomb.

Extreme anxiety can cause physical symptoms, such as pounding heart, chest pain, sensations of choking, sweating and shaking. For a person having a panic attack, which involves anxiety at its most extreme, it can feel like they are going to die.

Given that extremes of anxiety can be so unpleasant, it’s not surprising that people with anxiety disorders will often rearrange their lives to avoid these experiences. This is when anxiety changes from being a help to a major hindrance.

People may avoid driving alone, leaving the house, talking in front of a group or many other everyday activities. Their lives become restricted by the anxiety and the fear of terrifying panic attacks. At this point, we would call it an “anxiety disorder”.

Rather than being a weakness, to confront certain everyday situations can be an act of great bravery. For a person with an anxiety disorder, it is the equivalent of being that bomb disposal expert. (Post continues after gallery.)

Mental health services in Australia

Beyond Blue

Services: Beyond Blue offers immediate support services through a help line, online web chats and email. They also offer information on mental health conditions for both people who are affected by them, as well as their families and friends. Help line: 1300 22 4636 Website: www.beyondblue.org.au

Lifeline

Services: Lifeline offers 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services. You can contact Lifeline through their help line and through an online chat service. Help line: 13 11 14 Website: www.lifeline.org.au

Headspace

Services: Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. If you're 12-25, you can get health advice, support and information from headspace. Headspace has more than 70 centres across Australia. Website: www.headspace.org.au

Black Dog Institute

Services: The Black Dog Institute is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by mood disorders through their high quality translational research, clinical expertise and national education programs. Phone: (02) 9382 2991 Website: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au

Sane Australia

Services: Sane offers people affected by mental illness with support training and education. Their award-winning educational resources include guidebooks and ebooks, fact sheets, podcasts, videos, guidelines for health professionals, and magazine 'SANE News'. Help line: 1800 18 7263 Website: www.sane.org

The Butterfly Foundation

Treatment options.

A range of psychological, medical and lifestyle treatments can effectively treat various anxiety disorders. Treatments need to be tailored to the person’s particular type of anxiety disorder and will usually involve a commitment over several months.

The best all-round approach is cognitive behaviour therapy. This involves working with a therapist to look for patterns of thinking and acting that are contributing to problems with anxiety. Once these patterns are recognised, the person learns to use different approaches to thinking and acting that reduce anxiety and improve coping.

Cognitive behaviour therapy is available from a clinical psychologist. But it’s not even necessary to see a therapist face-to-face. Free, internet-based services produce outcomes as good as face-to-face treatment, when followed through to the end.

Medications can also assist, including antidepressants, but they have risks that must be balanced against the benefits. Complementary and lifestyle treatments with supporting evidence include acupuncture, certain types of self-help books, relaxation training and yoga. (Post continues after gallery.)

Celebrities who have battled Anxiety Disorder

Adele

Adele told The Rolling Stone in 2011 "I'm scared of audiences... I get shitty scared. One show in Amsterdam, I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit. I've thrown up a couple of times. Once in Brussels, I projectile-vomited on someone. I just gotta bear it. But I don't like touring. I have anxiety attacks a lot."

Kate Moss

Oprah Winfrey

Barbra Streisand

Emma Stone

Emma Stone has had a long history of panic attacks, and told USA Today "I just started meditating in January... It's changing my life completely. I'm pretty into it. Once or twice a day, I meditate. That has been the best thing for my mind."

Kristen Stewart

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez sought help in January 2014 for her severe anxiety, telling fans in a statement: It has become clear to me and those close to me that after many years putting my work first, I need to spend some time on myself in order to be the best person I can be."

Kim Basinger

Hollywood Actress, Kim Basinger, has had a history of social anxiety, agoraphobia and panic disorder. Basinger has been open about her mental health issues, and in an interview with Charlie Rose stated: "Fear has been something I've lived with my entire life, the fear of being in public places - which led to anxiety or panic attacks... I stayed in my house and literally cried every day."