A first national benchmark based on 2024 survey data finds substantial anxiety symptoms among US teenagers, alongside high levels of depression, suicidal thoughts and unmet treatment needs.
A new analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that anxiety symptoms are common among older children and teenagers in the United States, with about one in six adolescents reporting moderate to severe levels. The finding comes from 2024 federal survey data and gives researchers a first national benchmark for tracking youth anxiety, though it cannot show whether rates are rising or falling.
The study drew on responses from 15,730 adolescents aged 12 to 20 in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the first year the survey asked about anxiety. Researchers used the GAD-7, a standard seven-question screening tool that measures symptom severity rather than making a clinical diagnosis. Overall, 23.7% of respondents had mild symptoms, 9.6% had moderate symptoms and 7.2% had severe symptoms, according to the report. That means 16.8% fell into the moderate or severe range.
The overlap with other mental health concerns was substantial. Among adolescents with severe anxiety symptoms, nearly two-thirds met criteria for a major depressive episode in the previous year, while almost half reported suicidal thoughts and about a third said they had used substances in the previous month. That pattern suggests anxiety rarely appears in isolation, and it reinforces the need for clinicians to look for depression, self-harm risk and substance use when a young person screens positive.
The study also points to gaps in care. Nearly half of adolescents with moderate symptoms and 41% of those with severe symptoms said they had not received any mental health services in the past year. ABC News reported that female adolescents were more likely than males to report both moderate and severe symptoms, while male, Black and uninsured teenagers were among those most likely to say they did not get care. T. Greg Rhee of the University of Connecticut, the study’s senior author, told ABC News that the new survey questions create a baseline that will allow public health officials to track trends over time and judge whether efforts to improve access are working.
That treatment gap comes against a broader backdrop in which mental health has become a routine issue in paediatric care, yet many practices still face limited time and resources. A survey from the American Academy of Pediatrics this year found that anxiety and depression are now core parts of primary care, but that paediatricians often struggle with barriers to treatment. The new study does not explain why so many teenagers went without care, but the authors and outside clinicians pointed to likely factors that include stigma, shortages of child mental health specialists, and insurance or financial barriers.
The findings also should be read alongside other recent federal data showing that many teens are not using substances at especially high levels, even as emotional distress remains a concern. The National Institutes of Health said in December 2025 that abstention from alcohol, tobacco and nicotine remained at historic highs in the Monitoring the Future survey, underscoring that the most visible public health problems among adolescents can shift over time. Here, the concern is less about drug use as a widespread habit than about the small but important share of teenagers whose anxiety is linked with depression, suicidal thinking or other risks.
For parents and caregivers, the practical message is to watch for persistent worry that interferes with school, sleep, home life or friendships. Irritability, fatigue, headaches, stomach pain and trouble sleeping can all be signs that something more serious is going on, the CDC says. A calm conversation, regular routines and a visit with a paediatrician or school counsellor can be useful first steps. In urgent situations, families should contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by call or text, or call 911 if there is immediate danger.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
