Everyone experiences stress and anxiety in their lives. Stress and anxiety serve very useful purposes and are helpful to our functioning and survival. For some, stress and anxiety can become overwhelming and out of proportion to what is happening around them. When this happens it is important to find ways to address these problems so that they are able to function both academically and personally.

  College students may be particularly likely to experience stress and anxiety because of all the adjustments and demands faced during the college years. Academic and social challenges, gaining independence, financial concerns, and many other college experiences are likely to cause some stress and anxiety.

  Nationwide, approximately 10-15% of people in the United States struggle with some form of anxiety disorder. This number represents people who have significant impairments in their functioning because of overwhelming stress or anxiety. If we include people who experience typical stress and anxiety due to events in their lives the number would increase dramatically. This is because stress and anxiety are normal parts of life and most everyone experiences them.