Can Anxiety Shorten Your Life?

But, Olfson noted, conditions such as major depression and anxiety disorders are far more common, and they also appeared to shorten people's lives. Overall, the analysis found, people with mental health conditions

mental health conditions

A nervous breakdown (also called a mental breakdown) is a term that describes a period of extreme mental or emotional stress. The stress is so great that the person is unable to perform normal day-to-day activities. The term “nervous breakdown” isn't a clinical one. Nor is it a mental health disorder.

› signs-nervous-breakdown

were more than twice as likely to die over roughly 10 years, versus people without the disorders.

How much does anxiety shorten life?

People with moderate levels of distress were about 43% more likely to die of any cause. And people with high levels of distress were 94% more likely to die during the study than people with no distress.

How long can you live with anxiety?

From the time of diagnosis, an anxiety disorder can last from a few months to many years. Most people will have symptoms of an anxiety disorder for a long time before seeking professional help, sometimes up to 15 years³.