Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues globally, but accessing professional help is often difficult due to long waiting lists in many countries. Around 28% of individuals with anxiety worldwide receive treatment, with the numbers being similar in the UK and slightly higher in the US, at 37%. This gap in treatment is due to a lack of resources, including mental health professionals, and the stigma surrounding mental health.
For those struggling to access help, there are several strategies that can be tried at home in the meantime, including novel technologies. To understand these, it’s important to first look at how anxiety manifests in the brain and body.
Anxiety symptoms are cognitive, emotional, and physiological. They can include difficulty concentrating, irritability, heart palpitations, shaking, trouble sleeping, and feelings of panic. These symptoms often begin in childhood and, if untreated, may persist into adulthood.
Several genetic and environmental factors contribute to anxiety. These include academic and work pressure, financial stress, social isolation, and past trauma such as childhood abuse. These experiences can even alter brain structures. For instance, research has shown that childhood maltreatment is linked to changes in brain regions responsible for processing emotions, such as the amygdala and anterior insula.
Anxiety often coexists with other conditions like depression, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and depression rates surged by 25%, and individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions exhibited more severe emotional challenges. The rise in childhood anxiety is particularly alarming, with 500 children being referred to mental health services daily—more than double the pre-pandemic rate.
Research into treating anxiety is ongoing. For instance, studies have shown that children with anxiety who are also impulsive are at a higher risk of depression and suicidal thoughts, which may affect their treatment options.
While waiting for professional treatment can take years, neurotechnology offers promising alternatives. Several startups are working on both hardware and software solutions to help manage anxiety. For example, the Moonbird device uses paced breathing guided by gentle physical movements, which has been shown to reduce anxiety by calming the nervous system.
Other technologies include the Parasym device, which applies mild electrical impulses through the vagus nerve, influencing brain regions involved in mood and stress regulation. Companies like Neurovalens and Flow Neuroscience are exploring non-invasive brain stimulation through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). These devices deliver a mild electrical current to the scalp to target the prefrontal cortex, helping to regulate emotions. Although some studies have shown the benefits of tDCS, further research is needed.
Our emotional reactions to life events also impact our physiological functions, such as heart rate. In healthy interactions, people often experience synchronized heartbeats, a phenomenon called “physiological synchrony,” which fosters positive social bonds. However, conditions like social anxiety and postpartum anxiety can disrupt this synchrony. Devices designed to promote synchrony, like the one being developed by LYEONS Neurotech, could help those with anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD.
On the digital front, platforms like Headspace offer meditation and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) programs, while Ieso provides text-based CBT for mild anxiety and low mood. These tools use guided exercises to help users build emotional resilience and reduce anxious thoughts.
Virtual reality is another emerging tool for anxiety treatment, especially for exposure therapy and stress reduction. These technologies combine scientific and medical research to provide diverse options for addressing both mental and physical aspects of anxiety.
If we can improve access to these treatments and reduce the number of people suffering from anxiety, it would lead to better quality of life for individuals and their families, greater productivity, and a healthier society overall.
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