National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day – May 7

Anxiety isn’t new—people have been dealing with it for thousands of years. Ancient Greek and Roman doctors recognized it as a separate condition, not just general sadness. Philosophers like the Stoics and Epicureans even developed techniques to manage anxiety that are similar to modern cognitive psychology.

After the classical era, anxiety lost its medical label for centuries, though people still experienced it. In the 18th century, Boissier de Sauvages described panic attacks and generalized anxiety as “panophobias.” Later, in the 19th century, the term neurasthenia emerged—covering fatigue, headaches, and irritability, all linked to anxiety.

In India, traditional medicine used herbs like Brahmi, Gotu Kola, and Ashwagandha for calming the mind—natural solutions still popular today.

Treatments in medieval times were rough—think ice baths, bloodletting with leeches, and spa retreats. Thankfully, with the rise of psychoanalysis and Freud’s influence, therapy became a widely accepted way to treat anxiety.

Though the official recognition of anxiety disorders came only recently, they've always existed. Even famous figures like Adele, Johnny Depp, Selena Gomez, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill have opened up about their struggles with anxiety and panic attacks.