By Eryn Kirkwood
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), anxiety ranks high on the list of the most common mental health disorders worldwide, second only to depression – and rates continue to escalate. Between 1 990 and 201 3, the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety increased by nearly 50%, from 416 million to 615 million worldwide, with over 5 million cases of anxiety disorder (18.17%) in the UK population alone. A total of 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK were reported in 201 3, and in 2014, 1 9.7% of people aged 16 years and over showed symptoms of anxiety or depression.