About ADAA > Introduction

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to informing the public, health care professionals, and media that anxiety disorders are real, serious, and treatable. ADAA promotes the early diagnosis, treatment, and cure of anxiety disorders, and it is committed to improving the lives of the people who suffer from them.

Members include clinicians, researchers, and consumers. Professionals support ADAA through dues and contributions and by voluntarily serving on committees and advisory boards. Those with anxiety disorders and other interested individuals support ADAA through donations. The association is guided by its Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board, and Clinical Advisory Board.

Through its many activities and initiatives, ADAA works to

• promote professional and public awareness of anxiety disorders and their impact on people's lives;
  
• encourage the advancement of scientific knowledge about causes and treatment of anxiety disorders;
  
• assist people with anxiety disorders in finding appropriate treatment and developing self-help skills; and
  
• reduce the stigma surrounding anxiety disorders.
  

To achieve these goals, ADAA reaches out to clinicians, researchers, and other health care professionals, as well as public policymakers, educators, and individuals with anxiety disorders and their families. ADAA also collaborates with other health care organizations nationwide.

Founded in 1980 as the Phobia Society of America, the organization expanded its scope and changed its name in 1990 to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America to encompass the full range of anxiety disorders.