I've always wondered about this question. For context, I'm a 19F and I got my first ever lick of anxiety at ten years old. Over the years, I've developed coping mechanisms so some aspects of anxiety don't affect me anymore. For instance, the intrusive thoughts that used to fuel my OCD no longer have any effect, and I'm so used to panic attacks that not only do I rarely get them now, but when I do I can sit through them and continue on as though nothing happened. Currently, I'm going through another rough patch of a different aspect of anxiety entirely, but I'm getting over it pretty quickly (I think). I like to think that I've built some weird immunity to some degree. 

Though anxiety tainted my childhood, I sometimes wonder if maybe being young and not having the ability to overthink as much helped in my overcoming those aspects. On the other hand, I had no idea what anxiety or OCD etc. even was, and was convinced something was genuinely wrong with me all those years, and I never got any therapy or help. Would it be worse to suddenly be struck with anxiety in middle-age, or young? What do you think?