There Are Many Forms Of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders have been gaining a lot of attention recently, as American public service campaigns encourage friends to stand by their neighbors that are suffering from mental illness. The commercials that are shown on national television talk about the alienating patterns that often develop during anxiety disorders, and challenge people to look for aid and extend a level of support to the person suffering.

But, just how widespread are anxiety disorders in the States and what forms can they take on? According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, this collective condition plagues a good forty million people in America. With a few different forms, anxiety disorders can vary from having rather moderate symptoms to very strong phobias.

The different types of anxiety disorders are:

Generalized Anxiety - Affecting some 6.8 million Americans age 18 or above, this form of the condition is characterized by a patient becoming extremely agitated over everyday things. Individuals with this condition can discover themselves being blocked off from life by fears that arise out of either, justified or irrational reasons.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - With some 2.2 million Americans suffering from this type of condition, it is the least widespread of the disorders. This condition is identified by a compulsion to engage in repetitive acts in a nearly ritualistic manner. Hand wrenching is a common pattern of this condition.

Panic Disorder - This form of condition consist of fear or panic attacks. It affects some 6 million people and can be a rather debilitating disorder. Since panic attacks mirror heart attacks and other severe conditions, people quite often literally believe they are dying while in the throes of an attack. In a number of cases, anything that has triggered a panic attack beforehand should be prevented at all costs.

Post traumatic Stress - This specific disorder is believed to impact on about 7.7 million people. It is brought on by extreme trauma, such as rape, abuse or seeing a brutal act.

Social Anxiety - With 15 million people plagued by this type of anxiety, the condition is seen as very severe. Actually, this is the form of anxiety stressed by the public service ads on American television. In its worst form, people with this condition should avoid public areas at all costs.

Phobias - An irrational fear of heights, spiders, snakes and other such things can lead a person to be affected by a severe bout of anxiety. This condition affects an estimated 19 million people and includes a variety of different phobias.

Anxiety disorders are more widespread than most people appreciate. When the symptoms are acute and they sideline a person from everyday activities, help should be sought. Medical doctors, psychologists and other therapists can assist patients to overcome their anxiety disorders in various ways.

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