Anxiety disorders have been attracting a lot of attention lately, as American public service campaigns ask friends to support their neighbors that are suffering from mental illness. The commercials that can be seen on national television talk about the antagonizing patterns that commonly arise during anxiety disorders, and urge people to search for assistance and provide a level of support to the person suffering.

But, just how prevalent are anxiety disorders in the States and what types do they assume? According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, this collective condition affects a good forty million people in America. With a number of different forms, anxiety disorders can vary from having rather moderate symptoms to very strong phobias.

The various forms of anxiety disorders are:

Generalized Anxiety - Affecting some 6.8 million Americans age 18 or beyond, this form of the condition is identified by a patient becoming extremely anxious over normal events. People with this condition can discover themselves being blocked off from life by fears that grow out of either, logical or unreasonable reasons.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - With some 2.2 million Americans affected by this kind of condition, it is the least common of the disorders. This condition is characterized by an urge to perform repetitive acts in an almost ritualistic manner. Hand wringing is a typical behavior of this condition.

Panic Disorder - This type of condition consist of fear or panic attacks. It strikes some 6 million people and can be a rather crippling disorder. Since panic attacks duplicate heart attacks and other serious conditions, people almost always literally feel they are dying while in the throes of an attack. In some cases, anything that has triggered a panic attack in the past should be prevented at all costs.

Post traumatic Stress - This specific disorder is thought to impact on about 7.7 million people. It is a result of extreme trauma, such as rape, abuse or seeing a violent act.

Social Anxiety - With 15 million people affected by this kind of anxiety, the condition is seen as quite serious. Generally, this is the kind of anxiety emphasized 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 suffer from a severe bout of anxiety. This condition strikes approximately 19 million people and includes a host of various phobias.

Anxiety disorders are more common than most people realize. When the signs are acute and they sideline a person from ordinary activities, assistance should be sought. Medical doctors, psychologists and other therapists can help patients to control their anxiety disorders in many ways.