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Anxiety disorders have been gaining a lot of attention recently, as American public service campaigns encourage friends to stand by their colleagues that are suffering from mental illness. The commercials that air on national television touch on the antagonizing patterns that usually arise during anxiety disorders, and compel people to seek help and provide a level of support to the person suffering.

But, just how prevalent are anxiety disorders in the US and what types do they adopt? According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, this collective condition plagues a good 40 million Americans. With a number of different forms, anxiety disorders can range 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 older, this form of the condition is identified by a patient becoming extremely anxious over mundane things. Persons with this condition can find themselves being alienated from life by fears that grow out of either, justified or irrational reasons.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - With some 2.2 million Americans suffering from this kind of condition, it is the least common of the disorders. This condition is identified by a compulsion to carry out repetitive acts in an almost ritualistic manner. Hand wrenching is a typical pattern of this condition.

Panic Disorder - This type of condition consist of fear or panic attacks. It impacts on some 6 million people and can be a rather crippling disorder. Since panic attacks duplicate heart attacks and other severe conditions, people quite often literally feel they are dying while in the throes of an attack. In some instances, anything that has started a panic attack beforehand should be prevented at all costs.

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

Social Anxiety - With 15 million people suffering from this kind of anxiety, the condition is seen as quite severe. Generally, this is the form of anxiety stressed by the public service campaigns on American television. In its gravest form, people with this condition should avoid public areas at all costs.

Phobias - An unreasonable fear of heights, spiders, snakes and other such things can lead a person to be affected by a severe bout of anxiety. This condition strikes approximately 19 million people and includes a host of different phobias.

Anxiety disorders are more widespread than many people appreciate. When the signs are serious and they sideline a person from everyday activities, help should be sought. Medical doctors, psychologists and other therapists can help patients to control their anxiety disorders in a variety of ways.