Roughly 40 million American adults have some level of anxiety disorder. 18% of us age 18 or older have some level of anxiety disorder. Types of anxiety disorders include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia (or social anxiety disorder), specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). If you have one type of anxiety disorder, there may be a propensity to show signs of other types as well. Excessive, irrational fear and dread is a common symptom of anxiety disorder.

Anxiety can be mild, for example, like when you are asking someone out on a date. This sort of reaction usually lasts only a very short time. Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, last a long period of time. If you have experienced anxiety for over six months, it potentially puts you into this category. Anxiety can get worse without treatment

People with mental or physical illnesses, including alcohol or substance abuse, are more commonly found to have anxiety disorders. Other illnesses can mask the anxiety symptoms or even make them worse.

If you think you have an anxiety disorder, seek medical advice. There are effective therapies and medications for anxiety disorders.

For more information, go to:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml