Anxiety disorders vary as to symptoms and treatments. No matter the type, anyone suffering from one or more, knows how debilitating they can be. One such disorder is known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Those who are afflicted with GAD are unable to lead a normal life. They are constantly tense and worried, apparently without valid reasons. They constantly fret about things such as money or health and everything in between.

People who suffer from GAD will find it impossible to relax and will find that they are often tired and irritable. People with GAD often suffer from other types of mental health problems, such as depression, and will often be substance abusers.

Another anxiety disorder present on the spectrum is panic disorder. People suffering from panic disorder will experience panic attacks, where they develop an overwhelming and unrealistic fear that they are in some type of danger. As a result of the panic attack these people may develop phobias specific to certain conditions, a social phobia or even agoraphobia. These phobias are unnatural, uncontrollable, and overpowering. People with the phobias will go to great extremes to avoid the situation or object.

A person that has a social phobia will avoid many types of social situations that make them afraid and cause a panic attack. This includes meeting new people or speaking in public. Agoraphobia will cause a person to be fearful of being in a situation where they may have difficulty in escaping or where they may feel some type of embarrassment. In extreme cases of agoraphobia a person may have great difficulty in leaving what they think is the safety of their home. When a person with an anxiety disorder has a specific phobia they will be afraid of a particular object such as dogs or spiders. They often are aware that their fear is unnatural and unwarranted but will still be unable to overcome their feelings of fear.

Yet another anxiety disorder is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Symptoms include having irrational thoughts that cause the person great anxiety. They obsess about things such as germs and constantly wash their hands. Or they may check the stove over and over in fear of having left it on. These people also know that they are acting in irrational ways, but without medication or other medical attention, they will be unable to stop behaviors.

People suffering from OCD will often develop rituals that they carry out in a compulsive manner. Many times these compulsive rituals will take the person over an hour or two to complete each day creating a great deal of upheaval in their life.

Any type of anxiety can cause and individual to feel great distress. However, proper treatment and management of the symptoms are available. If you are someone you love suffers from anxiety, don't be afraid to consult with a professional, such as a doctor, psychologist or therapist.