Most of us have felt that the world is about to collapse and everything will end in just a few minutes. This is quite common in situations of stress, worry and uncertainty. The feeling of fear, dread and problems with concentration is what characterizes common anxiety. There's nothing particularly special about it and usually it can be controlled. However, there are people who live with constant anxiety that cannot be controlled. And to make things even worse, the causes for such anxiety do not lie in the logical realm, being a subjective experience that is rarely linked to actual threat or stress. This is what anxiety disorders are all about and to say that they are unpleasant is like saying nothing at all.

There are different types of anxiety disorders, each of them characterized by different symptoms, intensity of anxiety and circumstances in which it occurs. One of the most common types is panic disorder that manifests through panic attacks that occur for no apparent reason. During such an attack a person feels dread, fear and experiences fast heartbeat and problems with concentration. This anxiety disorder is quite often connected with agoraphobia (fear of large open spaces and social settings) and social phobia, if untreated. However, in most cases this disorder is treatable with medications and psychotherapy.

Other common type of anxiety disorder is OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). This disorder is characterized by obsessive thoughts and ideas that are organized with a ritual-like structure that is believed by the patient to control anxiety itself. This usually manifests in repetitive activities such as washing hands, closing doors and windows, sacking things in a particular order, etc, and if something impedes this activity there's a feeling of dread in the patient.

PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is also a quite widespread kind of anxiety disorder, usually linked to tragic events or catastrophes that the patient was witness to. The condition is characterized by emotional numbness, irritability and negligence to social activities and relationships. The problem with PTSD is that quite often it sets after a period of time, not immediately after the tragic events. People who were at war usually experience this disorder when trying to live a normal life again.

Social anxiety or social phobia is quite characteristic for large population areas and is described by fear and anxiety of social activities and large groups of people in one place. This makes it quite hard for urban dwellers to perform such everyday activities such as going to work or college, meeting friends and even going to the supermarket.

One has to understand that most cases of anxiety are treatable and it may be enough to go through a course of Xanax or any other medication to eliminate the problem. It may sound impossible for a person with anxiety disorder, however speaking with a doctor sure helps. Seek professional help if you feel that you have a particular type of anxiety disorder. Don't buy Xanax, Valium or any other anti-anxiety drugs on your own. Prescription drugs like Xanax should be taken only with your doctor's consent and following a prescribed dosage. Otherwise you can make the problem even worse.