Anxiety: When Your Body's Alarm System Won't Quiet Down

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting nearly 40 million adults every year. Yet fewer than 37 percent of those affected receive treatment. Everyone feels anxious from time to time, but for millions of people, anxiety goes far beyond normal worry. Understanding what anxiety is and how it works is the first step toward managing it.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress. The adrenal glands, located just below your kidneys, release adrenaline and cortisol when you're under stress. These hormones are released in order to help you deal with a threat or danger. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting nearly 40 million American adults.

The causes of anxiety disorders aren't fully understood. It's likely that a combination of factors is involved, including genetics and brain chemistry, life events like divorce or job loss and stress. A person with social anxiety disorder may avoid speaking in public situations because they fear being judged negatively by others.

Common Types of Anxiety

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) - Persistent, excessive worry about everyday situations that is difficult to control.
• Social anxiety disorder - Intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social settings.
• Panic disorder - Recurring, unexpected panic attacks with physical symptoms like a racing heart and shortness of breath.
• Specific phobias - Overwhelming fear of a particular object or situation that leads to avoidance.

How Anxiety Affects Daily Life

When anxiety becomes chronic, it can interfere with work, relationships, and simple daily tasks. Physical symptoms like sweating, trembling, difficulty sleeping, and stomach issues are common. Many people with anxiety also withdraw socially, which creates a cycle of isolation that makes the anxiety worse. The good news is that anxiety is highly treatable, and peer support is a powerful complement to professional care.

How Can Peer Support Help With Anxiety?

Anxiety disorders typically last at least six months and can get worse if they're not treated. When anxiety is severe, it may interfere with daily activities and cause physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling or trembling hands. This can make it hard to function normally in social situations or at work. Peer support helps with anxiety by providing a safe space to connect with other people who also experience anxiety. Peer support groups are a place to connect, learn coping mechanisms and get support from peers who understand the impact of living with anxiety.

How ShareWell Supports People With Anxiety

At ShareWell, our peer support groups provide a safe space to connect with others who truly understand what living with anxiety feels like. You can share your experience, learn coping strategies that have worked for others, and break the cycle of isolation. Our groups are not about fixing you. They are about reminding you that you are not alone and that there are people who get it.

Ready to connect with others who understand anxiety? Join an online support group today.

To view our sessions on Anxiety, click here.