Let’s talk about anxiety: what it is, how it feels, and what you can do about it.&nbsp;Feelings of anxiety can be overwhelming and scary – but there is always hope. In this blog post, we are going to talk about different strategies you can use to overcome your anxiety symptoms, and more specifically, about how peer support can be incredibly effective and helpful to own your anxiety when it comes to anxiety.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Feeling Anxious and Nervous?&nbsp;</h2>Anxiety disorders cause a persistent feeling of worry or fear (NIMH)Worry is a normal human emotion that all of us feel.&nbsp; And it’s often helpful!&nbsp; If you feel anxious when a car rushes by just as you are about to step into a crosswalk, that’s an appropriate feeling: the worry is a warning signal that can help keep you safe. This is called facilitative anxiety, as it facilitates safety or performance!&nbsp;But too much worry is not adaptive and can be debilitating. For some of us, the “worry” arises at moments when it’s not helpful, shows up too frequently, and prevents us from doing things that are good for us. For example, this could be when you wake up with anxiety or stress without any cause.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:center;">That’s when feeling anxious and nervous is bad for us</h3>What many people don’t know is that there are other symptoms linked with anxiety. The most commonly recognized symptoms of anxiety include worry, nervousness, and restlessness. Anxiety can also cause shortness of breath, anger, frustration, or trouble sleeping. However, there is no stress and anxiety formula- it can feel differently for everyone.<img style="height:auto;" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.peers.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/anxiety-by-age.png?resize=1268%2C872&amp;ssl=1" alt="" width="1268" height="872">This graph demonstrates the prevalence of anxiety among different age groups in the United States. Millions of people suffer from anxiety: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder">the National Institute of Mental Health</a> estimated that 22.3% of people aged 18-29 experience an anxiety disorder. For teenagers, that number jumps to 32%, and when it comes to young women (women between 18-29), a staggering 38% experience anxiety.&nbsp;If this sounds like you, you are not alone.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways – it can surround one specific issue; your anxiety might be around test-taking, speaking in public, or talking with adults or authority figures.&nbsp; Or you may feel generally anxious and “on edge” without quite being able to point to one specific cause or concern. Both experiences are equally valid, common, and worthy of seeking help.In this article, we are going to focus specifically on how peer support can help ease your anxiety. Often, it takes trying multiple things to find what really works best for you. So if you are constantly experimenting with new things to help with your anxiety, don’t get discouraged – there are lots of options for you to test out and see what is best.&nbsp;<h2>What is peer support?</h2><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">Professional peer support</a> is a type of mental health support based on the idea that people who have successfully overcome their mental health challenges can be trained to support those who are experiencing something similar. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.peers.net/resource-links/">Peer supporters</a> are real people with real experiences, just like you, who have been professionally trained to help you navigate life’s challenges. For people who need an anxiety talk down, connecting with a peer supporter means having the possibility to be seen, heard, and supported by someone who truly understands first-hand what it feels like.Meet Sam H, a peer supporter on peers.net who experienced anxiety during her time as a competitive dancer. Sam made it through her anxiety with the help of her amazing support system. Sam now uses her experience with mental health to connect with others as a peer supporter and act as a guide for those who struggle with anxiety, just as she did.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:900/900;width:61.43%;" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.peers.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/untitled-design.jpg?resize=900%2C900&amp;ssl=1" alt="" width="900" height="900">Sam is an excellent example of how having a support network is essential when coping with anxiety. You can read more about Sam’s story, connect with Sam, and book a professional peer support session with Sam <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://peers.net/peer-supporters/sam-h?_gl=1*13bkugs*_up*MQ..*_ga*OTM4Njg1MjExLjE3MDEyNzc2Njc.*_ga_H5SXK15P1X*MTcwMTI3NzY2Ni4xLjAuMTcwMTI3NzY2Ni4wLjAuMA..#">here</a>!&nbsp;<h2>How can peer support help recovery from anxiety disorders?</h2>If you’re feeling anxious, the presence of someone who has been there alleviates the burden of dealing with your stressors alone. Below, we discuss a few ways that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">peer support</a> will help you manage your anxiety.&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Reduced isolation: Many people experiencing anxiety feel like they’re the only one with these feelings.&nbsp; Connecting with a supporter will show you that many others have been in your shoes at some point in life.</li><li>Increased understanding: Talking to someone who has experienced anxiety in the past can help you better understand exactly what you’re feeling and experiencing. With improved ability to notice and recognize your worry, you can rapidly employ tools to decrease the anxiety before it gets too overwhelming. </li><li>Improved coping skills: Peer support can teach you how to cope with crippling anxiety to add to your toolbox and to help you better manage your symptoms. This can include things like relaxation techniques, stress management, and time management. </li><li>Reduced stigma: Mental health is a widely stigmatized issue, simply because we don’t talk enough about it. Talking about our struggles is the first step towards feeling better and healing.</li><li>Increased hope: Hearing from someone who has successfully come out on the other end can show you that there is hope: there is a path, there is help, and there is a brighter and more serene future ahead of you.&nbsp;</li></ul>This is Mustafa. After dealing with trauma in his past, he realized how important it was to have someone listening. This inspired him to seek out ways to help others struggling with anxiety from trauma- which led him to peer support!<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:610/614;height:auto;width:284px;" src="https://i0.wp.com/blog.peers.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/screenshot-2023-12-20-at-10.31.07-am.png?resize=610%2C614&amp;ssl=1" alt="Mustafa, a peer supporter who is versed with anxiety and nervousness" width="610" height="614">Mustafa learned that being open and honest about his feelings and hardships made him a more courageous person. He now knows what it is not like to have anxiety! Mustafa is available to connect with and book a peer support session with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://peers.net/peer-supporters/mustafa?_gl=1*5rzrig*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA3MjIyODA2Ny4xNzAxMjg1MDE5*_ga_H5SXK15P1X*MTcwMTI4NTAxOC4xLjAuMTcwMTI4NTAxOC4wLjAuMA..#">here</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">.</a>&nbsp;<h2>The Science&nbsp;&amp; Recovering From Anxiety Disorders</h2>Peer support has been shown to be effective for many mental health conditions, including anxiety.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01430343211039265"> Sage Journals</a> published a study that demonstrated that peer support is a strong protective factor against test anxiety.The authors wanted to see if high school students’ test anxiety and belief in themselves were related to peer support and individual resilience. They issued 560 surveys that asked questions on the amount of support someone had, their belief in themselves, and the level of anxiety they had about testing.&nbsp;The authors found that high school students who experienced greater support from their peers felt less anxiety during exam days, leading to greater testing success. This tells us a lot about how having supportive systems make us more resilient and less anxious!<h2>You are not alone</h2>While anxiety is a struggle common to millions of people, it can be quite debilitating when faced in isolation. Although those feelings can be difficult, you are not alone.&nbsp;There is no reason to deal with crippling anxiety alone. There are many people who understand what you are going through and who are trained and ready to help. Peer supporters are young people, just like you, who have walked in your shoes, struggled with those feelings, and found a path towards their healing.&nbsp;Often, the first step towards a happier life is very simply asking for help. So don’t be afraid to reach out, speak up, be honest about what you’re going through, and get the support you deserve.If you want to read more about how other mental health disorders are helped by peer support, you can read about how peer support helps with depression <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.peers.net/2023/09/12/cultivating-resilience-the-role-of-peer-support-in-managing-depression/">here</a>. We also have an article about how peer support helps with loneliness, which is <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.peers.net/2023/11/07/from-solitude-to-solidarity-exploring-the-healing-power-of-peer-support-for-loneliness/">here!</a>&nbsp;<h2>How to book a peer support session on peers.net</h2>To book with a peer supporter on peers.net, navigate to our home page and select “anxiety” under the life experiences tab. Feel free to browse other life experiences or identities so your experience with your peer supporter is as connected as possible.&nbsp;As we said in the beginning, finding a mental health care solution can take multiple tries. With <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://peers.net/">peers.net</a>, you get your first session for $5 using the code “FIRSTSESH.” If peer support doesn’t work for you, there are several other options available. You can find additional resources <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.peers.net/resource-links/">here</a>. You got this.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kim Newell Green

Recovering From Anxiety Disorders and Peer Support

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