We have interviewed 92 people who have struggled with anxiety. These stories are full of tips on how to overcome anxiety.
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I’ve interviewed 92 people struggling with anxiety, and here are the top 5 most mentioned tips that helped these people overcome anxiety:
In our many years of publishing helpful mental health content, we always received questions from our readers about specific situations. While we have a lot of helpful tips to share on how to be happier, we simply can’t offer advice for every situation.
That’s why I’ve set out to interview folks with every type of mental health struggle. My job as an interviewer is to categorize these interviews and present them in a way that is most helpful to our readers.
“My struggles with unworthiness came from deep childhood wounds which stemmed from generational trauma on both sides of my family. I grew up in a multicultural home—one parent a Colorado native with UK roots and an immigrant father from Algeria. From a young age, I felt very different from my peers because of my unique cultural background.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Racism
Self-doubt
“I’ve always been good at putting on a brave face, especially at work-related events, so most people had no idea I was struggling. But inside, the anxiety would build up, and I often felt so overwhelmed that I had to leave early or run out after only a short time. Eventually, my anxiety reached a point where I’d either cancel last minute or break down in tears before even getting to the event.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Helped by:
Journaling
Meditation
Mindfulness
“My anxiety was out of control. My system “was constantly overloaded. There were days when I couldn’t function. It’s hard to admit, but some days, I didn’t enjoy being a mom…and I hated that! I wanted nothing more than to be the parent they needed. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that looked like. And they couldn’t tell me.”
Helped by:
Meditation
Self-improvement
Therapy
“For the longest time, I tried to keep it to myself. I felt this need to stay strong, to keep up the front, especially because people around me relied on me. I worried that showing what I was going through would let others down or make them see me differently. So, I put on a brave face, thinking I could power through on my own.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal
Helped by:
Self-acceptance
Volunteering
“The turning point came when I received my diagnosis at the specialized treatment facility. I reached a point where I needed clarity about my situation, so I took the necessary steps to take time away from family and company to pursue those answers. My time at the facility and finally understanding what was happening to me gave me a sense of relief and validation.”
Struggled with:
ADHD
Anxiety
CPTSD
Panic attacks
Helped by:
Therapy
“I’m honestly not sure if others knew or noticed because I kept it inside. People definitely noticed (and commented) that I was quiet or shy or didn’t speak up much – which didn’t help! But nobody knew what was really going on in my head and I didn’t talk about it, but I did write about it and writing has been my safe space ever since!”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Self-doubt
Helped by:
Self-improvement
“Neglect, abuse, and the profound impact of my mother’s involvement in the witness protection program marked my childhood. These experiences left deep emotional scars that have taken years to understand and manage. These challenges have ebbed and flowed over time. Yet, they’ve always been a constant presence, influencing how I see the world and interact with it.”
Struggled with:
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
PTSD
Helped by:
Reinventing yourself
Self-improvement
“If a situation is making you unhappy – a marriage, a job, a family member – anything – change the situation. You can leave, you can stop speaking to someone (yes, even a parent or another family member), and you can do so free of guilt because you are in charge of your own happiness, and life is too short to choose anything different for yourself.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal
Helped by:
Medication
Therapy
“There were weeks when I wouldn’t leave my house, feeling too overwhelmed and exhausted to face the world. I tend to isolate myself rather than reaching out to others, which only compounded my feelings of loneliness and despair. I had to repattern my behavior and learn to ask for help or talk about my feelings, but it wasn’t easy. I internalized a lot of my pain and frustration, which made me feel even more isolated.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Autoimmune disease
Helped by:
Self-improvement
“When the next depressive episode hit in 2018, I was devastated. How could this happen again when I thought I had it all figured out? I experienced some of the darkest moments of my life and a nearly complete loss of hope.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Suicidal
Helped by:
Medication
Therapy