Anxiety - How Community Helps Sufferers

In 2007, the American Psychiatric Association estimated that there were more than 40 million Americans suffering from panic disorders and anxiety disorders. These numbers were staggering indicating a problem of gigantic proportions. The alarming feature of these statistics was the fact that the number of people diagnosed with such disorders had in fact been growing. Today, anxiety disorders are the second most common mental illness behind only depression. And while there has been a similar growth among mental health professionals trained to treat these diseases, it seemed as though the entire mental health apparatus was woefully unprepared to meet the needs of every anxiety sufferer.

The fact of the matter is that being diagnosed with an anxiety can be a very troubling event. For many years having such a diagnosis was the equivalent of being marooned on a desert island. There were few people with which one could discuss their situation with. Certainly there were counselors and therapists, but most anxiety sufferers spent only a few hours a month with such health care providers. In fact, an anxiety sufferer was likely to not reach out to others with the same condition due to the underlying shame accompanying mental illness.

Luckily, times have changed. In 2009, the world is changing place. Attitudes towards mental illness have changed dramatically in the last quarter century and having an anxiety disorder is less likely to be viewed as shameful in the present environment. There is a greater understanding of the causes and genetic reality that individuals with panic and anxiety disorders must confront. This understanding has created an atmosphere of community where individuals who are sufferers can turn to each other to find support.

But, perhaps the single greatest development that has benefited individuals with mental illness has been the growth of the internet. Connectivity and anonymity has allowed people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe to interact and form community. It is this community which has generated the most positive effects for people of suffering from anxiety.

Today, one can find hundreds of websites, blogs and forums which provide information about anxiety disorders and panic attacks.While in the early days of the internet these outlets were mostly written from the perspective of those who treated anxiety disorders, the ease of setting up a website encouraged many sufferers of anxiety to start their own sites. As a result new platforms emerged where individuals could share their own experience with others who are in a similar situation.

Today there are thousands of personal blogs on the subject of living with anxiety. These blogs share stories and humor and provide community for sufferers. But, the most important function of these sites is to share techniques and tips about overcoming anxiety. As helpful as psychiatrists and therapists are, they are often missing one element. That element is personal experience. But one a website, a person actually suffering from anxiety can share with another sufferer the specifics of what has worked with them. As a result new alternative therapies are gaining acceptance and people report an improvement in their symptoms.

The simple fact is that there is nothing useful as one person with anxiety sharing what has worked with them with another person with an anxiety disorder. Because of this, sufferers are discovering novel ways to mitigate and even defeat their anxiety from others who share their disease.

This community heals each other. Because of the growth in personal blogs and mental health forums an individual living in Seattle can now share techniques that have made a difference in here life with a person in New York City. As a result, a new breed of more informed and more active anxiety sufferers has emerged. This new class works together, experiments, and takes pride in their accomplishments and the achievements of others. With mental illness still posing a significant threat to world health, the emergence of this community must be seen as a positive development.