Goodbye Anxiety

hello to naming it, claiming it, and moving on

During my first (and last) hot yoga class, someone let out a long sigh.

The room was packed, and the smell was…well, unsavory.

Amidst a myriad of sticky brows and gripping, slippery feet, that deep exhale was my breaking point.

The heat and my current season of life (stress-filled graduate school + a tough intimate relationship) led me to run out of the room at a full, sweaty sprint to grab my bag.

I didn’t even make eye contact with the fit, young, yogi who was looking very concerned behind the counter—“are you okay…?”

I glanced at her and told myself:

Do not stop.

Get.

Out.

Of.

There.

Fast.

Then, my next thought:

Target.

What’s better for a panic attack than shopping?

I made it to the parking ramp and opened my door and sat there and breathed.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Do I need to call 911?

I almost called 911.

In my purse, I had the emergency bottle of anti-anxiety medication that they can prescribe someone who says, “I am in addiction recovery; please do not give me anything addictive.” Though I recognize I can make pretty much anything addictive.

Ten to fifteen minutes later, I could breathe again.

Breathe.

Breathe.

And this all happened after I had several years living in sustained, abstinence-based recovery.

This Can Be Cured…Right?

After this incident in my early thirties and years of struggling with anxiety (and what I didn’t know at the time was Generalized Anxiety Disorder and part of another diagnosis I have of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), I started seeing a therapist again regularly. I started medication. I prayed. I read my Bible. I went to a small group. I went to my recovery meetings. I did all the things that I thought were going to cure me or at least make the anxiety less debilitating.

There were even people (well-meaning people) in my life who said things like:

“You just need to pray more.”

“You need to trust God more.”

“You are living in fear not faith.”

And this is what I heard:

“You are the problem.”

Have you had people tell you this as it relates to your own mental health?

Perhaps your loved one in or seeking recovery?

Have you experienced or are you experiencing right now someone in your life telling you how to stop being so anxious—but it is just not working and not at all helpful?

From these often-well-meaning critiques or suggestions, this can be inferred:

“It’s my fault.”

Or worse:

“I’m the only one who can fix it.”

No matter if it is your loved one who is struggling, or if you are facing anxiety or an anxiety disorder, you are not alone.

• Anxiety disorders rank as the most prevalent mental health condition in the United States, impacting over 40 million adults, which constitutes 19.1% of the population.¹

• The most frequently occurring anxiety disorder in the U.S. is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), affecting 6.8 million adults.

• Younger individuals, particularly those between 18 and 24 years old, are more prone to experiencing symptoms of anxiety, with nearly half reporting either depressive disorder or anxiety symptoms.²

• Women are more than twice as likely as men to grapple with an anxiety disorder.³

• Despite anxiety disorders being highly treatable, more than 60% of individuals affected do not seek treatment.⁴

Photo by Mitch on Unsplash

Still Not Working

So, I did all the things and then more. More therapy. More medication. More prayer. Still, anxiety and then more as the world felt like it was turning in on itself at the beginning of 2020.

What I didn’t realize at the time was this: Anxiety is normal. Just like the stats I just shared show.

Some may argue that we are living in an anxiety-inducing world, more so now than ever. Our primordial selves have the fight or flight responses kicking in because we are human. We are created to self-preserve. To endure.

Did you know that for those of us in addiction recovery, the rates of mental health conditions like anxiety are even higher?

Not only this, but there is a whole array of co-occurring conditions that impact the way we recover and maintain wellness as individuals and as family members.

So, what’s the good news?

There are things that we can do to support our mental health not just during Mental Health Awareness Month, but every day.

Here are three things that have helped me with my challenge with anxiety.

I like to use this 1-2-3 method of addressing anxiety. Name it, claim it, and move on. Let me explain.

• Name it. Define what you are feeling. It’s okay to be feeling anxious. Anxiety conditions are normal (remember the stats above).

  Ask yourself: how am I really feeling? Then, find a trusted friend to share with. Maybe this is through prayer or maybe a text or phone call.

• Claim it. We can own who we are. There is freedom in claiming our struggles (along with our gifts).

  When I stopped fighting against my anxious thoughts, but accepted them as part of my experience, even something to be grateful for, something major shifted. I could take suggestions like “do not be anxious” and let them settle into my heart like this: “you do not need to be anxious, though you may find yourself anxious. If this happens or when this happens, there are things that you can do to rest your anxious heart and mind.”

• Move on. We can get support. We don’t have to flippantly try to forge ahead or “move on” and try to forget our challenges with anxiety or other mental health concerns. We can move forward knowing that it is possible to sustain wellness and recovery in all its various forms. Here is a great resource that’s just been released from my friends with Smart Living with Grit and Grace: When Anxiety Won’t Let Go.

Our humanness, in all of its imperfection and anxiety, can propel us towards healing in deeper ways.

Not just for ourselves, but for our families and communities, too.

What supports your mental health? Share in the comments to give someone hope this Mental Health Awareness Month.

Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with independent research to help people find the best path to healing. She is the author of Downstairs Church, You Are Not Your Trauma, When Anxiety Won’t Let Go, and When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction (Nelson Books, Spring 2026). Drawing from her own recovery journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and trauma, and training as a mental health provider and addiction recovery expert, Caroline inspires others to believe that healing is possible.

1. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2022, October 28). Anxiety Disorders - Facts & Statistics. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics

2. Mar 20, & 2023. (n.d.). Latest Federal Data Show That Young People Are More Likely Than Older Adults to Be Experiencing Symptoms of Anxiety or Depression. KFF. https://www.kff.org/mental-health/press-release/latest-federal-data-show-that-young-people-are-more-likely-than-older-adults-to-be-experiencing-symptoms-of-anxiety-or-depression/

3. Anxiety disorders | womenshealth.gov. (2019, January 30). Womenshealth.gov. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/anxiety-disorders

4. Facts and Statistics About Anxiety Disorders. (2022, April 5). CHC Resource Library. https://www.chconline.org/resourcelibrary/facts-and-statistics-about-anxiety-disorders/