5 Best Online Anxiety Support Groups to Attend 2024 [Updated]
Updated on
- Written by Karla Tafra, Nutritionist
Medically reviewed by
Melissa Mitri, MS, RD
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Hey Peers!
- Led by professionals and licensed mental health therapists
- Highest level of positive reviews
- Most groups are free
7 Cups
- Free 24/7 access to discussion forums and chat rooms
- Led by trained counselors
- Private one-on-one chat rooms
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- Free to join
- Professional organization for anxiety and depression
- High emphasis on discussion forums
Anxiety is one of the most common[1] mental disorders today that is affecting more and more people with each passing minute. In addition, the stress and fast-paced lives we all live are aggravating its symptoms. The good news is there are convenient online anxiety support groups that can help.
Chronic anxiety can cause debilitating sensations that can make it hard to function optimally in everyday life. Many people who suffer from anxiety may not feel comfortable attending social settings and groups, but the recent rise in online anxiety support groups is shown to be of great help.
Specifically, they can help you establish better social interactions and lower overall anxiety symptoms.
5 Best Online Anxiety Support Groups to Attend in (April. 2024)
- Hey Peers! – Editor’s Choice
- 7 Cups – Best Application (App)
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America – Best Online Discussion Forum
- Inspire by Mental Health America – Best for Immediate Support
- The Tribe – Best Peer-to-Peer Support Group Variety
What Are Anxiety Support Groups?
Anxiety support groups are created[2] to help you manage your anxiety symptoms and make you feel less alone in the whole experience.
Research shows[3] how the pandemic caused a surge in anxiety and depression symptoms as well as substance use, making support groups a crucial factor for healing and recovery.
Anxiety support groups offer opportunities[4] for people to attend online and offline meetings with others who are either experiencing the same feelings. Participants are often encouraged to share their experiences which might help others find the best ways to cope and deal with their worrisome feelings.
These support groups are a great option for those who feel like they can’t talk to anyone around them or lack support when they truly need it.
Through offline and online group therapy sessions, they can find support and health without having to spend hundreds of dollars on professional mental health therapy.
Anxiety disorders are challenging and can often be debilitating in one’s daily interactions. Mental health support groups may be beneficial for those who are currently struggling with anxiety, as well as those who have successfully managed to control their anxiety symptoms and want to find the best way to help others.
How We Decided Our Picks
We chose the best online anxiety support groups using the following factors:
Reviews
Positive reviews and testimonials help prove the level of satisfaction participants have in the support group and the level of success in helping them deal with their symptoms.
Regulation and Control
We chose online anxiety support groups that have someone moderating their online discussion forum and making sure participants adhere to the guidelines presented.
Guidance
We chose a mix of peer-led[5] and therapist-led[6] support groups as some people might react better to one over the other.
User Experience
These types of support groups should be easy to navigate and use, without too much-added stress for the participants.
Price
We considered those support groups that are either free or really affordable and won’t break your bank.
5 Best Online Support Groups for Anxiety in 2024
Hey Peers!
Hey Peers! Is a worldwide online support group for anyone who is looking for accessible, private, and supportive meetings led by trained instructors.
- Led by professionals and licensed mental health therapists
- Highest level of positive reviews
- Most groups are free
- Some meetings require a small fee
Previously known as Support Groups Central, Hey Peers! is a worldwide online anxiety support group that offers help and support in a variety of life and mental health issues. It’s free to join and access the majority of instructor-led meetings, but some do require a small fee.
With over 95% of satisfied customers, it’s safe to say it’s one of the best online support groups for a wide range of problems and since it supports both video and audio calls, it’s a great option for those who prefer not showing their face on the camera.
Led by peers and professionals who are licensed mental health specialists, Hey Peers! also connects you with supporting organizations and non-profits where you might get an even deeper insight into your anxiety symptoms or any other life-related problem.
7 Cups
7 Cups is a great mental health app for those who are constantly on the go and are tech-savvy. This app allows you to do everything ranging from booking appointments to tracking your menstrual cycle.
- Free 24/7 access to discussion forums and chat rooms
- Led by trained counselors
- Private one-on-one chat rooms
- Professional therapy comes with a monthly fee
7 Cups is a free mobile app that offers 24/7 emotional support and guidance when you need it the most. Available at your fingertips and at any time of the day, trained listeners and counselors will be there for you to help you learn new ways to deal with your anxiety, depression, or any other problems you might encounter.
Featured in most well-read publishers in the U.S., 7 Cups is one of the best online support groups you can simply download and start reaching out to.
They also offer free self-help guides that help you work through problems to grow at your own pace, as well as professional online therapy at an additional monthly cost. You can also volunteer as a listener, where you can help others who are going through the same struggles you’ve managed to either deal with or learn how to control.
Every week, 7 Cups holds a large number of free online meetings with special sharing circles and support sessions.
According to their research[7], these sessions leave 90% of participants feeling better afterward. It’s the best online anxiety support app for those who need help on the go and is always glued to their phone.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is the best online support group for anxiety and depression for those who are more inclined towards online discussion forums than video chats.
- Free to join
- Professional organization for anxiety and depression
- High emphasis on discussion forums
- The support isn’t immediate, just like an online discussion forum
ADAA is one of the most reputable organizations in the mental health community. They staff licensed professionals and certified counselors who offer support, help, guidance, and education around anxiety and depression.
Their online discussion forum has over 65,000 subscribers from all over the world who share their experiences and seek support, guidance, and help.
It’s free to join and serves as a safe and supportive anxiety support group for individuals as well as family members. It’s great for those who are looking to connect with other people and find information on how to best cope with their mental health issues.
This is, however, not an online support group that will offer immediate help as it is mainly a forum, so keep in mind that when you’re trying to get an answer to one of your questions about mental health, mental illness, or have any other immediate concern.
Inspire by Mental Health America
For those seeking an online anxiety support group that’s led by peers and offers 24/7 support, Inspire by Mental Health America is the best choice.
- Free to join
- Offers free mental health screening tests
- 24/7 peer-to-peer support
- No professional mental health therapists, the support groups are led by peers.
Inspire by Mental Health America is a peer-to-peer support group that functions through a free online platform. Members get 24/7 support and can take free mental health screening tests for anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Although led by peers, the groups are monitored and regulated by their professional staff. This means you can feel safe knowing your conversations are private and that members are adhering to strict rules and regulations.
These online support groups are meant to be a safe space where you can find help, support, and guidance from those who are going through the same or similar experiences.
There’s a wide range of mental health community topics you are free to join even if you’re not sure you’re diagnosed with the exact one. Many of the same symptoms might show up in a variety of different mental health issues and it might be hard to navigate through the space alone.
That’s why these types of peer-led online support groups differ from those led by professionals. Sometimes those who experience the same might have better insight and offer better ways of coping.
The Tribe
The Tribe is a large community that helps support everyone and anyone who is dealing with stress, worry, and fear associated with anxiety.
- Free to join
- Over 130,000 members in various communities
- Addition of fun activities and wellness tools
- No mental health professionals
The Tribe is an online anxiety support group led by peers who aim to help, support, and offer information to those dealing with fear, stress, and worry associated with a variety of anxiety disorders.
Over 130,000 satisfied members have found this online anxiety support group to be a safe and supportive platform. Here they can share their experiences and express their fears and emotions without judgment or any form of discrimination.
Members also have access to the latest in social network technology, including a discussion forum, activity stream, and chat rooms. They can also participate in fun activities and have access to myriad inspirational wellness tools such as friend reminders, mood mapping, wellness trackers, and sending kudos to their peers.
It’s a support group that helps you feel like a part of the community and less alone in your mental health disorder.
Final Thought
Online anxiety support groups are a safe and supportive space for those who can’t get support and help from their friends or family or don’t have access to professional therapy.
They are usually designed in a way that the member has the voice and those who are leading discussions and meetings are just listeners who can offer advice.
Most platforms work through discussion forums and chat rooms and some offer one-on-one professional therapy as well.
Many support groups also offer additional educational info and self-help guides you can read and utilize at your own pace, learning how to translate whatever it is you learned in these meetings into your everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the best ways to deal with anxiety online is to join an online support group. You can share your experience with your peers who are going through the same or similar struggles and connect with professional therapists who can offer tools to help you cope.
Yes, many online support groups offer help to those dealing with social anxiety. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has the largest number of resources.
Immediate relief from anxiety will depend from person to person. Some online support groups offer 24/7 access where you can share your experiences. If your immediate concern is serious, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or text The Crisis Text Line.
There is a variety of both offline and online[8] options available. You can choose one of the abovementioned online anxiety support groups or search for “anxiety support groups near me” and attend in-person support groups.
+ 8 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Chand, S.P. and Marwaha, R. (2022). Anxiety. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470361/
- Kobori, O. and Yoshinaga, N. (2021). Investigation of the Effects of an Online Support Group for Mental Health Problems on Stigma and Help-Seeking Among Japanese Adults: Cross-sectional Study. JMIR Formative Research, [online] 5(9), p.e21348. doi:10.2196/21348.
- KFF. (2021). The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use. [online] Available at: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/
- Barkowski, S., Schwartze, D., Strauss, B., Burlingame, G.M. and Rosendahl, J. (2020). Efficacy of group psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy Research, [online] 30(8), pp.965–982. doi:10.1080/10503307.2020.1729440.
- Pelletier, J.-F., Houle, J., Goulet, M.-H., Juster, R.-P., Giguère, C.-É., Bordet, J., Hénault, I., Lesage, A., De Benedictis, L., Denis, F. and Ng, R. (2020). Online and Recovery-Oriented Support Groups Facilitated by Peer Support Workers in Times of COVID-19: Protocol for a Feasibility Pre-Post Study. JMIR Research Protocols, [online] 9(12), p.e22500. doi:10.2196/22500.
- Al-Alawi, M., McCall, R.K., Sultan, A., Al Balushi, N., Al-Mahrouqi, T., Al Ghailani, A., Al Sabti, H., Al-Maniri, A., Panchatcharam, S.M. and Al Sinawi, H. (2021). Efficacy of a Six-Week-Long Therapist-Guided Online Therapy Versus Self-help Internet-Based Therapy for COVID-19–Induced Anxiety and Depression: Open-label, Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health, [online] 8(2), p.e26683. doi:10.2196/26683.
- 7 Cups. (2022). 7 Cups Center for Open Research & Impact (CORI). [online] Available at: https://www.7cups.com/research/
- Strand, M., Eng, L.S. and Gammon, D. (2020). Combining online and offline peer support groups in community mental health care settings: a qualitative study of service users’ experiences. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, [online] 14(1). doi:10.1186/s13033-020-00370-x.
Written by:
Karla Tafra, Nutritionist
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
