Best Online Anxiety Support Groups of 2024

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Key Specs:

• Cost: Free
• Therapy Modalities: Screening tools, peer support resources

Why We Chose It: Mental Health America provides free screening tools for anxiety and a host of other mental health conditions.

Mental Health America is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health. It offers a variety of services and programs, including free screening tools that can help you identify if you might have a mental illness, such as anxiety.

To access the screening, simply click on the screening test you’d like to take and you’ll be given a few questions to answer about your symptoms. Within a few minutes, the site will let you know if you should talk to your physician or a mental health professional about the possibility of having a certain condition.

MHA does not offer an official support group for anxiety, but it does list peer support programs specifically for anxiety in its "Connect with Others" section, and its "Get Help" section provides both online and in-person therapy resources for anxiety.

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Key Specs:

• Cost: Free
• Therapy Modalities: Peer support

Why We Chose It: ADAA is a peer support group with lots of information and resources for anxiety sufferers.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) really stands out for its comprehensive library of informational resources about anxiety. Under the "Learn and Share" tab on the website, you can find pages for "Webinars, Blogs, Videos, Books & More" and "Brochures, Infographics & Newsletters." These pages are filled with resources and information relating to anxiety - everything from blog posts covering a wide variety of anxiety-related topics to webinars about living with anxiety to infographics about the myths vs. reality of anxiety.

ADAA also offers free online peer-to-peer communities. The goal for these groups is to provide a safe and friendly place for individuals with anxiety and their loved ones to share information and experiences. The groups are not held at specific times. Instead, you can enter the forum and ask questions, reply to others, or share your lived experience. At 90,000 subscribers worldwide, you are sure to hear from people dealing with the same challenges you are and gain useful knowledge and uplifting support about living with anxiety.

If you’re looking to find a therapist to provide you with one-on-one therapy, ADAA also has an extensive directory of therapists who treat anxiety.

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Key Specs: 

• Cost: Free
• Therapy Modalities: Support groups

Why We Chose It:  SMART Recovery offers support for those living with addiction who face anxiety along with their sobriety struggles.

SMART Recovery provides support groups for those living with addiction problems and the anxiety that can accompany them. And since 20% of individuals with anxiety are likely to experience a substance abuse problem, a support group that addresses both substance use and anxiety may be a useful resource for many individuals.

The program doesn’t use labels like "addict" or "alcoholic." Instead, it talks about changing self-destructive habits that can come from both addiction issues and anxiety. The program leaders acknowledge that addictive behaviors serve a purpose—they help people cope with life’s problems in the short term. But they also explain that addictive behavior creates new problems and makes existing ones worse in the long-term.

SMART Recovery focuses on teaching healthy coping skills that work. Meetings address present-day events and the causes of self-destructive behavior. Members aren’t required to revisit the past, which might trigger someone dealing with anxiety.

SMART Recovery groups are available via online video or in-person. Online meetings are offered throughout the day almost every day. And since group leaders are located around the world, meetings take place over a variety of time zones. Each meeting is educational and free of charge.

These online support groups may be best for anyone who is using substances to try and cope with their anxiety or for those who have developed anxiety alongside an addiction.

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Key Specs:

• Cost: Free or $150 a month for online therapy
• Therapy Modalities: Live chat, peer support

Why We Chose It: We chose 7 Cups of Tea because it offers three levels of support for anxiety sufferers, including access to paid professionals trained to treat anxiety.

If you’re looking to get as much support as you can for your anxiety, 7 Cups of Tea might be your best option, which offers support from peers, trained volunteers, and paid professionals.

Its site hosts forums to help people dealing with issues such as anxiety and depression. The anxiety support forum offers a variety of resources and serves as an excellent place to share information and experiences about panic attacks, general anxiety, social anxiety, phobias, medications, coping skills, and more.

The forum is very active and it can be a great place to interact with other people who are experiencing anxiety any time of day or night.

7 Cups of Tea also provides opportunities to speak with someone one-on-one. You can be connected to a trained volunteer free of charge. Trained listeners are available 24/7 to support you when you need someone to talk to.

If you’re looking for professional help, 7 Cups of Tea also offers online therapy for $150 dollars per month. You can send messages to a therapist whenever you want and a therapist will typically respond one or two times per day.

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Key Specs:

• Cost: Free
• Therapy Modalities: Peer support groups

Why We Chose It: TheTribe is a safe online space for those living with anxiety, with numerous peer-to-peer support groups and trained listeners.

The Tribe - specifically, the "AnxietyTribe" - offers peer-to-peer support groups for individuals coping with fear and stress associated with anxiety disorders. Access to support groups is free of charge. Members of their support groups report that in addition to professional treatment, sharing stories and meeting others who can relate to them can be therapeutic. They also report that individuals who have social anxiety have found The Tribe to be a safe social outlet.

You can post in a group forum or you can chat live with group members in chat rooms. You’ll have access to a blog where you can share your story, speak your mind, inspire others, or just vent.

The Tribe also offers support groups for depression, addiction, HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ, Marriage and Family, OCD, Teens, and Wellness.

The site boasts over 98,000 Tribe members. You may access their services via your desktop or mobile devices.

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Key Specs:

• Cost: Free.
• Therapy Modalities: Discussion forum.

Why We Chose It: Daily Strength lets users sign up and post anonymously in an anxiety group that has more than 20,000 members.

Daily Strength offers a variety of online support forums, including one specifically for anxiety. The anxiety forum is active every day and the site tells you how many members are currently online. It’s free to sign up and participate, and you can do so anonymously. Members are even allowed to create their own community groups if they have a specific subtopic they’d like to address. The site also offers a variety of resources for anyone who finds themselves in crisis.

It's worth noting that the forums are not moderated by anyone at Daily Strength. Instead, the site depends on members to report any instances of abuse. There are administrators who have the ability to ban members who are behaving inappropriately. There are some clear rules posted on their site—such as no asking for money and members must respect one another’s differing religious views.

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Key Specs: 

• Cost: Free
• Therapy Modalities: Support groups, private messages

Why We Chose It:  Individuals, family, and friends of people with mental illnesses - including anxiety - can join as many support groups as they want with SupportGroups.com.

SupportGroups.com aims to bring people together through life challenges - including living with anxiety - by providing concise, up-to-date information and a meeting place for individuals, friends, and family members who offer pathways to help. And unlike some sites that only allow you to join one group, SupportGroups.com encourages you to join as many groups as you like. There are many other group topics besides anxiety, including things like back pain, ADHD, bullying, food allergies, self-esteem, video game addiction, and stress.

Simply create a username and password and you’ll be ready to participate in the online forums. Forum posts may be text-only or you can also add a picture to your post. You’ll have a public profile that will allow other members to see the information you choose to share, such as a bio or the reason you joined a support group. Members will also be able to see your recent activity and when you were last active.

You may also send private messages to other members through the site, and you can volunteer to support someone in need and you will be connected with someone who is interested in chatting.