Unwinding Anxiety

Unwinding Anxiety is an app-based mindfulness program developed by psychiatrist and researcher Judson Brewer and now owned by Sharecare. It delivers short daily lessons (videos, animations and exercises) built on the idea that worry is a habit loop, plus in-the-moment practices, a journal, a member community and weekly live calls. It costs $29.99 a month, $139.99 for six months or $209.99 a year after a 7-day free trial, and employers, health plans and public programs can buy licenses. In a 2021 randomized trial in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, 65 adults with generalized anxiety disorder were assigned to the app or usual care; anxiety (GAD-7) dropped 67% with the app versus 14% with usual care at two months. The trial was small, recruited online, and two authors were paid advisers to the app's owner. The app uses Sharecare's privacy policy, which says data outside employer programs may go to ad exchanges.