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In an interview, comedian Aparna Nancherla shares how anxiety has shaped her life.

Anxiety creates persistent challenges—yet the anxious mind can also be a powerful source of insight and humor.

Humor won't erase anxiety, she notes, but it can connect people through shared experience.

Since first watching the documentary "Anxiety Club," I have written several articles inspired by both the film itself and the amazing conversations it has sparked. Directed and produced by Wendy Lobel, the film offers an honest and compassionate look at anxiety, reminding viewers how common, complex, and deeply human the experience is.

I also had the opportunity to attend the film's launch event at New York's legendary Comedy Cellar, where many of the featured comedians took the stage to share their insights and perspectives on living with anxiety. The documentary examines how anxiety impacts people's lives, relationships, careers, and sense of self. As part of my ongoing series of interviews, I recently had the pleasure of speaking with comedian, writer, actor, and author Aparna Nancherla about her experiences living with anxiety.

"I Didn't Call It Anxiety for a Long Time"

"I always was an anxious person," Nancherla told me. "My mom always called me a worrier, but I didn't call it anxiety for a long time." As an adult, however, she was able to identify it as anxiety and became increasingly interested in understanding how it operated in her life, when it emerged, and how it influenced her thoughts and behaviors.

"My anxiety is on its own journey," she explained, noting that its manifestation continues to change over time. Like many people who live with chronic anxiety, she has found that managing it often involves paying attention to basic practices that are easy to dismiss, such as getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and eating well. "They sound so simple,"........

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