When Mr. Warner learned in his late 20s that he had anxiety, and it took him by surprise. He considered himself reasonably calm and levelheaded, except, he recalled, for the one time when he became so stressed that he wrung his hands until they bled.

In 1999, Mr. Warner was laid off from his technology support job at a public relations firm. “That’s when everything really went downhill,” he said.

Throughout his ensuing job hunt, he said, his weight hurt his chances. One interviewer, seeking to fill a mail room slot, repeatedly asked Mr. Warner if he had the stamina to deliver parcels to a post office a block away. Other potential employers had similar concerns. None hired him.

“There was really no point to continue,” Mr. Warner said. He has not held down regular work in more than 18 years, since being laid off. For a man who took his first job at 14, who juggled part-time work while earning his bachelor’s degree and who valued being a contributor, unemployment was crushing.