LIVING HEALTHY Published November8, 2019 By Staff Reporter

9 Myths About Anxiety Debunked

Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week!

9 Myths About Anxiety Debunked
(Photo : photo)

Anxiety is the most common mental health issue in America and it affects 40 million adults in the whole country.

This statistic might not come as a surprise, as we see an increasing number of celebrities and even common people sharing their own experiences with the illness on social media.

Anxiety is, indeed, a serious disorder. As such, believing in common misconceptions can become threatening to the health of those struggling with the illness.

Don't know what we're talking about? Keep reading and discover nine myths about anxiety and the facts that debunk each of theml.

1. Anxiety Isn't a Real Illness

When we find ourselves in a situation that's out of our comfort zone, it's normal for us to feel nervous and insecure. However, there's a big difference between occasional nervousness and anxiety as a mental illness.

When it starts to impact your life quality, your relationships with other people, your career, and your overall health, anxiety should be seen as nothing less than a real illness that needs to be taken seriously.

Let's put it this way - we've all gotten a paper cut before but didn't think too much of it because it's normal. If we got a deep cut, however, we'd immediately seek for medical assistance. With anxiety, it's the same logic.

2. Self-Medicating Is a Good Idea

Sure, a glass of red wine, a cigarette, or even a joint will make you feel better in the moment. But what do any of those solutions do for your actual issue? If you keep running away from anxiety without trying to understand, it'll never actually get better.

Plus, self-medicating is a big gateway to addiction. Given that people with anxiety are twice more likely to struggle with substance abuse, this is definitely not a path you want to take.

3. You Should Wait for Anxiety to Get Better

Time isn't always the solution, and when it comes to anxiety, relying on it can put in an even more severe health state. So don't wait it out - instead, be proactive about your mental illness.

Look for help and put some effort into finding coping mechanisms that work for you. Doing so will prevent your anxiety from turning into something worse while waiting for things to get better will only make recovery harder and harder to achieve.

4. Anxiety Means Weakness

Associating your mental disorder with weakness and failure is halfway to losing motivation to recover. Instead of self-blaming or self-denigrating, actively try to practice self-love and forgiveness.

When we say actively we mean not only by turning negative thoughts into positive but by incorporating healthy habits into your daily life. The ones listed in this article by Montreal CBT Psychologist are a great starting point.

The point is, anxiety doesn't define you and it isn't the worst thing about you. As long as you recognize that, healing becomes a lot easier. 

5. All You Need to Do Is Avoid Stressful Situations

Wouldn't life be a lot easier if this was possible?

Whether you have anxiety or not, trying to avoid stress is simply unrealistic. The right approach is to, step by step, expose yourself to triggering situations and understand how you can properly deal with them. By doing so, you can get better control over your disorder, instead of pretending it doesn't exist.

6. Breathing Into a Paper Bag Will Help You

If you've ever had a panic attack, you know that hyperventilating is one of the most common symptoms. And well, we've all seen it in movies and TV shows, when a character starts to hyperventilate, they immediately reach for the typical brown paper bag.

However, this technique shouldn't be used in real life, as it can have the opposite result than expected and actually increase anxiety.

7. Medication Is the Only Solution

First things first - medication is often advised by professionals for people who struggle with anxiety. However, that doesn't mean there's nothing else you can try to treat your disorder.

There are many types of therapy that you can try, like CBT, Psychodynamic Therapy, and PCT. The thing you need to keep in mind as you navigate the world of therapy is that it may take time to find the one that works best for you. Patience is key.

Besides therapy, practices like meditation and journaling can be great aids to recovery (and your therapist might even suggest you take them on).

8. You're Just a Worrywart and There's No Solution for That

Thinking like this will only cause you to delay taking any action regarding your disorder and we know by now how damaging it can be to just wait for something to happen.

Rather than assuming that you're a worrywart and accepting that's never going to change, try to understand your particular case of anxiety. There are many different solutions to many levels of anxiety, so if you change your mindset to accept that you need help, you'll end up feeling a lot happier and healthier.

9. If You Just Eat Healthy and Exercise, Anxiety Will Go Away

Yes, adopting habits like those will help you. They make you feel better about yourself, therefore having a positive impact on your recovery. However, doing just that isn't enough.

Like we said before, anxiety is a real illness and should be treated as such. Combine a healthy lifestyle with therapy and, if that's the case, medication and you'll start to see real results in your recovery.

Debunking Myths About Anxiety and Understanding the Disorder

Knowing what's true and what's not about your disorder can give you a better understanding of what you're struggling with and help you find coping techniques. And when it comes to myths about anxiety, it's easy to come across resources that don't depict the reality of the illness, as it has become such a common issue.

Hopefully, you've learned something new and relevant by reading this article that can help you on your way to recovery.

If you'd like to read more articles on anxiety and other mental health issues, make sure to further explore our blog, particularly the "Teen Health" section!

Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week!

send email twitt facebook google plus reddit comment 0

©2014 YouthsHealthMag.com. All Rights Reserved.

Real Time Analytics