5 Common Misconceptions About Anxiety Disorders
When you think of anxiety disorders, what comes to mind?
We all have certain preconceived notions of mental health conditions in our minds, but sometimes those assumptions lead to major misunderstandings and even feelings of shame for the people who experience them. Anxiety disorders are common, but are also commonly misunderstood.
What are the different types of anxiety?
There are multiple types of anxiety that a person can have. The types of anxiety are:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This is “classic” anxiety, characterized by worries and/or fears that are persistent and excessive, for at least six months.
Panic Disorder: When a person has panic disorder, they experience panic attacks, or intense moments of mental and physical distress, often without warning.
Social Anxiety Disorder: This type of anxiety involves worry and panic related to social interactions.
Phobias: Specific phobias are extremely intense, irrational fears about things or situations that don’t actually pose real danger, like spiders or enclosed spaces. They can be very disruptive and upsetting.
Separation Anxiety Disorder: Separation anxiety is common in children, but adults can experience it too. People with this kind of anxiety experience intense fear or panic when separated from an attachment figure, like a parent or loved one.
Selective Mutism: This is another type of anxiety that’s more common in children, but can occur in adults. People with selective mutism aren’t able to speak in certain environments due to fear.
How common are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 31.1% of adults in the US will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, 12.1% of adults will experience social anxiety, and 12.5% will experience specific phobias.
Why anxiety disorders are commonly misunderstood
Like most mental health conditions, anxiety disorders are often misunderstood. Culturally, we’re just starting to talk about mental health and its impact on our lives in a way that’s not blaming or shaming. This makes it a difficult topic to bring up. It’s hard to admit that you’re struggling with something that other people don’t seem to have an issue with, or that you’re suffering and you don’t understand why.
Also, because anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences occasionally, sometimes people don’t understand that anxiety disorders are different from the anxiety they experience from time to time.
Common misconceptions about anxiety disorders, and the truth
Misconception 1: Anxiety disorders are made up
Anxiety disorders are real, diagnosable, and treatable. As discussed above, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition. What you’re experiencing is not all in your head - though, of course, that’s where you experience a lot of it. There are physical and mental symptoms of anxiety disorders, like increased heart rate, palpitations, GI distress, sweating, and hyperventilating. You’re not making it up. What you’re experiencing is valid.
Misconception 2: Having an anxiety disorder makes me weak
There is nothing weak about struggling with an anxiety disorder. When you’re dealing with anxiety disorders, there are very real things happening in your brain and body. You wouldn’t think of someone who is dealing with the flu as weak - anxiety is just as real as the flu. You’re not stupid, or crazy, or less-than for having a mental health disorder like anxiety. You’re not dumb for being anxious about the things you’re anxious about, and the distress that your anxiety causes you is very real.
Misconception 3: Avoiding will make my anxiety better
It can sometimes feel like the best way to keep your anxiety under control is to avoid the things that make you anxious, but that can actually backfire. Avoiding situations that make your anxiety worse, ironically tends to make it worse, not better. The anticipatory anxiety of putting off or avoiding the thing that makes your anxiety worse can actually make you feel worse than it would to just do the thing. You don’t need to avoid stressful situations, social scenarios, or the things that scare you to keep your anxiety under control.
Misconception 4: If I don’t do something to lower my anxiety now, it will never go away
On the other hand, sometimes anxiety makes you feel like you have to act with urgency, and if you don’t do something, the feeling will never go away. It’s important to remember that feelings always pass. They are like a wave. They roll in, they build up to a peak, and then they roll out. It might take time, but the intense feelings will go away. In the moment, you can remind yourself that the distress won’t last forever, and you can practice coping skills to help you through the tough moments until the peak passes.
Misconception 5: Anxiety will resolve on its own without treatment
It might seem tempting to wait and see if things get better on their own, but anxiety disorders are very treatable, and waiting to get treatment can make things worse. Getting treatment for anxiety disorders, like any mental health condition, can seem daunting, but mental health experts like therapists are trained to help you without judgment. A therapist will use evidence based treatment like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to help treat your anxiety and provide relief. You’ll also have a chance to learn and practice coping skills in therapy so you can get through distressing moments.
