Even in this day and age, there are plenty of misconceptions about anxiety disorders. Growing up with generalised anxiety myself, I’ve come across some of these misconceptions myself. Even with all the talk now surrounding mental health subjects, many people still don’t really understand anxiety disorders and it’s usually because they’ve never had an anxiety disorder themselves.
It’s understandable though if you’ve never experienced an anxiety disorder yourself, it’s hard to imagine how constant anxiety can be a real thing. Many people are shocked when I explain what it’s like to always be anxious. Most people get anxious or worried every now and again but it’s only a few that are truly anxious a lot of the time and really get what it’s like.
Because of this, I’ve decided to write this post about the most common misconceptions about anxiety disorders. Not because I think I know everything and why I think some people are wrong, but I wanted to write it from my own experience from talking to people in daily life.
If someone in your life is experiencing an anxiety disorder, reading these common misconceptions about anxiety disorders might help you to understand a little bit better about what they’re going through. It’s not always easy for those going through it to explain how they feel so I hope you find this post useful.
Misconception one: They’re making it all up!
I was very fortunate with my anxiety disorder because I had family who had experienced the same thing as me so they understood what I was going through. A lot of people think that people are just making up their anxiety because it’s not something that is not tangibly visible to others. It’s not a condition that is seen on the surface and most people try to get through the day with great difficulty. Usually, those people just want to get on with their day and make it home quickly.
Some people think that people with anxiety disorders make it up to get out of things like working, and whilst some people likely do make it up, most who really are going through are not and just because you can’t tell how someone is feeling on the inside you shouldn’t judge them based on their physical state but instead try to be understanding about the fact that on the inside there’s often a very different story going on.
Misconception two: You only get anxiety when you’re worried about something
There’s a very common misconception about anxiety disorders that you only get really, really anxious when you’re worried about something. This is simply not true and I know this from personal experience. Many people with anxiety disorders are more anxious than the average Joe and they’re anxious most of the time, even if there’s nothing, in particular, that’s bothering them. They simply can’t help feeling anxious.
This is one of the most distressing things about experiencing anxiety disorders, there’s often no rest from the feeling of constant anxiety.
Misconception three: anxiety will go away on its own
Another misconception is that anxiety disorders will go away on their own. Most of the time (and this not being a popular thing to say) anxiety disorders will be life long conditions that can be lessened but many people who experience anxiety disorders will have them for their lives. The good news is that there are many ways to lessen your anxiety in this day and age.
Misconception four: medication is the only way to get rid of anxiety
Anxiety is not something that you can completely eradicate. It comes and goes as it pleases much of the time. However, you can force your way against it by altering the chemistry in your brain with medications. Whilst this works well for some people, it’s not always very effective and is usually just a quick fix for something that you need to actually address.
Misconception five: Self medicating will help
People wait a long time to reach for any kind of real help for their anxiety disorders. In the meantime, many turn to self-medicating with substances. I often hear people saying; “just have a few drinks and chill out!” However, self-medicating with things like alcohol or drugs only makes the matter worse. Sure, having a few drinks might help to loosen you up for the time being, but it’s not going to help the core problem and will probably make it worse.
Needless to say, substances like these can become a crutch and can also be very addictive.
Misconception six: People with anxiety disorders are unstable
There is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health that has flown through from the 20th century. Because the word ‘crazy’ is so overused, many people still think that those with anxiety disorders must be either crazy in some way or be really unstable. The truth is, people with anxiety disorders are able to function very well and live normal lives. Many people that I personally know instead internalise their anxiety disorders and carry on with life as normal but feel very uneasy on the inside.
Just because you might have an anxiety disorder, it doesn’t mean that you need to be put into a mental health hospital. Anxiety disorders are very common.
Misconception seven: Anxiety disorders only affect a small number of people
Whilst it used to seem like anxiety disorders only affected a few people within the population, it’s now obvious that many people have always suffered from anxiety disorders. It’s also obvious that we only see more cases now because it’s more acceptable to talk about how you feel mentally. Where people in the last two centuries would be scared to talk about their mental health, in the 21st century it has now become commonplace to discuss how you feel mentally, at least in developed countries.
I know many people who suffer from anxiety disorders in my personal life. Every year there seems to be more and more people that I know talking about how they have struggled in the past or how they are currently struggling. Anxiety and anxiety disorders affect all of us at some point in our lives.
Misconception eight: anxiety disorders are a sign of weakness
With the stigma that still follows anxiety disorders, many people still find it hard to tolerate people with anxiety disorders. Some even think that anxiety disorders are a sign of weakness as if you can’t ‘handle the world’. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, those who experience anxiety disorders on a daily basis are some of the strongest people you’ll meet. They have to battle against an overwhelming sensation that makes them feel like shying away indoors every day.
There are many misconceptions about anxiety disorders but these are the ones that I come across in my day to day life. If you’re experiencing an anxiety disorder, please let me know of any other misconceptions that you experience in the comments below. I’d love to hear them!
Misconception nine: talking doesn’t help much
Many people think that talking about your anxiety disorder is not very effective in helping. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Talking does seem too simple to be very helpful but it’s how I’ve managed to come through hard times when I’ve been very anxious or depressed.
The reason talking is so powerful is because you can offload what has been weighing on your mind. It’s also useful because you can share what’s bothering you with someone else and you have the opportunity to hear the other person’s advice. Sometimes when you share things with others you get to know that you’re not the only one who is dealing with someone and it helps you to feel so alone.
Misconception ten: Anxious people aren’t social
Many people think that those with an anxiety disorder are antisocial-social because they just can’t handle being around other people. This is just not the case. Many people who suffer from social anxiety do find it very hard to be in groups of people and they can struggle to strike up conversations with other people.
However, in the real world, there are too many different everyday situations that can’t be avoided. For example, school. college and work. There are many people living with anxiety disorders that interact with people every day. A lot of the time you won’t even know that they are suffering from an anxiety disorder because they’re so good at forcing themselves to act normally around other people.
There are many misconceptions about anxiety disorders and spreading awareness is the only way to lessen them.
Sean C is a writer, passionate about improving one’s self by maintaining healthy habits and doing the things that make life more meaningful.