More than 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders. Even though anxiety disorders are common, there are many myths that can cause stigma for people who suffer from them. We look at six of the most common myths and facts about anxiety.

  1. People with anxiety always have serious episodes of obsessive thoughts, mania, atypical eating and sexual behaviors, and self-injury.
    MYTH.
    Anxiety can be felt to differing degrees and people have many different behavioral responses to their emotions. The stigmas and stereotypes of people with anxiety represents only a very small fraction of all individuals who struggle with anxiety.
  2. As a group, you can generate a shared anxiety.
    FACT. Shared anxieties can be rational fears or unjustified consequences to situations. Just like an infectious disease that can easily be passed on, word of mouth spreads rapidly and has a way of amplifying negative thoughts. Something you may not have ever been worried about can suddenly cause a huge reaction, all because there are many people around you that feel anxious about the same thing.
  3. A person always has a general sense of why they are feeling anxious.
    MYTH.
    Anxiety is not always representative of an immediate danger and cannot always be explained. You can have anxieties about many different topics, and you may not understand the reasons for your own feelings.
  4. A person with anxiety is limited from daily life activities because of fears.
    MYTH.
    While it is true that having anxiety can cause irrational fears and avoidance of facing them, many people with anxiety are able to find strategies that allow them to face reality and even encounter their biggest concerns. It can be difficult, but it’s not impossible to live a normal life while having anxiety.
  5. Anxiety can be expressed as a physiological symptom.
    FACT. Some physiological symptoms arrive out of the blue and with no valid explanation. There is no physical damage to the body, but there is a clear ache or pain that comes as a result of feeling anxious. The lack of physical injury makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose and ease the pain of anxiety. Unexplained physical pain that is likely caused by stress and anxiety is often managed by  easing the burden of stress itself. Instead of using remedies to treat the physical pain, with anxiety it is more likely that the pain will only subside once your mind is able to heal from the anxiety. Since the physical pain is only an indication that something is bothering you, healing your stomachache or headache with painkillers is not going to be a long-term solution that alleviates the risk of future suffering.
  6. Anxiety treatment and therapy make the problem go away.
    MYTH. While treatments can be very helpful to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, manifestations of anxiety may always be present. You will be better prepared to counteract these negative experiences with techniques learned from therapy, but anxiety is something that may always play some role in your life.

References

  • Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., & Perlick, D. A. (2014). The Impact of Mental Illness Stigma on Seeking and Participating in Mental Health Care. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 15(2), 37–70. http://www.jstor.org/stable/ 44151252
  • Hunt, A. (1999). Anxiety and Social Explanation: Some Anxieties about Anxiety. Journal of Social History, 32(3), 509–528. http://www.jstor.org/stable/ 3789340

https://share.upmc.com/ 2020/05/myths-and-facts-about-anxiety/

BH-0019 RevA