Medical Review by Jennie Stanford, MD, FAAFP, DipABOM
Summary
- Myth #1: Anxiety is just stress: Anxiety can come from many different causes, like other medical conditions and your genetics. Stress is not the only cause.
- Myth #2: Anxiety is a choice: Anxiety is not a choice; it results from complex brain processes and neurotransmitter responses.
- Myth #3: Anxiety is weakness: Anxiety can cause fatigue, but it doesn’t make a person weak. Some studies actually link anxiety to higher IQ.
- Myth #4: Anxiety is always visible: Anxiety is often an invisible disability, which is not always noticeable to others.
- Myth #5: Anxiety is a sign of failure: Anxiety can arise from various causes, not just the failure to meet personal goals.
- Myth #6: Anxiety can be completely eliminated: Anxiety can be managed but not cured. Recurrence is common, which is why long-term treatment is so important.
- Myth #7: Medication is the only solution: A combination of medication and psychotherapy—particularly CBT—is often more effective.
General anxiety disorder is common—but widely misunderstood
Generalized anxiety disorder affects up to 20% of all adults each year, making it one of the world’s most common mental health problems. But, despite the fact that so many people struggle with this disorder, many myths about it exist that can make effective treatment more difficult.
We’re here to help by exploring some of the most widespread misconceptions about this condition so that you can have more informed conversations about it with your healthcare provider and seek meaningful mental health support. Here’s the truth behind some of the rumors you may have heard about anxiety.
See also: Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments
Where do the myths about anxiety come from?
Despite the fact that general anxiety disorder is so common, many of the symptoms that accompany it are non-specific (meaning they can also occur because of other conditions or situations).
Unfortunately, this may lead some people to adopt a cynical or suspicious attitude towards those who are open about dealing with their anxiety. The internet is full of opinions from people without medical expertise who question the prevalence, severity, or even validity of this very real condition.
The most common myths about anxiety debunked
Fortunately, a significant amount of published research about general anxiety disorder exists, which can help you separate the truth from fiction. Here’s how the facts push back on some of the biggest anxiety myths:
Myth #1: Anxiety is just stress
Stress is one of the potential causes of anxiety—but it’s not the only one. Anxiety can also come from these factors:
- Physical conditions, like diabetes
- Comorbid conditions, like depression
- Genetics
- Environmental factors, like child abuse
- Substance use disorder
Myth #2: Anxiety is a choice
The language people often use to talk about treating anxiety is meant to empower those seeking help—and some research even shows that patient empowerment can lead to better outcomes. But, this can give the mistaken impression that people choose to have anxiety in the first place.
Anxiety is not a choice—and while the exact ways in which it develops are still not well understood, many scientists believe that it comes from the way certain neurotransmitters respond to stress during brain development.
In fact, the fear and worry that anxiety causes can impact the decisions you make. So, it would be fairer to say having anxiety affects your choices than to say that your choices affect whether you have anxiety.
Myth #3: Anxiety is weakness
Anxiety can cause a range of different symptoms, and some of them can be physically or mentally draining—including muscle stress and fatigue. But that’s not the same as saying that having anxiety makes you a weak person.
In fact, there is evidence to suggest that many people with anxiety are actually more likely to be gifted in certain ways. One study shows a link between having general anxiety disorder and a higher IQ.
Physical exercise has also been shown to reduce anxiety’s effects—so having anxiety won’t necessarily doom you to a lifetime of physical weakness, either.
Myth #4: Anxiety is always visible
Because the symptoms of anxiety can have such a severe impact, it might be easy to assume that this condition is always obvious and recognizable.
But anxiety is commonly referred to as an invisible disability. Invisible disabilities are not always noticeable to others, but they can have significant negative effects on your daily life and activities.
Myth #5: Anxiety is a sign of failure
Some research suggests that failing to achieve personal goals can result in anxiety and depression. But, it’s important to remember that this is just one of many things that can cause a person to experience anxiety—and that general anxiety disorder is a long-term condition, not a one-time reaction to a specific event.
Myth #6: Anxiety can be completely eliminated
If you search “cure for anxiety” online, you’ll likely find more than a few results telling you that there are ways to make this condition go away completely and permanently. But peer-reviewed research focuses on treatments for anxiety to help manage its symptoms, instead of looking for a miracle cure.
One key difference between treating and curing anxiety is that while treatment can help reduce symptoms, it can’t guarantee that they’ll go away for good. Anxiety recurs in many people after an initial course of treatment, which makes building a long-term plan to manage your symptoms with a healthcare provider essential.
Myth #7: Medication is the only solution to anxiety
Medication is one of the most common ways to treat anxiety—but the other is psychotherapy. And research suggests that a combination of these methods can be more effective as a treatment for anxiety than either one of them alone.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been proven as an effective treatment for many mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders. It has also been shown to improve the quality of life in people with anxiety and has been shown to be particularly useful for treating general anxiety disorder.
Find support for general anxiety disorder with Lemonaid Health
Because general anxiety disorder is so widespread and commonly discussed by the general public, it can be easy to get confused about the facts surrounding this condition. The information above can help you see through some of the most common myths and misconceptions about anxiety so that you can build an effective plan to treat your symptoms with a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Lemonaid Health can help by providing easier access to care. Our team of US-based medical professionals is ready to provide expert advice, personalized plans for treating anxiety, and medication if it is clinically indicated. Book an online consultation today and get started so that you can break the hold anxiety has on your life.
