If you’ve spent any amount of time reading books about anxiety or searching about anxiety on social media, you’ve probably heard lots of myths about anxiety that just aren’t true. Let’s be real…there’s tons of misinformation out there! And that’s why I want to talk with you about some of the most common anxiety myths.
These myths might be keeping you stuck in the loop of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety, and my hope is to help change that by providing you with some friendly assurance. Navigating anxiety is hard enough without these myths, so let’s debunk them once and for all! Let’s talk about why these seven anxiety myths are garbage.
7 Anxiety Myths That Are Garbage!
Anxiety Myth #1: Anxiety and panic attacks are dangerous.
Simply put, anxiety and panic attacks aren’t dangerous. It can’t cause you to have a heart attack, stop breathing, die, or go crazy…despite how much it might feel like it can! What really makes anxiety and panic attacks feel dangerous is how we respond to anxious thoughts and symptoms. We tend to heighten these thoughts and symptoms with the stories we tell ourselves, and even convince ourselves that we’re actually in danger. And this is why it’s really important to remember that when we’re anxious, our feelings can’t be trusted as fact. Ultimately, changing our response to the thoughts and symptoms is the answer. And when you remind yourself that you’re not in danger when you’re experiencing anxiety or panic, it’ll be a whole lot easier to put into practice!
Anxiety Myth #2: You have to manage anxiety, and you can’t fully overcome it
This anxiety myth is complete garbage! Because the truth is, you don’t have to manage anxiety, and you can fully overcome it! This messaging about managing anxiety can be extremely unhelpful, because it makes us feel like we need to “fix” the anxiety. The truth is that we don’t need to fix anxiety, and we certainly don’t need to fix ourselves. Sure, our relationship with anxiety might need some fixing, but this comes through healthy action. And this healthy action allows us to fully overcome anxiety disorders!
Anxiety Myth #3: If you’ve struggled with anxiety for a long time, it’ll take you a long time to recover
I used to really believe that since I had struggled with anxiety for fifteen years, it wouldn’t be possible for me to overcome anxiety. I thought that I had been struggling for too long to be able to recover, and this couldn’t be more untrue! But for the longest time, I wasn’t willing to fully accept the anxiety. And this is what was keeping me stuck! When I started to practice accepting the presence of anxiety, no matter where I was, I started to realize how untrue this myth was!
Anxiety Myth #4: The causes of anxiety disorders are rooted in childhood
You’ve probably heard that in order to recover from anxiety, you have to go back to your childhood, right? You might’ve been told that in order to heal anxiety, you have to heal from your childhood. The truth is that some of us have experienced trauma in our childhoods, and it’s helpful to understand and heal from it. But for lots of us, the root of anxiety is the fear of the thoughts, symptoms, and uncertainty. And that’s why I think that it’s not always necessary to go back to your childhood to heal from anxiety! What matters most is that we are able to create a healthy relationship with anxiety.
Anxiety Myth #5: If you eat right and live a healthy lifestyle, anxiety will go away
This is just so silly, right? Because if this were true, many of us wouldn’t struggle with anxiety disorders. Because many of us exercise, eat well, don’t drink caffeine, and are still struggling! Sometimes an unhealthy lifestyle can contribute to anxiety. And as much as a healthy lifestyle can help us to regulate our nervous systems and heal, it’s certainly not the only thing! Ultimately, learning to create a healthy relationship with anxiety is what leads to real, lasting anxiety recovery.
Anxiety Myth #6: Panic attacks can cause you to faint
I know lots of people struggle with this belief, and it was one of my fears too! And it can be really difficult to remember when you’re feeling hot, out of breath, and dizzy. Although these might seem like signs that you’re about to faint, it’s important to remember that they’re common symptoms of anxiety. And you’ve likely never passed out from a panic attack before, right? Passing out from a panic attack is extremely rare, and it’s important to remember that the thoughts and symptoms we experience when we are anxious aren’t an indicator that something bad will happen.
Anxiety Myth #7: If you have anxiety, you should avoid stressful situations so you don’t make it worse
Stress is a big contributor to anxiety, right? And this is why it’s so important to look for healthy ways to reduce stress in our lives. But you can’t avoid all of the experiences that cause you stress or anxiety, or else your world will start to get really small. Instead, it’s important to focus on managing stress and taking the healthy action that’ll lead you to more peace, joy, and freedom in the future. And sometimes, this action is the one that you’re afraid of at the moment!
I want you to remember that you aren’t fragile. Remember that you’re resilient, strong, and capable of doing hard things! I hope this episode provides you with the assurance you need to keep taking healthy action. And if you’re looking for more insight on how you can take healthy action, I want you to check out my podcast episode on exposures. Because I know that it’s going to be so supportive of your anxiety recovery journey!
Don’t forget to listen to the podcast episode full of goodness!
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