Busting Anxiety Myths and When It’s Time for Anxiety Relief
There are several types of mental illnesses but anxiety is something that is not taken seriously or even considered a mental illness. The truth is that anxiety is a common mental illness that inflicts millions of people worldwide. Most people suffering from anxiety disorder fail to report their troubles and continue to suffer in silence.
Unfortunately, anxiety is mostly suspected to be an emotional response to a particular environment without having any lasting impact. But the matter of the fact is that anxiety(1) is much more serious and lasting that many of us think it to be true.
A conversation about anxiety is limited and highly skewed because we tend to believe in things that aren’t factual. In other words, we believe in myths. But it is time we bust a few of these myths. We must separate facts from the fiction so that anxiety disorder is not rubbished and we educate ourselves better.
Table of Contents
Anxiety Myths
#Myth 1 – Anxiety Isn’t An Illness
The truth is that anxiety is real. It can be diagnosed as a psychiatric condition. Anxiety is often confused to be a mere emotional response especially at times when we are feeling stressed, anxious or worried.
While it is true that when these emotional outbursts happen in small bouts, there is nothing to worry. But if you are persistently worrying about one’s finances, career, family and health etc. it is a serious problem.
The common indicative symptoms of anxiety disorder are regularly feeling a tightness in the chest, difficultly in concentrating, racing heart, difficulty in sleeping, digestive problems, a sense of impending doom etc.
Read: Self Care During Quarantine
#Myth 2 – Anxiety isn’t Chronic
Most people tend to believe that anxiety is a passing emotion, it isn’t chronic. But when it’s a mental disorder, it lingers for months. It is persistent. While it is true that we all feel anxious from time to time, it must also be understood that anxiety disorder doesn’t get cured all on its own. You have to seek relief from anxiety and depression through psychotherapy, lifestyle and behavioural changes and necessary medications.
