More than 8 million people experience an anxiety disorder at any given time in the UK. But despite the apparent dangers of this disorder, people don’t undergo treatment due to a lack of awareness. Instead, society relies on second-hand information (not validated and primarily false) about anxiety disorders, passed on through generations. Unfortunately, this information is never verified and circulated in various social circles as myths.

Belief in myths is one of the reasons for almost 50 % of people in the UK who are suffering from anxiety disorders not seeking medical treatment. So, let’s look at these myths individually and dissect them to determine if they are true or false.

Busting the Myths by Understanding the Facts

A myth is a ‘myth’ because it lacks substance or facts. It is just some information passed on through generations without any research by the subsequent generation. Factual research on these myths can help us determine whether they hold any truth.

Myth1: If you have an anxiety disorder, you should proactively avoid situations that can give you stress

The moment we are born into this world, we are exposed to many convoluted situations that we might avoid as a child but could not escape as adults. So, in short, stress is unavoidable. Even if you hide from the external stressors, the internal ones will get to you because of procrastination about life and loneliness. Therefore, it is vital to not hide from stress but learn to cope with it. Learning how to change your perspective on life, which is a part of anxiety disorder treatment, can help you cope with stress and live a quality life.

Myth2: Very few people have anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are extremely common. However, the fact that most people avoid disclosing them to others is why they seem less than they are.

In most cases, anxiety disorders are caused due to specific phobias and social phobias. Specific phobia is unique to an individual. On the other hand, social phobia is the general fear of society. Due to the uniqueness of the cause of these disorders, it is hard to identify them and clearly say that a person has an anxiety disorder. It is the main reason why these disorders remain hidden. Often, people who experience frequent anxiety disorders start abusing substances like drugs and alcohol to calm themselves. But such practices eventually worsen the symptoms in the long run because anxiety and addiction disorder finally begin to add up.

Myth3: All shy people have social anxiety

Shyness and social anxiety might have some overlap, but shyness is entirely different from social anxiety. Shy people avoid society because they feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, a socially anxious person cannot function normally and might start hyperventilation or show other exaggerated anxiety symptoms during social occasions. It is worth remembering that a socially shy person is likelier to suffer from social anxiety, but not all shy people have a social anxiety disorder.

Myth4: If I have an anxiety disorder, I need to take medicines

There are different types of anxiety disorders with varying levels of severity. Every anxiety disorder manifests itself differently and has different treatment plans. While some cases require medicines, others require a hybrid approach of medication and therapy. Similarly, there are many cases in which therapy alone might suffice. Many anxiety disorders can be cured through meditation, CBT, exercise and learning problem-solving techniques.

Myth5: Panic attacks due to anxiety often lead to fainting

Fainting is very rare during a panic attack. In extreme scenarios, a person experiencing a panic attack is likely to faint. Most of the time, anxiety sufferers experience extreme symptoms while abusing drugs or alcohol. So, it is advisable that anxiety and addiction treatment goes hand-in-hand to get rid of all the ailments.

Final Thoughts

Anxiety disorder is a real problem, but it is often not recognized due to the myths floating in society. In this article, we have thrown light on five myths and found them to be lacking any substance. It is worth noting that anxiety can often lead to addiction problems, which is why it is important to provide a patient with anxiety and addiction treatment at the right time.