Anxiety is surely one of the most known reasons for psychological discomfort . In modern societies, due to the pace of work and the high burden of obligations that the inhabitants, especially those who live in cities, tend to have, more and more, disorders related to poor management of stress and anxiety are diagnosed. Traffic, crowds, pollution, pressure at work or family problems are some of the causes.

However, some experts warn of the erroneous beliefs that exist about anxiety, the myths about it . For a long time, some ideas have been taken for granted, which today have been strongly refuted by the various studies on the subject.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a state or mental situation that causes us intense stress, insecurity above the norm and can become chronic if we do not take the necessary measures to combat it. It is a totally involuntary reaction that the body generates in the face of stimuli, both external and internal, that are perceived by people as a threat.

Generally, this state puts us in a state of alert until the problem is solved , activates the mental defence mechanisms and this leads to situations of a very worrying, negative feeling. Obsessive thoughts, discomfort in professional and personal life are the causes of anxiety. And insomnia is one of the most common symptoms among individuals who suffer from affliction, a fact that equally conditions our physical integrity (going to work tired, low defenses).

Another element to take into account is that anxiety, in a very high number of cases, is generated by a feeling based on a concern without real, imagined basis . That is, sometimes people imagine or project a negative situation that does not have to happen, as well as giving excessive importance to a problem of minor consideration.

5 myths of anxiety

Today we have easily accessible tools to determine what happens to us if we find ourselves in an anomalous situation that causes us anxiety. However, this progress has not been reflected in the degree of knowledge that people have about this psychological phenomenon. In the following lines we will see the most recurrent points when thinking about anxiety in the wrong way.

1. Anxiety is not so normal

We always play down moments of stress and worry. “You’ll get over it, read for a while, go out and play sports.” These are the most frequent pieces of advice we give each other. Serious error, we should not fall into the normalization of this problem . In the United States alone, almost 20% of the population suffers from anxiety, and this has a clear impact on the health system.

2. Not a serious problem

At Columbia University, USA, professors of psychiatry and specialists in human behavior advise not to minimize the importance of the phenomenon, since can lead to disorders . Anxiety does not travel alone; it can be transformed into health disorders such as addiction to harmful substances or into a state of long-term depression.

3. Individuals with anxiety are weak and fearful

Anxiety disorder is usually correlated with the feeling of fear. This is a serious mistake, according to specialists.

It is true that many of the psychic pictures reveal a certain degree of fear that causes anxiety , but it is not a condition that must be given in an indispensable way nor linked only to low self-esteem. Also human beings with a strong mentality and personality suffer from anxiety.

4. Time heals all

Researchers at Columbia University explain tips to follow when presented with a friend or family member who has symptoms of anxiety. As curious as it may seem, people rely heavily on temporariness to cure this type of disorder, but it doesn’t work. What you have to do in these cases is show empathy, understanding . It is very reassuring for the patients in the practice.

5. Trauma as a cause of anxiety

Certainly it falls on the incorrect diagnosis of people with anxiety to assert that it comes from a past trauma or stone, as well as a premature bad experience. There are obvious cases of this, such as children growing up in a hostile environment and adults manifesting what they could not fight. But the reality is that very often, this problem is based on genetic predispositions and anxious environments in which what goes wrong does so for long periods, not on specific events.