Mythbusting

MYTH:

People who suffer from anxiety are weak.

FACT:

Anxiety is an adaptive emotion that most of us experience, and anxiety disorders can happen to anyone. Causes can include genetics, irrational thoughts, and environmental stressors, among others. Too often, anxiety symptoms such as increased heart rate, loss of breath, shaking hands, muscle tension, and concentration difficulties are brushed off as not a big deal. However, left unchecked, anxiety can contribute to additional issues, including depression and substance abuse.

MYTH:

Fear and anxiety are the same thing.

FACT:

While anxiety can sometimes be a result of fear, they are not the same. Fear is typically the psychological and physiological response to a real threat or danger. In contrast, anxiety is most often the result of a perceived threat or the apprehension of danger. In other words, there may not be a real threat present, but someone who suffers from anxiety is responding as if there is something dangerous looming.

MYTH:

Depression is not a "real illness", and people with depression can "just get over it."

FACT:

While about half of the people who suffer from Major Depressive Disorder will come out of their depression without formal treatment, lack of treatment increases the likelihood of future depressive episodes. Also, keep in mind that UNTREATED DEPRESSION is the greatest contributing factor for suicide.

