Do you struggle with anxiety? We all experience anxiety. According to Forsyth and Eifert, there are some myths that are associated with anxiety and fear. Perhaps this blog will dispel some of them for you.
- Anxiety is due to heredity.
While we may have a genetic predisposition to anxiety (based on the genes we get from our parents), anxiety disorders themselves are not due to genetics. Research shows that there is a 30-40% we will get this predisposition. Just because we may be predisposed, doesn’t mean we will get an anxiety disorder. I once heard someone say genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger. So we may have our genetic predisposition, but if we don’t have a life stressor that will in effect pull the trigger, then our anxiety will never be noticed. What makes the difference between having an anxiety disorder or not, is the way in which you interpret the event, the way you think about it and the feelings you attach to it. You cannot control biology, but you can learn to change the way you think about your anxiety.
- High anxiety is abnormal.
Just because your anxiety may be high, doesn’t mean you have an anxiety disorder. We all feel emotions more strongly at times than others. At times it may feel overwhelming. If you try to ignore or get rid of these feelings, you may experience relief in the short term, but when you are doing so, you are affecting your ability to live life to the fullest. This will continue, as long as you describe anxiety as a problem and something you need to get rid of vs. feel the intensity of the feelings. Anxiety in itself is not a problem.
- Anxiety means that one is weak.
We all experience anxiety; it is part of being human. You look at others and think that everything is fine in their life and they don’t feel anxiety like you do. This is an illusion. Most people don’t show their anxiety. Have you ever met someone who appeared calm and then at some point tell you they are anxious? You had no idea, because of the façade they put on, or the assumptions that you make.
- Anxiety needs to be managed to live a good life.
This comes from the belief that we need to feel good. The message becomes that I need to feel good in order to have a good life. Once I feel better and my anxiety is gone, then I can live life fully. This puts up a barrier. If you tell yourself that life will be better when something happens, it will never get better. Having a good life doesn’t depend on what happens or doesn’t happen, it depends on your living your life as you want despite any anxiety you feel.
If you feel anxiety is preventing you from doing the things you want to do in life, give me a call at 713-304-6554 and I can help you get back on track.
Take care,
Debbie
