Misconceptions About Anxiety

Like many things, anxiety is a disorder that only people with anxiety can truly understand. This makes it really hard for others to empathize with you, because they have not experienced it themselves.

It also means a lot of common misconceptions get thrown around. Here are some things that are often said about anxiety that are simply not true.

It helps to understand them when you are on the path to improving your own mental health, or you know someone else struggling with anxiety.


Anxiety is Just Worrying Too Much

Anxiety and worry can often happen at the same time, but they are not the same thing.
Having anxiety is NOT just being worried about something and definitely not something you can just will away by “not worrying as much”.

Being worried about something and having anxiety are not the same thing, though you can definitely experience both simultaneously.


You Can “Get Over” Anxiety

Anxiety is a mental illness, just like depression and bipolar disorder.

While there are many different facets of anxiety disorders, and not everyone needs professional help for anxiety, it is not something you can just get rid of by thinking positively or going for a run.

This is also a bit of a gray area, since it is possible to reduce the effects of anxiety or reduce panic attacks with daily routines, therapy, medication, and many other treatments. But that doesn’t mean you cure your anxiety or get rid of it completely.

Anxiety Isn’t a Serious Mental Illness

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental illness people deal with in the U.S.

It affects over 40 million adults in
the U.S. alone, even though less than 40% of these people get treatment for it.

Why is that? Because the general consensus is that it isn’t that serious.

People assume anxiety is just stress or worrying or worse, they are just overreacting. But if you think you have anxiety, you should think about getting help for it.

There are many different forms, each with different effects on your mind and body.


Avoidance is the Answer

You can’t avoid anxiety and hope it will get better on its own, just like you can’t avoid stress, depression, PTSD, or any other mental health issue you are facing.

Just pretending your anxiety doesn’t exist is only going to exacerbate it because you aren’t learning coping techniques for dealing with anxiety attacks.

Journaling Ideas for Anxiety

If there is one thing that is recommended above all else when it comes to living with anxiety, it is using a journal. But it gets complicated and confusing when you aren’t sure how to actually use a journal.

Do you writ whatever you are thinking? Is it meant to be used as a diary? Do you writ about gratitude or use writing prompts?

The answer is: yes to all of it! One thing that can help you decide is figure out what kind of anxiety you have, and how it is affecting you.

Certain forms of journaling can help a lot with different issues relating to your anxiety.


Brain Dump for Generalized Anxiety

The first way to use journaling for anxiety is if you have generalized anxiety disorder. It might not be diagnosed officially, but if you tend to have an overwhelming amount of worry and anxiety that pops up out of nowhere and you can’t identify a trigger, you might have generalized anxiety.

For this form of anxiety, doing a brain dump or stream of consciousness style of journaling is a great place to start.

This is where you get out your journal or notebook and just write about whatever is on your mind. Let your thoughts flow to the paper, bouncing around to different topics as often as you want to.

For many people, their generalized anxiety is worsened by anxious thoughts, so when you write them down, it can provide a relaxing and freeing feeling.


Scripting for Anxiety About Your Future Plans

If your anxiety or panic has a specific trigger, especially when it comes to what you’re doing with your life and achieving your goals, then scripting is a great way to write in your journal.

This is often used in law of attraction and manifesting, but you don’t need to have that as a goal or be spiritual to benefit from scripting.

Scripting is a type of writing where you write down what you want to achieve, but as if you already have it.

If you want to buy a house, you don’t write that you want to buy a house, but write a journal entry as if you already bought your dream home. Where is it?
What is it like? How big is it? How do you feel now that you have it?


Daily Journaling for All Forms of Anxiety

Regardless of what type of anxiety you have, daily journaling is wonderful. This can be a little broad, but we are talking more about diary-style of journaling where you write about ally our thoughts and feelings.

Some days this might be a brain dump, other days you might write about a specific experience you had that day.

Learn more about your health online when you read the rest of our information here about: Anxiety Mental Health guide and also download the free health report available there!

Warren Tattersall has been a full time nutritional consultant for over 35 years and works with people all over the world to help them improve their health, increase their personal energy levels and to use supplements to assist with diet related health issues.

Just send him a note on the form here - Contact Us - to request a personal no obligation one-on-one consultation with Warren

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