Article by Conner Keys, Content Team Academic
Despite anxiety being a common word heard in today’s language, there are still many misconceptions about the disorder itself. This article will highlight a few, in relation to General Anxiety Disorder, and help unpack them.
Ready?… Let’s go!
“Anyone that worries has anxiety”.
It is quite frequent to hear someone describing their own and/or others worries as anxiety, when it is simply put, a worry. This is often a result of the word ‘general’ in General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), perpetuating the assumption that symptoms are, well, general, and not specific.
This, however, is not the case. “Generalised anxiety disorder is characterised by persistent anxiety and uncontrollable worry, that occurs consistently for at least 6 months.” Furthermore, a diagnosis of this disorder requires specific symptoms to be experienced persistently within the 6-month timeframe.
“Anxiety is ‘All in your head’”.
As anxiety is characterised as a mental disorder, and is often confused with regular, daily worries, people often believe that all symptoms are ‘in your head’, i.e., those who suffer with anxiety just tend to overthink and worry, nothing else.
Although one of the main criteria for a GAD is continuous “excessive anxiety and worry”, the DSM-5 also lists several physical symptoms needed for a diagnosis.
These include:
- Restlessness,
- Being easily fatigued,
- Muscle tension,
- Sleep disturbance.
“Anxiety is easy to treat”.
This is a common misconception with a lot of disorders, but is especially prevalent with anxiety. Unfortunately, many people believe you can overcome anxiety by just taking a deep breath, or in some cases, taking medication and having that be that. While these treatments can help individuals cope with anxiety, it is not a ‘cure’.
Alongside every disorder, anxiety presents differently in different people, therefore finding the correct treatment and executing it can be difficult. A study found that “27.6%” of those with anxiety received treatments, “only 9.8% received possibly adequate treatment.” This is not to say that anxiety cannot be managed or treated, it just shows that it isn’t always as simple as some may believe.
There are many misconceptions about anxiety disorders. The most important thing to remember is everyone’s experience is unique, whether that’s having the disorder themselves, or knowing someone with the disorder. The most important thing to do is ask questions! You may not find the answer to something if you don’t ask.
References
Alonso, J. et al., 2018. Treatment gap for anxiety disorders is global: Results of the World Mental Health Surveys in 21 countries. Depression and anxiety , 35(3), pp. 195-208.
American Psychiatric Association, 2013. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5 ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association, pp. 222-226.
Liu, X. et al., 2024. Thirty-year trends of anxiety disorders among adolescents based on the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. General Psychiatry, 37(2).
Stein, M. B. & Sareen, J., 2019. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine , 373(21).
