Five Anxiety Myths: Debunking Myth #1 with a Maryland Anxiety therapist
Get a clear picture of anxiety with insights from a Maryland anxiety counselor. .
As a Maryland therapist that specializes in anxiety treatment, I’ve found that one of the major hurdles in getting folks to start finding relief from their anxiety is that there are so many myths about anxiety and what to do about it. When people aren’t sure what to believe, they can get paralyzed with inaction, or sometimes engage in actions that actually just make the whole thing worse. There are definitely more than five myths about anxiety that come into play here, but let’s just start with a handful for now in this series.
Myth # 1: It can’t be anxiety because I’m Not Nervous
Let’s start at the very beginning. A lot of people aren’t sure what anxiety really is and assume that just because they aren’t having a panic attack or shaking like a leaf, then it’s not really anxiety. Anxiety can actually look a bunch of different ways. It’s sneaky like that.
Anxiety can show up as not only nervousness but also like restlessness, a difficulty in being able to relax, irritability, a lack of concentration or focus, feeling on edge, sleep difficulties, nausea, fatigue, sweating, heart palpitations, feelings of impending doom, an inability to let thoughts or concerns go, constant overthinking, headaches, avoidance, or difficulties in adjusting plans. Whew, that’s a bit of a list.
You’re probably noticing that a lot of those things can be signs and/or symptoms of other stuff too. Yep, it can sometimes be tricky to pull it all apart and see what’s happening. That’s why it can be really helpful to have a physician or skilled mental health professional do an intake and get a broad picture. If you’ve got an issue with your thyroid that isn’t diagnosed and treated, your fatigue probably isn’t going to improve with some cognitive behavioral therapy. The line between anxiety and attention issues can be a fine one and getting a clearer picture of what’s going on can help guide an effective plan to help get you the results you want.
But I’m not afraid
You can’t tell who might be dealing with anxiety, just by looking at them.
Anxiety is not the same thing as just being afraid. And you can’t tell if someone has anxiety just by looking at what they are doing. There are plenty of people with anxiety that perform in front of others, go zip lining, participate in karaoke, ask someone else out on a date, and a million other things that not everyone in the world is comfortable or interested in doing. Just like there are lots of introverts that are amazing leaders and public speakers. When you think about the idea of someone with anxiety, what’s the picture that comes into your mind? Is it someone, alone on the edges of a room, looking around nervously and not talking to anyone else? Chances are, whatever you are picturing is only one possibility out of hundreds of ways that anxiety can look and feel.
“Anxiety is a lot like a toddler. It never stops talking, tells you you’re wrong about everything, and wakes you up at 3 am.” —Anonymous
Is my Anxiety serious enough to Need Treatment?
Everyone can experience anxiety at times. It’s incredibly common to be nervous before having to do something difficult, new or unusual. It’s completely normal to be worried when we are waiting on uncertain but serious information. The activation of our flight/flight/freeze response in the face of a perceived threat is, evolutionarily, there for a really good reason: we need to be able to respond quickly to danger to save ourselves. On the smaller scale, being concerned about something also keeps us on our toes so we pay attention so we can safely cross the busy road, and finish the project by the deadline, and make sure we leave enough time to get to the airport so as to not miss our flight.
Is anxiety getting in your way, and creating barriers to the life you want to live?
So, if we can all expect to experience anxiety at times, how do we know if it’s a problem? Good question! Let’s see how it’s impacting your life. How much of your time is it consuming? What are you avoiding, missing, or struggling to do? How do some of these struggles show up in your relationships? What’s your sleep like? How long has this been going on? Lots of questions like this and more. You can even do a basic anxiety screening yourself if you think anxiety is an issue. But here’s the thing; if anxiety is bugging you and interfering in being able to fully live your life in the way you’d like, treatment can be extremely valuable. You don’t have to score in the moderate or severe range of anxiety symptoms in order to get help and reduce the discomfort or suffering you are experiencing. Therapy doesn’t have to be a last resort.
Come back for additional posts about other myths about anxiety, including myths about avoidance, “clean” living, reassurance, and the prevalence of anxiety conditions. The more you know about anxiety, the more empowered you become to manage it better.
TEAM UP WITH A MARYLAND ANXIETY THERAPIST
Ready to find some relief from anxiety? I offer specialized anxiety therapy appointments in-person, located in College Park, MD. Online anxiety therapy appointments are available anywhere in Maryland. Click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation and take the first step toward a clearer, more peaceful mind.
Other services I offer include hypnotherapy, mindfulness-based therapy, life coaching, and support for LGBTQIA+ clients. Additional information is available on my home page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, AN ANXIETY THERAPIST:
Beth Charbonneau, LCSW-C, is a Maryland therapist, specializing in anxiety therapy and treatment. With over 20 years of experience, she brings a holistic approach to calming both the mind and the body, and helping her clients feel empowered to find more joy in their lives. Learn more about her counseling practice here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anxiety and Therapy
Q: What happens in the first therapy session for anxiety?
If you haven’t done therapy before, you might wonder what starting therapy is really like. Your first session is mostly a conversation. You and your therapist talk through what has been happening, what your daily life looks like, what you want to feel instead and what you are hoping to change. You do not need to prepare a polished story. The goal is to help you feel understood and to begin identifying what support will be most useful for you.
Q: How long does anxiety therapy usually take before I notice a shift?
Everyone moves at a different pace, but many people begin to notice small changes in the first several weeks. These might look like moments of calm, better sleep, fewer spirals or more confidence in handling daily stress. Sustainable relief tends to build over time as your nervous system learns new patterns.
Q: Can therapy help if my anxiety is tied to a specific life transition or situation?
Yes. Anxiety connected to caregiving stress, parenting challenges, work pressure or major life shifts is incredibly common. Therapy can help you understand what your nervous system is trying to tell you, strengthen your coping tools and build support around the transition so you do not feel like you are carrying everything alone.
Q: Is anxiety therapy only about learning coping skills?
Coping skills are helpful, but therapy goes beyond quick fixes. Together we can explore the deeper patterns that keep anxiety cycling, such as perfectionism, old survival strategies or a nervous system that stays in high alert. This combination of insight and nervous system regulation helps create changes that last. I like to say that “Insight plus action equals change”.
Q: What if I have a hard time talking about my feelings?
You do not need to be good with words to benefit from therapy. Many clients begin by describing physical sensations, recent moments of overwhelm or specific situations that triggered stress. Your therapist helps you slow down and make sense of your experience at a pace that feels safe.
Q: Can therapy support me if my anxiety shows up in my relationships?
Absolutely. Anxiety can lead to overthinking, people pleasing, emotional shutdown or difficulty asking for what you need. Therapy helps you understand these patterns, practice healthy communication, ask for help when needed and feel more grounded in your relationships.
Q: How does online therapy work for anxiety treatment?
Online sessions allow you to access support from a comfortable and private space, often making it easier to begin therapy. The therapeutic approaches used for anxiety translate well to a virtual format and many people find they can open up more easily when they are in familiar surroundings. Find more answers about online therapy here.
