Five Myths About Anxiety: Myth #3 “Clean Living”
Tasty? Yes! A full solution for managing an anxiety disorder? No.
Here we are at Myth #3. If you missed posts on Myths 1 & 2 about assumptions about what anxiety looks like and the reality of how avoidance increases anxiety, go ahead and check those out too. Today, let’s turn our attention to a bit of a tricky myth because sometimes we need to separate out the kernels of truth that can live inside a myth.
Myth 3: You just need to exercise, eat right, avoid caffeine and relax in order to cure anxiety.
Hoo boy! That’s some pretty heavy lifting for a fruit salad to be doing—curing a whole condition that impacts your body, the way you think and how you behave. C’mon, can’t we just let the fruit be fruit? This myth also has lots of cousins: “You just need to go Paleo”, “You just need to do a cleanse/detox”, “You just need some essential oils”, “You just have to meditate”, “You just need to join CrossFit”…. You’ve heard something like this, right?
honoring the kernels of truth
Yes, cook a variety of nourishing foods! And it’s ok to let food be food.
Let’s unpack all this, because this myth sticks around for a reason.
People often latch onto the idea that if they just stack enough healthy habits together, everything will finally settle down. That impulse makes total sense. When anxiety is loud, people are not just looking for relief; they are looking for control, hope, and some sense that their effort will pay off. Drinking more water, eating regularly, getting outside, or cutting back on caffeine can absolutely help your body feel steadier in the short term. Those changes can reduce background stress and make anxiety a little less sharp around the edges.
The problem comes when those supports are asked to do the work of treatment. Anxiety disorders are not caused by a lack of discipline or a failure to live cleanly. They are maintained by patterns your nervous system has learned over time about threat, safety, and uncertainty. Lifestyle changes can help calm the system, but they do not teach it anything new. It is a bit like clearing clutter off the floor; the room feels better, but the structure of the house has not changed.
This is often where people start to feel discouraged. They are doing all the “right” things, and the anxiety is still there. That does not mean they are broken or doing it wrong. It means anxiety is more complex than a checklist. Working with an anxiety therapist in Maryland often involves learning how to relate differently to anxious thoughts and sensations, gradually approaching what has been avoided, and helping the nervous system relearn what is actually dangerous and what is simply uncomfortable.
Clean living can support that work, but it cannot replace it. And when it is framed as a cure, it quietly turns anxiety into a personal failure instead of a very human experience that can be understood and treated.
As a therapist specializing in anxiety treatment, I will be the first to say that the foundational basics of taking care of one’s health are crucial. If things aren’t going well and you don’t know where to start, start here—this goes for whether you are feeling anxious, depressed, stressed, or just plain old stuck. Our bodies and brains need nutritious food and water, adequate rest, and some sort of physical activity (this does not have to be “exercise”). These building blocks are essential for good health and wellbeing for everyone. They can help regulate our blood sugar levels and blood pressure, manage stress, give us opportunities to rest and recharge. All this is 100% good stuff.
You can't be surprised when you are not feeling your best if you’ve been up late for days in a row and are consuming a rotating menu of energy drinks, caffeine and/or alcohol and snack food (anyone test this theory out in final exam time, holiday time, crunch time with a big work deadline?). So, yes, please get a glass of water and a meal that includes some produce, move your body around any way you like and get some good sleep, if those things are available to you. These efforts will not steer you wrong and may do you a lot of good, including possibly reducing some symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are not caused by a deficiency of kale
If you have an anxiety disorder, it’s not because you have failed at the self-care game. It’s more complicated than that. Things like stress, caffeine, and nutritional deficiencies can certainly exacerbate symptoms of anxiety in a lot of folks, but they alone don’t cause anxiety disorders to exist. Researchers can’t say for sure why one person develops an anxiety disorder and another doesn’t, but that have some ideas about what things can contribute to the development of one. Anxiety disorders can be caused by a complicated mix of things that may include genetics, life experiences, environment, medical issues, brain chemistry and so much more. The good news is that effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available and anxiety often responds well to interventions.
A solid anxiety treatment plan may include encouraging positive health habits overall, but will also address much more than that. Mindfulness-based practices can be an incredibly helpful part of managing anxiety, but it’s not magic. So, yes, there are kernels of truth in the idea that good nutrition, movement and meditation can help with anxiety symptoms. But let yourself off the hook if you start to worry that you’ve somehow caused an anxiety disorder if you’ve been off-track with these things.
And miss me with that “good Vibes only” stuff
Life is complicated and messy. Use all the colors, emotions, and experiences.
I’m going to go ahead and include something else that drives me bonkers in this “clean living” myth because it feels like it carries this same icky hidden message that, if you have anxiety or depression or are struggling in some way, it’s somehow your fault. If you just try harder/think positive/only focus on the good, you’d be better. Nope.
Please, bring me every single one of your vibes, “good” or otherwise. If we can have some acceptance for the messy, imperfect beings that we are, we can allow our efforts at change to grow from a sense of care and love of our whole selves. This is way more effective than the blame/shame/hide route of “good vibes only” that can actually heighten anxiety as we keep worrying about what we’re doing now that’s messing it all up for ourselves.
A Better Way Forward
So, if “clean living” and “good vibes” aren’t the solution for anxiety treatment, what actually does help?
For many people, anxiety starts to change when the focus shifts from getting rid of symptoms to changing their relationship with them. That often means learning how to stay present with uncomfortable sensations, thoughts, or urges without immediately trying to fix or escape them.
This kind of work can feel counterintuitive at first, especially in a culture that prizes control and optimization. But anxiety tends to grow stronger the more it is avoided or argued with. Working with an anxiety therapist in Maryland often involves practicing small, manageable steps toward the things anxiety says are dangerous, while learning how to let the nervous system settle on its own.
Supportive habits like sleep, movement, and nourishment can make this work easier, but they are not the engine that drives change. The engine is learning, experience, and support. Over time, the brain updates its threat system, and anxiety no longer has to run the show in the same way.
That is very different from curing anxiety with a smoothie. And for many people, it is far more sustainable. You can still enjoy the tasty smoothie though.
Get Real support with a maryland Anxiety Therapist
Ready to leave myths behind and find relief from anxiety? I offer anxiety therapy appointments in-person, located in College Park, MD. Online therapy appointments are available anywhere in Maryland. Click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation and get some more support on your side.
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 Counselor:
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.
