A quick glimpse at the news or social media is all it takes to raise anxiety levels for many. That’s one reason anxiety is on the rise in the United States.
A survey that the American Psychiatric Association conducted in 2024 found that 43% of adults said they felt more anxious than they did in 2023.
Since May is National Mental Health Awareness month in the US, our team here at Quandary Peak Counseling, under the guidance of board-certified psychologist Dr. Trey Cole, wants to shed a little light on anxiety.
Here are five facts and myths about this condition.
Let’s start this discussion with a very important point: Anxiety is incredibly common. Nearly 20% of adults in the US have an anxiety disorder, and the numbers get worse among teens. Nearly 32% of kids ages 13-18 have an anxiety disorder.
We often discuss anxiety as if it were one condition, but the term encompasses a number of different disorders, including:
At the heart of each of these is anxiety and fear, but how they play out or are triggered can vary a good deal.
People sometimes assume that mental health conditions like anxiety disorders are just in your head.
Well, yes, anxiety does stem from your brain, but it’s also a physiological response. When you experience anxiety, your body is in a fight-or-flight mode that leads to physical responses, such as increased heart rate and muscle tension.
When you get stuck in this stress response, the physical impact can be significant and may include:
So, anxiety casts a very wide net over your entire well-being, and it’s not just in your head.
Everyone worries from time to time, and you may even get anxious — job interviews, presentations, and first dates are all sources of anxiety.
The anxiety that comes with an anxiety disorder extends far beyond worry. Many with anxiety are trapped in a place where worry, doom, and panic reign due to being stuck in a stress response.
And no matter how much you try to tell yourself that everything is OK, your mind swirls in the opposite direction.
We want to end on this last point — anxiety usually doesn’t get better on its own. In fact, the longer it goes on, the more stuck you can become in cycles of worry and fear.
To break free from these unhealthy thought patterns and stress responses, seek professional help. Through psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, we can release the hold that anxiety has over your life.
For experienced and compassionate care of anxiety, we invite you to call our office in Denver, Colorado, at 720-675-7918, or request an appointment online today.
