| You might be clear in your mind that you are living | | | | to a year. Assuming you enter into a course of |
| with anxiety disorder yet you might still be putting | | | | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy you should expect to |
| off treatment. There are several possible | | | | see results over a matter of weeks or months. |
| misconceptions that might lead you to avoid | | | | However, you might succumb to one or other of the |
| treatment. | | | | possible pitfalls in your treatment. |
| Common Misconceptions | | | | Pitfalls |
| - you believe you can overcome this yourself. Recent | | | | - you might have unrealistic expectations. Don't think |
| research has found that nearly half of anxiety | | | | you will somehow rid yourself of all your anxiety. The |
| disorder patients in primary care were not taking | | | | goal of your treatment is to help you manage your |
| their medication or attending their therapy. One of | | | | symptoms and stop avoiding those situations that |
| the most common reasons given for this was that | | | | increase your anxiety. |
| they didn't believe in getting these kinds of | | | | - you could give up too quickly. You know how long |
| treatments for emotional problems. | | | | you've had anxiety disorder so you should expect to |
| - you think your anxiety disorder is not that serious. | | | | stay with the treatment for the long haul too. The |
| Some sufferers believe that because anxiety is a | | | | medication and therapy are not quick fixes. |
| normal emotion they should put up with the | | | | - you mask your symptoms. You might be tempted |
| extremes of anxiety endured by those with anxiety | | | | to avoid your anxiety by turning to alcohol, (illicit) |
| disorder. Anyone who has lived with anxiety disorder | | | | drugs or the fast acting benzodiazepines. You might |
| knows just how debilitating and life-shrinking this | | | | get some kind of quick relief from these but you |
| condition can be | | | | won't be dealing with your anxiety or whatever is |
| - you believe that you need medication to get better. | | | | causing it. You would also be in danger of developing |
| It is widely reported that either Cognitive Behavioral | | | | a harmful addiction. |
| Therapy or a combination of CBT and medication are | | | | - you fight your anxiety like it's the enemy within. |
| the most effective forms of treatment. Medication | | | | Anxiety is normal and helpful when it's appropriate |
| on its own is no cure and the anxiety will simply | | | | and in proportion to a real threat to your well being. |
| return as soon as you stop taking it. | | | | You need to accept a certain amount of your |
| Once you have overcome your resistance to getting | | | | anxiety as a healthy response in some situations. |
| treatment for your anxiety disorder you will hopefully | | | | Its clear that anxiety disorder can be treated |
| start on the road back to a normal life. If you are on | | | | successfully and that the course of medication and |
| medication you will likely be taking antidepressants | | | | the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy need to be |
| which you will need to continue with for anything up | | | | continued consistently for many months. |