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Anxiety, considered the most common mental illness in the United States, affects an estimated 40 million adults 18 and older. Of all mental illnesses, anxiety is the most common.
From 2008 to 2018, the rate of anxiety increased from 5.12% to 6.68% and is still on the rise. Well, that's one bad news. What if you're one of these patients, or you're at risk of anxiety disorder? Can you recover and feel great again?
There's good news!
Yes, you can fully recover from anxiety recovery just as thousands of patients have done.
For years, little was known about the factors responsible for recovery from anxiety. But one new study investigated three levels of anxiety recovery in about 2,000 participants with a history of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and the results are impressive. 40% of these once-upon-a-time anxiety patients now live in absolute and excellent mental health!
The researchers studied over 2,000 Canadians with a history of GAD and found that about 72% of them had been free of the condition for at least a year.
40% of the individuals were in a state of excellent mental health, and 60% no longer experienced any mental or addiction issues.
Excellent mental health refers to a complete state of happiness, satisfaction, and wellness. To be classified as someone with excellent mental health, you must have:
Surprisingly, 40% of individuals with a history of generalized anxiety disorder now have excellent mental health. That means you could too.
But the question is HOW?
According to Esme Fuller-Thompson, lead author of the study, "This research provides a very hopeful message for individuals struggling with anxiety, their families, and health professionals. Our findings suggest that full recovery is possible, even among those who have suffered for many years with the disorder."
But here it is: individuals having at least one person in their lives who they could confide in are three times more likely to attain excellent mental health than others.
Social support is vital to complete anxiety recovery. Staying connected emotionally with a friend or family member improves one's sense of belonging, promoting higher self-esteem and confidence. As you very well know, these things matter when combating generalized anxiety disorder.
But even more interesting is the fact that people who turned to their religious belief in a higher power are 36% more likely to attain excellent mental health than those who didn't engage in spirituality. Apparently, believing that there's someone powerful up there who can handle your everyday problems can help you cope better.
According to Fuller-Thompson, "Other researchers have found a strong link between recovery from mental illness and belief in a higher power."
No matter the severity of your anxiety disorder right now, there is hope. Why not reach out to someone who you can confide in today? Practice spirituality and meditation if you must, but also try to improve on your social connections.
You, too, can obtain full anxiety recovery and enjoy excellent mental health.
