5 Lies from Your Anxiety—And How to Talk Back

Anxiety is a powerful force. It can convince you of things that are not true, making you doubt yourself, your abilities, and your future. The problem is that when these anxious thoughts repeat often enough, they start to feel real. But just because a thought appears in your mind does not mean it is true. If you struggle with anxiety, you may recognize some of the most common lies it tells. More importantly, you can learn how to challenge these thoughts and replace them with a more balanced perspective. Here are five common lies from anxiety and how to talk back to them.

Lie #1: “Something bad is going to happen.”

Why Anxiety Tells This Lie:
Anxiety thrives on worst-case scenarios. It is your brain’s way of trying to protect you by preparing for danger, but it often misfires, making everyday situations feel threatening.

How to Talk Back:

• Remind yourself: “This is just a thought, not a fact.”
• Ask: “What evidence do I have that something bad will actually happen?”
• Consider past experiences: How often have you worried about something that never happened?

Instead of fixating on what could go wrong, shift your focus to what is actually happening in the present moment. Deep breathing, grounding exercises, or simply acknowledging that uncertainty is part of life can help break the cycle of anxious predictions.

Lie #2: “You’re not good enough.”

Why Anxiety Tells This Lie:
Anxiety makes self-doubt feel like a fact. It magnifies insecurities and convinces you that you must meet impossible standards to be worthy or successful. Sometimes it even tells this lie so that it can “motivate” you to make it less true. For example, if anxiety tells you you are not good enough, maybe you will feel motivated to “become good enough” by doing x, y, z, etc.

How to Talk Back:

• Challenge the thought: “Who decides what ‘good enough’ means?”
• Replace self-criticism with self-compassion: “I am learning and growing every day.”
• Reflect on past accomplishments: Write down moments when you overcame challenges or did something well.

Perfection is not required to be valuable. You are already enough, and your worth is not defined by external achievements.

Lie #3: “Everyone is judging you.”

Why Anxiety Tells This Lie:
Social anxiety often makes people feel like they are constantly being watched or evaluated. Anxiety often assumes that others are paying far more attention to your words and actions than they actually are. Anxiety might tell you that “everyone is judging you” as a protective mechanism – to help you avoid rejection. When we listen to this lie we might avoid situations that we could be judged or rejected by others. When we listen, anxiety wins by getting us to avoid the chance of being rejected. However, when we listen it means that we don’t have a chance to prove anxiety wrong and it can turn into a cycle of social anxiety and avoidance.

How to Talk Back:

• Remind yourself: “People are too busy worrying about themselves.”
• Ask: “If someone did judge me, would it actually matter in the long run?”
• Shift perspective: Think about a time when you saw someone make a small mistake. Did you dwell on it, or did you quickly move on? Most people do the latter.

The truth is, people are often preoccupied with their own lives and thoughts. They are not scrutinizing you as much as your anxiety suggests.

Lie #4: “You can’t handle this.”

Why Anxiety Tells This Lie:
Anxiety makes challenges feel overwhelming. It convinces you that you lack the ability to cope, even when you have successfully navigated difficulties in the past.

How to Talk Back:

• Recall past experiences: “I’ve handled hard things before. I will get through this too.”
• Break it down: Instead of focusing on the entire challenge, take it one small step at a time.
• Ask yourself: “What support or resources do I have to help me through this?”

Resilience is built through experience. Even when situations feel difficult, you are more capable than your anxiety allows you to believe.

Lie #5: “You’re stuck like this forever.”

Why Anxiety Tells This Lie:
Anxiety can feel endless, leading to a sense of hopelessness. When you are in the middle of anxious thoughts or a difficult period, it may seem like things will never improve.

How to Talk Back:

• Remind yourself: “Anxiety is temporary. This feeling will pass.”
• Reframe setbacks: Struggles do not mean failure; they mean you are human.
• Focus on what you can control: Small actions, like changing your environment, talking to a supportive person, or practicing mindfulness, can shift your state of mind.

Feelings are not permanent. Anxiety ebbs and flows, and just because you feel stuck now does not mean you will always feel this way.

Need More Anxiety Support?

Anxiety thrives on fear, self-doubt, and negative predictions, but these thoughts are not facts. By recognizing the lies anxiety tells and practicing self-talk that challenges them, you can begin to take back control.

If anxiety has been telling you these lies, you are not alone. The good news is that thoughts can be changed, and with practice, you can rewire your brain to respond with self-compassion and confidence.

Would you like more strategies for managing anxiety? Our Vancouver Therapists love support clients with anxiety. Anxiety can be managed and you can learn to cope with these feelings and understand where they came from. Change is possible, and you do not have to navigate this alone.