83 Common Misconceptions That We Should Forget

"That an anxiety/panic attack is just when someone feels stressed and over-reacts.

You know what an anxiety attack is like? You know that feeling when you're going down the stairs with your arms full and you miss a step. Or when you lean back in your chair just a bit too far, then it almost tips you over?

It's that feeling NON-STOP FROM ANYWHERE TO A MINUTE TO HOURS LONG! annnddd thennn you can't breathe... like a fat guy is sitting on your chest."

Sola_Solace said:
"That to be sick you have to look sick. There are a lot of people with chronic illness that don't need to deal with skepticism along with their symptoms."

ScarletVillain replied:
"Which means if you see someone in a handicapped parking space with proper tags but they don't look sick, just leave them alone."

phire said:
"Depressed people don't feel sad.
The most common feelings when Depressed are: numbness, nothingness and extreme boredom (things that used to feel fun and exciting are now just boring).

The public misconception that depression means feeling sad all the time pisses me off, because people spend months or years wondering what's wrong with them instead of seeking professional help."

hunterddnd replied:
"Don't forget anger.
People always sweep that one under the rug."

takethecannoli4 said:
"Introverts are not dying to be 'normal.' Some of us are perfectly happy being quiet."

FlaredFancyPants replied:
"Absolutely. Happy and confident introvert here. I have my moments where I can be more extraverted, but depending on who I'm with those moments can be exhausting and I need space and time out to recuperate afterwards."

"That your pet dog is challenging you to be alpha of your pack. Your dog is not a wolf. Wolves don't even do that. You're just being a d*ck to your dog for no reason. Stop it."

happytreeperson said:
"That anyone who’s a farmer is dumb. It takes a lot of smarts to be a farmer. Whether it’s diagnosing your own animals/crops with disease to having to work on a limited budget, they have to do so much."

Commenter replied:
"If a farmer tells you it can’t be fixed, then it can’t be fixed."

sutkusman said:
"That few people lived past their 30s in the middle ages or some other ancient era.

This misconception arises because of an automatic and incorrect assumption people make when they hear the statistic 'the average life expectancy was 35 in the middle ages'.

In reality there have always been lots of people who live to 70+ years old in all societies. The difference was that in the middle ages there were many childhood diseases that caused a much higher childhood mortality rate which skews the numbers much lower. If you survived childhood there was a very good chance you would make it into your 60s+."

julianface replied:
"I think there's another misconception about this misconception that people regularly lived just as long as they do today. We still live longer than in the past but not as extreme as it seems when looking at an average."

Jorshington said:
"That ignoring bullies automatically means they'll go away."

ingridelena replied:
"Even worse, my mom used to believe only kids who provoke others get bullied. That's just not true at all."

tymopa said:
"That eating disorders are about food..."

qsims replied:
"Or even worse - that eating disorders are about being 'pretty.'"

"All opinions are not valid and do not deserve equal consideration.

Example: News entities giving 'equal time' to scientists and science deniers on climate change.
Or 'Teach the Controversy.'"

Simmo10 said:
"That daddy long legs spiders are dangerous to humans."

DarksteelPenguin replied:
"Well, if you start with spiders, I'll keep going:

You don't eat spiders in your sleep, spiders aren't dumb enough to enter your mouth;

Spiders don't sting, they bite;

If you wake up with a bug bite on your arm or leg, that's not from a spider;

Don't feel bad about destroying a web. If you can see it, it's probably an old, unused one;

A very large majority of spiders don't present any danger for humans. And even when they do, they won't bite unless attacked."

seegeesee said:
"Most psychological disorders don't present like the media would lead you to believe. See also: what therapy looks like."

GahdDangitBobby replied:
"Bipolar disorder = one day you're crazy off-the-walls and the next day you're sobbing and eating ice cream alone in bed.

In actuality: in most cases, symptoms only get severe if left untreated for a long time. Also, most experience episodes for months (mania) or years (depression), so they wouldn't go from mania to depression that quickly."

Bad_Bi_Badger replied:
"Yeah, and there are types if bipolar as well.

Some are severe, some are slow-cycling, some present as other disorders.

My point is: mental is not like physical health. It is to see and address physical damage, not as easy to figure out if a chemical is off - or which one."

Commenter said:
"That all cats are aloof, unaffectionate a**holes.

Some cats are like this but there are many that are very friendly, loving, good floofs.

I was a dog person until I got married. We now foster cats and I've found that the majority are very friendly and affectionate and act dog like.

We have one right now that loves to play fetch, greets us at the door, loves his belly rubbed, loves to lay on you, sleeps under the covers and walks on a leash.

If you adopt from a rescue group you will be able to find a cat that acts how you want because the foster knows which cat has what type of personality."

Commenter replied:
"My cat pretends to be aloof and then immediately wants pets and cuddles like there's not tomorrow."

HoriOri said:
"I was barred from participating in a school swimming race because I ate some chocolate beforehand and a teacher caught me. She said I would get a cramp and die and I had to wait 20 minutes. Even 8 year old me knew it was complete twaddle."

UppityScapegoat replied:
"Your teacher had money on another kid."

Ryguy55 said:
"If you wake up early in the morning you're automatically a super productive, upstanding member of society, and if you sleep in and stay up late you need to get your priorities in order."

Ixidane replied:
"Long ago, this was a common argument between me and my dad. He didn't know why I wouldn't get up in the morning and take care of business immediately. It's because the things I had to take care of could be done in the afternoon or night just as easily and would then allow me to spend the night hanging out or whatever.

If I needed to get up early for something (like an interview or to catch a flight), then that was fine but if there was no reason to get up early, then what was the point?"

"The myth: Napoleon was really short.

The truth: He was actually average height, or even a little bit above average height.

How did it come about?: The archaic French measurement used stated he was around 5'3, when in actuality that translates to about 5'7 in today's measurements, which was average for the time."

gregspornthrowaway replied:
"There are several factors that combined to create this myth:

1. Discrepancy between the French pied and English foot, the former being about 3.5% larger.

2. He was typically surrounded by members of the Old Guard, which had a minimum height requirement of nearly 6 ft.

3. He was nicknamed le petit caporal in reference to his habit of mingling with common soldiers, not his physical size.

4. The English thought it was funny. This is probably the most significant one."

not_alexa said:
"The act of reproduction does not entitle you to the love and respect of your children. Love is a gift. Respect is earned.

I think it should be said that when I say respect is earned, what I DON'T mean is 'devalue and mistreat a person that you don't feel has earned your respect.' In no way am I advocating for actively disrespecting people. This statement is targeted specifically at those parents who demand you to honor their every wish, that you don't complain or have any negative reaction to their behavior, simply because they brought you into the world. It's disgusting to treat a child as though they 'owe you' just for giving birth to them."

IntellectualOctopus replied:
"Took me a second to get what you are saying, but I agree, even parents can be toxic even if they aren’t abusive."

QXBvbGxv said:
"Diamonds aren’t actually as rare as they are made out to be. They are severely overpriced and just made to seem super expensive."

Apps4Life replied:
"Next you'll tell me WWE is fake!"

"That sharks are man-eating monsters that hunt humans for sport like aquatic Hannibal Lectars. Here in Australia the papers literally report on shark attacks like there is a serial killer on the loose.

No, someone went into the natural habitat of the worlds oldest and most effective predator and got bitten. What the hell did you expect? The media makes a massive deal while the people who got bitten usually end up saying, 'yeah, I don't blame the shark.'"

vpatel27 said:
"George Washington Carver didn't invent peanut butter. Sorry black history month. It was a white Canadian bloke 50 years prior. Still, carver did a lot of cool stuff with peanut cultivation."

R1DER_of_R0HAN replied:
"To add to this, Carver's work was so much more complex than merely inventing peanut butter (as great as peanut butter is). He worked hard to create and promote products and food recipes that involved peanuts and sweet potatoes because 1) those were cheap, hence more readily available to poor farmers, and 2) they were better for the soil, which had been stripped of its nutrients in his home area by cotton farming. He wasn't just some guy who put peanuts on food; he was a professor, an agricultural scientist, and an environmentalist."