When it comes to your physical well-being, what you don’t know can very much hurt you. And while the internet has provided society with a myriad of benefits, it also contributes to the spread of some very silly rumors. Unfortunately, certain health-related myths have been perpetuated across the web for years and have convinced many people of their veracity. That’s why we’re here to sift through four common myths and separate fact from fiction. Check these out now and learn how to start handling your health better today:

Cracking Joints Leads to Arthritis

Simply put, cracking your knuckles won’t make you any more prone to developing arthritis later on in life. People who do crack their knuckles, like those who don’t, have about the same probability. So crack away if you feel like it!

You Can Catch an STD from a Toilet Seat

STDs are some of the most common, yet misunderstood infections around, and this is just one outlandish rumor associated with them. The truth is though, in just about every case, STDs can’t persist outside of the body. That means casual contact with an infected person –– or sitting on a toilet seat –– won’t put you at risk for contracting an STD.

Weight Loss is all about Willpower

In one sense, yes, it does require strong force of will to stick to a dietary regimen within a busy schedule, but to think that all weight loss is down to forcing yourself to exercise and eat healthy is incorrect. A number of biological and genealogical factors influence a person’s weight, and it’s highly reductive to suggest losing weight is as easy as adopting a new mindset.

Mental Health Issues are Rare

Fortunately, we’ve come a long way toward destigmatizing mental-health issues from a cultural standpoint. Nevertheless, the falsehood that mental-health problems are rare still persists. The opposite, in fact, is true. Around twenty percent of Americans deal with some form of mental health issue, and many children (around one in ten) experience serious depression during adolescence.

The Bottom Line

Many people don’t understand certain health and science intricacies because they don’t want to educate themselves. After all, it can be frightening to see a doctor –– even for something as routine as a checkup. The truth is though, there’s nothing to fear from a stethoscope or a luer adapter or any other medical instrument. And the more active a role you take in learning about your health and seeking sound medical advice, the better off you’ll be for it.