A Few Thoughts About Anxiety

Anxiety is NOT a sin.

Anxiety:

Professional definition (APA): Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

Anxiety is not the same as fear, but they are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.

( https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/ )

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It depends on what you are anxious about. It depends on how long it has existed. It depends on what you have done to live with it so far.

Anxiety affects the mind/soul and the body (example: increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and other signs of stress).

Anxiety is the uneasiness about the future or the unknown.

Fear is the uneasiness in the present.

There is insecurity, lack of comfort and encouragement, love, etc. Stressors that happen repeatedly without relief or finding a solution of it and anticipations of it happening again. It was uncomfortable the first time, the next time, etc., so the stress is it might happen again.

A few ideas:

• Pray.
• Talk.
• A safe person to communicate with.
• Love (hard to find nowadays)
• Some find help in journalling
• Spend some time in the Psalms where many emotions are written about. See below for a few suggestions.

Dealing with the problem:

• Identifying the problem
• Acknowledging the problem
• Discussing the problem
• Leaving the problem (as if the cause is a person)

Solutions (a start anyway):

• If the problem can be fixed, then it must be fixed.
• If it is a relationship, then counsel or ending (if abuse).
• If it is financial, then financial assistance as balancing checkbook, spending habits, etc.
• If it is a danger, then moving away from it, seeking a specialist in that field (say internet security)
• Make a plan for when it happens. This is where having someone or someone’s counsel.
• Avoid people that do not listen by not listening attentively, interrupting, giving unwanted advice, one-upmanship (act of trying to outdo or surpass someone else~Merriam-Webster. For example, “You had that? Let me tell you my story.”

Sometimes depends if one is introverted or extroverted. I’m introverted, so I need to be by myself in the country.

Face to face meaningful conversations are necessary.

Memories are the worst, for there is the worry it will happen again. Being aware of signs of a repeating episode and find ways of avoiding if possible.

Recognizing the stress levels rising and having a plan of what to do when it happens.

What worked in the past to relieve the stress.

Trying to avoid crutches as alcohol, drugs, dangerous activities.

Sometimes mild anxiety can be life saving, as someone gets a gut feeling about a person, situation, environment, etc.

Psalms for emotions

1 When you feel "What's the use of being a Christian?"

2 When people hate Jesus

3 When your family or those close to you hate and hurt you

4 When you feel insecure or can't sleep and rest

5 When you are sick and tired of evil people winning in life

6 When grief does not end

7 When you are falsely accused

8 When you are awed at the beauty and design of creation

9 When you rejoice in the greatness of God's help for the believer

10 When you see the wicked successful and the blessed not.

11 When you are hated and hurt just because you are a

Christian

12 When you feel overwhelmed by evil

13 When you feel prayer is never answer and are anxious. When sorrow never seems to end

14 When you are witnessing to those who think they are good

…

17 When you are falsely accused because you are a Christian

18 When you feel weak and incompetent

19 When you rejoice in the beauty, strength, and truth from the Bible

20 When you are praying for God to help your fellow Christian

21 When you rejoice in Messiah, the best King

22 When you are hated for being Messiah, a Christian

23 When you need comfort from God's comfort, help, the Good Shepherd

24 When you want to know or share God's requirements to be in heaven

25 When you suffer from enemies and/or when you are lonely.

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When fears bring anxiety and panic, remember His promises. Here are a few.

1. Hebrews 13:5 (LHB) Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you,
2. John 14:1-3 (LHB) Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
3. John 14:27 (LHB) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
4. Revelation 21:4 (LHB) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things have passed away.

Thinking about these verses might not take the fear away, but they will comfort us if we think about them.