ANXIETY
ANXIETY
By: Jack Guyler
We all feel it, but what is anxiety? And is it normal? And is it okay for Christians to be anxious? Let’s address these three questions because anxiety plays a big role in mental health.
WHAT IS ANXIETY?
Experts have argued for years if anxiety and fear are the same thing. Some say they are not and others say they are essentially the same thing. But when you are in a stressful situation or facing upcoming stress, you probably aren’t looking to split hairs. But here is what you already know – when you feel anxious or fearful, something about your world feels unsafe or uncertain and you may conclude that something bad is happening or about to happen. Here is one other thing you know – sometimes anxiety or fear can work to your advantage. Fear is what keeps you safe at times such as not walking to close to the edge of a tall building or swimming in shark infested waters. Anxiety works for you at times such as when the test you have to take that you have been putting off studying for is almost here; anxiety gives you that burst of energy and focus to prepare for the test. However, we aren’t really talking about this type of anxiety or fear. You know what we are really talking about. We are talking about chronic anxiety – the type that gets you in its grip for days, weeks, months or longer and can ruin your lives. It is this type of anxiety Jesus referred to when he said “don’t be anxious.”
IS ANXIETY NORMAL?
The answer is yes and no. It’s normal for everyone to get anxious when walking close to a ledge or not being prepared to take an important exam; but it’s not normal to suffer from chronic anxiety. Perhaps a better word than normal is healthy – it’s not healthy for you to suffer from chronic or ongoing anxiety. It is this type of anxiety that causes major physical health issues such as heart disease, insomnia, IBS or chronic fatigue. It is also the type of anxiety that can cause major mental health disorders.
IS IT OK FOR CHRISTIANS TO BE ANXIOUS?
Many Christians I know are anxious about being anxious because they think worry or anxiety is a sin. The truth is, every person who has ever lived, Christian or not, has worried and felt anxious. It would be too big of a blanket statement to say all anxiety is a sin. The things we worry about are things that are important to us. And while God wants us to give these things over to Him, this is a lifetime process. It is very normal for us to worry about, say a loved one going on a long trip because we know things could happen to them like an accident, getting sick or dying. It’s also normal for even Christian parents to worry about their children – their health, how they are doing in school, will they get into drugs, etc. As Christians, we should put into practice such disciplines as prayer, meditation on God’s word and connecting with others to help us reduce anxiety and become more grounded in God which will help reduce anxiety in our lives. But this is a journey, not an immediate destination. Actually, the more we worry about worrying and beat ourselves up because we worry, the more anxiety will grip our lives.
On a practical level, here are a few things we can do to help reduce anxiety in our lives:
Pray (Philippians 4:4-7)
Write down what is making you anxious. Sometimes we have free-floating anxiety and once we name the things making us anxious, their power is greatly reduced
Spend time with other people
Get help if needed – seek out a good counselor that can help you manage your anxiety
