Anyone out there ever dealt with Anxiety?

[aherrera5]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice

[ManInBlack]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice

KEEP OFF MEDS , TRY BREATHING DEEP AND SLOW AND LISTENING TO COOL RELAXING MUSIC , CLASSICAL AND JAZZ. :)

[HappyChicken]

I have anxiety problems. I also have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)...... I pray alot... and I try to give it over to God to handle. It's too much for me to do on my own. I try not to lean on my own understanding. I also take 20mgs of Lexapro a day that helps alot.

[HappyChicken]

I have suffered with this for 20 years. I have tried alllll kinds of things... You are welcome to pm me about this. I can try to help you the best I can.

[greeker57married]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice

It may be a condition caused by a chemical inbalance in your body. Meds like lexapro, wellbutrin, or mood stablizers like depakote or lamicital, ect can help. I workd for a regional Mental Health Center in my state. I would encourage you to go into a mental health center and see a therapist who will get you an appointment with a psychiartist who can prescripe the medications you need which can help you.

Merry Christmas
Greeker

[HappyChicken]

It may be a condition caused by a chemical inbalance in your body. Meds like lexapro, wellbutrin, or mood stablizers like depakote or lamicital, ect can help. I workd for a regional Mental Health Center in my state. I would encourage you to go into a mental health center and see a therapist who will get you an appointment with a psychiartist who can prescripe the medications you need which can help you.

Merry Christmas
Greeker


I definitely agree!!! There is also Behavioral Modification they can teach you, which helps alot. I use these techniques daily! I can tell you more about this if you wish.

[daveleau]

Prayer, studying Scripture, and immersing in the church are ways to help anxiety. Let others know about the problem, and seek the church's help. This is what I would do first. If the anxiety is too great, and you cannot bear the effects, then seek medication.

A person VERY close to me has a severe anxiety problem which decays into depression to the point where crying is uncontrolled. She sought help in the church, and while I will never discount the power of Jesus to heal, He did not choose to do so here without medications. I believe God has provided medication, when used correctly, for our benefit.

This person close to me has beaten the anxiety with Lexapro. Side effects with other drugs were a problem, but there have been no changes in personality other than the loss of the crippling anxiety and depression. She has also had good results from Wellbutrin XL, but found that Lexapro was enough, so stopped the second med with the doctor's knowledge.

She is a devout Christian. She is alive today because of God's gift of medical treatment. She may not have survived had she not seen a physician. She did this hesitantly, as she worried about the side effects, and sought the church first. Counselors at the church saw the depths of the anxiety, and wisely suggested medication.

I am not a proponent of drugs for the sake of drugs. If anxiety is managable without drugs, one should stay away from drugs. Many behavioral medications are HIGHLY overprescribed. I think it is good to seek non-medical methods first, if the situation is manageable.

Do not stay away from medication for the sake of staying away from medication, though. That is dangerous. God has provided a way out. Only you know if you can handle your anxiety.



Others who read the thread, please join me in prayer for aherrera5 to be able to overcome anxiety.

In Christ,
Dave

[rainbowpromises]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice

Yes, I dealt with it last year. I am very anti-medication so I would not go to my doctor. He would have had me on all kinds of meds if I told him.
It started in Sept of 2006. At first it was just when I had to go out in the van. My stomach would get queazy and I would feel my heart beating faster. Then my daughter had a car accident meaning that I had to drive more. I love driving but in October I started feeling like my head was going to burst if I drove. By November it had progressed to feeling like my heart was beating so hard it would leave my chest, my stomach doing flip flops and my head feeling like it was ready to explode. Pulling my hair out was a viable option. Then the first snow hit. Now I could barely function with just the thought that I might have to leave the house. By Christmas the stomach, heartbeat and head were moving with just getting out of bed in the morning.
I phoned my pastor and asked for help. I wanted to just talk to him on the phone but he insisted that we had to meet when his wife was available. It did not happen. Meanwhile I was praying and reading my Bible but it seemed like I was getting nowhere.
I managed to get out to my naturopath just days after Christmas. He gave me two natural products. These gave me the oportunity to continue to function normally again. While functioning normally I was able to talk about and work through my fears realistically.

[HappyChicken]

Prayer, studying Scripture, and immersing in the church are ways to help anxiety. Let others know about the problem, and seek the church's help. This is what I would do first. If the anxiety is too great, and you cannot bear the effects, then seek medication.

A person VERY close to me has a severe anxiety problem which decays into depression to the point where crying is uncontrolled. She sought help in the church, and while I will never discount the power of Jesus to heal, He did not choose to do so here without medications. I believe God has provided medication, when used correctly, for our benefit.

This person close to me has beaten the anxiety with Lexapro. Side effects with other drugs were a problem, but there have been no changes in personality other than the loss of the crippling anxiety and depression. She has also had good results from Wellbutrin XL, but found that Lexapro was enough, so stopped the second med with the doctor's knowledge.

She is a devout Christian. She is alive today because of God's gift of medical treatment. She may not have survived had she not seen a physician. She did this hesitantly, as she worried about the side effects, and sought the church first. Counselors at the church saw the depths of the anxiety, and wisely suggested medication.

I am not a proponent of drugs for the sake of drugs. If anxiety is managable without drugs, one should stay away from drugs. Many behavioral medications are HIGHLY overprescribed. I think it is good to seek non-medical methods first, if the situation is manageable.

Do not stay away from medication for the sake of staying away from medication, though. That is dangerous. God has provided a way out. Only you know if you can handle your anxiety.



Others who read the thread, please join me in prayer for aherrera5 to be able to overcome anxiety.

In Christ,
Dave

I think my lexapro was a God send too. I am on low doses and it has no side effects.... I felt side effects for the first 2 weeks...but they were nothing in compare to other meds i have tried. I will keep aherrera in my prayers too. Aherrera...how are you doing since you posted??

[aiki]

When I was 21 (I'm 40 now) I went through the exact same thing that you describe. I used to have half a dozen panic attacks in a row! I would obsess endlessly over certain thoughts, too. Yup, I know very well how you feel.

There is some great wisdom found in the saying,

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he..." (Prov. 23:7)

Just as I did, you'll have to get a handle on what this means if you're going to overcome your struggles with obsessive thinking and anxiety. I truly believe that our thought life is the prime battleground upon which we Christians conduct spiritual warfare. You and I will be, in behaviour and character, the product of our thinking. Even secular agencies recognize this. Billions of dollars are spent every year in advertising because it is true that, both in the spiritual world and the secular world, what a person thinks eventually influences his/her choices and actions.

Satan also understands very well this principle. He is a master of it, in fact. His demonic agents are regularly introducing into our thinking lies masquerading as truth. Sometimes they slip thoughts of unhappiness, discontentment, and ungratefulness into our minds. Other times demonic thoughts suggest to us that God is not as loving as we thought, or as trustworthy as He claims. Just passing thoughts these are, that cloud the mind briefly and are gone, but which, over time, as they move repeatedly through the mind unchallenged, can create an abiding and profoundly destructive negative attitude. Such deceiving thoughts are challenged by a mature Christian with the truth of God's Word and refused. But those immature Christians, like myself when I was younger, passively adopt the lying thoughts subtly offered and give them room to grow. In fact, I suspect that Satan's agents typically only just get the ball rolling. We take the ball they offer and run with it, increasing its weight and size in our minds.

2Ti 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

This is the truth. You aren't at the mercy of an anxious, obsessive mind. If you're a child of God, you have the "sound mind" described by Paul in the above verse. Making this a reality in your experience requires that you conform yourself to this truth. How do you do that? Well, I've already given you the answer: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

When anxious, obsessive thoughts crowd into your mind build a habit of thought that immediately challenges this state of mind. Have a set of verses you can quote to yourself that counter with the truth the lying thoughts that produce your anxiety and obsessiveness. This is a process - it takes time to establish this pattern in your thinking - but be patient and persistent and you'll find, as you stand on the truth of God's Word, that you become conformed to it.

I don't mean to be scary or gloomy, but the reality of being Christian is, in part, that we are in a spiritual battle every day. Forgetting this and failing to be equipped for that battle makes us easy prey for our enemy, the devil. There are three prime elements to battling spiritually that you'll absolutely need to employ as you resist the evil one in your thought life:

1. The Word of Truth.

The Scriptures are "living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12) . The Word of God is the only offensive weapon the Christian has (Eph. 6:17). We are given an example of how to use Scripture in spiritual warfare by Christ himself in Matthew 4:1-11. When Jesus is tempted by Satan he replies each time, "It is written."

2. The Power of God.

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) Both the ability and desire to do God's will comes from Him by His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God enables us to "stand fast" and resist Satan's assaults (2 Cor. 10:4). But be being empowered by the Holy Spirit first requires submission to him. "Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (Ja. 4:7) We must submit to God before we resistthe devil. Not doing so will bring sure defeat.

3. The Armor of Righteousness.

No amount of quoting Scripture and no amount of resisting the devil will succeed if sin stands between you and God.

Isa 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

Psa 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Keeping short accounts with God is vital to winning the battle spiritually. God will not pour the power of His Holy Spirit into a dirty cup. Confess your sin when it occurs and keep the avenue between you God open. Unconfessed sin serves as ground upon which Satan builds strongholds in the life of a believer. Don't give Satan this ground! It can be really difficult to dismantle a stronghold!

If you need clarification or further explanation on what I've said here, please let me know.

God bless!

Peace to you.

[Jim47]

Ask your doctor if excercize would help.

[Canuckmom]

Inbalances of vitamins and minerals can do strange things to a person too. You are what you eat. I would advise a regular balanced diet of good fresh food, no junk!
My niece had been on medications for severe depression, with nasty side effects, but when she weaned herself off and went on vitamin therapy with dr. supervision she has been so much better.
I have had strange times of anxiety caused low blood sugar which was in turn caused by an untreated thyroid problem. We really are "fearfully and wonderfully made" Ps 139:14

[RED that's ME]

You do need to rule out if there is anything physical causing it.
My mom has panic attacks at times. Mitreal Valve, Thyroid, allergies/asthma and other physical conditions can cause panic attacks and anxiety problems.
When a person gets stressed their magnesium level drops in their body. My mom takes magnesium tablets which is a natural mineral to help her. She also has taken prescription meds as needed when she gets panic attacks.
Mom does a lot of praying and claiming scripture when she's having a panic attack.
Exercise is another good way to handle stress. :)

[aiki]

I would suggest getting a blood test. You can check for mineral and vitamin deficiencies, as well as a host of other potential physical sources of your anxiety. I would, however, strongly urge you to avoid prescription medications.

Don't be too quick to dismiss your problems with anxiety and obsessiveness as merely biochemical or phsyiological, however. Even if your root problem is hormonal, or a mineral or vitamin deficiency, you aren't suddenly removed by these things from the daily spiritual warfare I mentioned. Satan is not above using a physical ailment to further his destructive ends in your life. My earlier post is as valid to a perfectly well person as it is to one who is struggling with the problems you've mentioned.

Peace to you.

[Christian Soldier]

1. Prayer, Bible-reading, Church activities.
2. Take deep breaths, tell yourself to stay calm.
3. Make a conscious effort not to get worked up over minor events you have little or no control over, such as a traffic jam etc.
4. Proper diet, avoid junk food/drinks.
5. Cardio exercise like jogging, bicycling etc. (At least 20 minutes per session, three days per week).
6. Avoid loud music with a driving rhythm/beat, such as heavy metal, hard rock and rap. Listen to soft rock, mellow pop etc.
7. Try to avoid stressful activities whenever possible, such as driving fast in heavy traffic etc.
8. Get proper sleep, at least seven good hours a night.
9. Do your best to ignore people who irritate you.
10. If all else fails, as a last resort have your doctor prescribe some 10 mg tablets of buspar (buspirone), an anti-anxiety medication intended for mild to moderate anxiety. The vast majority of users report virtually no side effects. I know a pharmacist who takes it himself and highly recommends it.

[PaladinGirl]

I deal with anxiety on practically a daily basis. I have an anxiety disorder. However, I do take medicine for it which helps a lot.

[Hisbygrace]

I deal with anxiety also and bouts of deep depression, although thank the Lord the depression is not as often as it used to be. I have a chemical imbalance of sertonin which is corrected with meds. I agree that prayer, Bible reading, church activity and many other things mentioned before do help a lot, but dear friend do not feel guilty or ashamed if they seem not to be helping you. In the midst of an anxiety attack it is hard to concentrate and think of anything but the physical things that you are feeling. I strongly disagree with anyone who would hint that mental disease is totally from Satan, although there are cases where he has been the culpit. It is not weakness to take medications that can help you, the Lord has provided medical personnel and pharmacist with the knowledge they need to help those who are truly ill. It does not dominish your faith to seek help, but by all means trust God in your situation, pray for His healing and read His word as you can, for it is through faith in Him that He provides us with comfort and peace.

[SearcherKris]

I have suffered from anxiety a great deal. I have even had panic attacks.

I have taken medication for the anxiety when it would reach a point that I could not function. I'm currently not on any meds and doing fine, although not perfectly well.

My panic attacks would occur when I was in situations in which I had little to no control. Such as being in heavy fast moving traffic, icy roads, large crowds, deep water, social situations...

I believe for me it is partly a chemical imbalance because it runs in the family, but I also know that it is a spritual problem for me (ie, lack of faith). I've had some tradgedies in my life for which I had no control or choice in. It messed with my faith because I was afraid that God might not take care of me. Fear has been a powerful force in my life, but it's not more powerful than God, because He's straightening me out. ;)

Recently He has revealed some truths to me. Some of it was new understandings about the bad things that have happened in my life, and some of it was new understandings about Him and His plans.

My anxiety is not completely gone, but it has been greatly relieved. For the most part, I live in peace, with joy. I would not feel the least bit ashamed if I needed meds again. I might seek the Lord in prayer to see if I have some doubt to repent of, but even if there is, I would still take the medicine until the anxiety was down to a bearable level. Whether it is a spiritual problem or a medical problem, the medication will help you hold on until you are better.

[SumTinWong]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice
Hello and welcome!

I battle with depression and anxiety and have done so my whole life. For someone like me it will always be a struggle, but medications can ease some of the tension. I am taking one medication right now, and although it messes with my sleep patterns somewhat, the fact that i do not have long bouts of depression makes it worth it.

I had gone to a shrink, and really the only thing that DID and DOES help for me is this new med. It has been an answer to prayer. I would check with a doctor and see what he or she says. I wish I would have done it sooner, i spent needless years trying to cope and tough things out, when all i had to do was just trust a doctor. Go figure.

[California Dreamin']

Sort of.
I have Asperger's.

[Tragic Paradox]

I've struggled with social phobia/SAD for as long as I can remember. It had gotten to the point where I had no friends at all because of it. About a year or year and a half ago I started seeing a psychiatrist who put me on Zoloft. I can't tell you what a huge difference it has made. I didn't want to take medication either. I know we should rely on God, but I also believe God gave us doctors and medication for our benefit.

The best advice I can give you is this: do not do what I did and let it get out of control before you get help.

You can also look into breathing techniques that help you relax. When you're feeling anxious, take notice of how you're breathing. Make an effort to take deep breaths from your diaphragm. Your stomach should be moving, not your chest. Deep breath in through the nose, hold 3 seconds, and breathe out through your mouth. Focus on breathing and try to shut other thoughts out. That helps me.

[edb19]

There is some wonderful and sound advice in this thread that needs to be prayerfully considered - however, just a gentle reminder that we are offering support only (as opposed to professional care or counsel)

Keep up the good work - you folks are doing great.

[bumpkin1]

I have been diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. But after I was saved. I was so distressed over sins I had done that I became severely depressed and eventually attempted suicide. I was hospitalized and got better, but it wasn't long before Satan began his trickery again. I was a baby Christian at the time and didn't know enough to fight it off so I began drinking. (I'm not talking beer either, but whiskey)

Even now I still struggle with anxiety and worry over situations that most people would laugh about. I try and explain these things to my family but they laugh and say i'm going way overboard. I've been in and out of Phsyc. offices, on and off just about every pill they give, but those things don't seem to benifit me. Nobody seems to understand the hell; and yes it is a hell, that I go through. Nobody that is, except for the Lord.

I know I stumble, and every time I do whether it be alcohol or whatever else I seem to beat the crap out of myself for doing it.

All I know is that God saved me from a situation that I should have never lived through. I know He's got a great work for me to do for His sake and I pray I can find/do it for Him. When that work is done, i'll be happy to go meet Him in glory, and look forward to the day that I never have to feel anxiet/ depression ever again.

[aiki]

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

It is not an unnatural thing, nor should it be an unexpected thing, that a child of God should pass through a period of suffering before breaking through to a place of spiritual maturity, stability and strength. I believe taking drugs to smother or suppress difficult feelings and thoughts short circuits a training process God intends to use to develop His children into spiritual warriors and mature followers of Christ.

Over and over again in the Scriptures, we are told that peace and joy come from God. "Oh, but that means via drugs God has provided," you say. Saying this, however, suggests that God only provides with half measures. No drug prescribed for anxiety or depression cures these things. The drugs only mask the problem, smother the feelings, and delay the real solution God would provide directly from Himself.

What did God do 200 or a 1000 years ago when one of His children was struggling with anxiety or depression? Did He shrug His shoulders and say, "There aren't any drugs I can give you yet. Tough nuts for you."? I don't think so.

2Ti 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance...

Peace to you.

[bumpkin1]

A very valid point. Well said.

[BlueMidnight]

When I was 21 (I'm 40 now) I went through the exact same thing that you describe. I used to have half a dozen panic attacks in a row! I would obsess endlessly over certain thoughts, too. Yup, I know very well how you feel.

There is some great wisdom found in the saying,

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he..." (Prov. 23:7)

Just as I did, you'll have to get a handle on what this means if you're going to overcome your struggles with obsessive thinking and anxiety. I truly believe that our thought life is the prime battleground upon which we Christians conduct spiritual warfare. You and I will be, in behaviour and character, the product of our thinking. Even secular agencies recognize this. Billions of dollars are spent every year in advertising because it is true that, both in the spiritual world and the secular world, what a person thinks eventually influences his/her choices and actions.

Satan also understands very well this principle. He is a master of it, in fact. His demonic agents are regularly introducing into our thinking lies masquerading as truth. Sometimes they slip thoughts of unhappiness, discontentment, and ungratefulness into our minds. Other times demonic thoughts suggest to us that God is not as loving as we thought, or as trustworthy as He claims. Just passing thoughts these are, that cloud the mind briefly and are gone, but which, over time, as they move repeatedly through the mind unchallenged, can create an abiding and profoundly destructive negative attitude. Such deceiving thoughts are challenged by a mature Christian with the truth of God's Word and refused. But those immature Christians, like myself when I was younger, passively adopt the lying thoughts subtly offered and give them room to grow. In fact, I suspect that Satan's agents typically only just get the ball rolling. We take the ball they offer and run with it, increasing its weight and size in our minds.

2Ti 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

This is the truth. You aren't at the mercy of an anxious, obsessive mind. If you're a child of God, you have the "sound mind" described by Paul in the above verse. Making this a reality in your experience requires that you conform yourself to this truth. How do you do that? Well, I've already given you the answer: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

When anxious, obsessive thoughts crowd into your mind build a habit of thought that immediately challenges this state of mind. Have a set of verses you can quote to yourself that counter with the truth the lying thoughts that produce your anxiety and obsessiveness. This is a process - it takes time to establish this pattern in your thinking - but be patient and persistent and you'll find, as you stand on the truth of God's Word, that you become conformed to it.

I don't mean to be scary or gloomy, but the reality of being Christian is, in part, that we are in a spiritual battle every day. Forgetting this and failing to be equipped for that battle makes us easy prey for our enemy, the devil. There are three prime elements to battling spiritually that you'll absolutely need to employ as you resist the evil one in your thought life:

1. The Word of Truth.

The Scriptures are "living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12) . The Word of God is the only offensive weapon the Christian has (Eph. 6:17). We are given an example of how to use Scripture in spiritual warfare by Christ himself in Matthew 4:1-11. When Jesus is tempted by Satan he replies each time, "It is written."

2. The Power of God.

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) Both the ability and desire to do God's will comes from Him by His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God enables us to "stand fast" and resist Satan's assaults (2 Cor. 10:4). But be being empowered by the Holy Spirit first requires submission to him. "Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (Ja. 4:7) We must submit to God before we resistthe devil. Not doing so will bring sure defeat.

3. The Armor of Righteousness.

No amount of quoting Scripture and no amount of resisting the devil will succeed if sin stands between you and God.

Isa 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

Psa 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Keeping short accounts with God is vital to winning the battle spiritually. God will not pour the power of His Holy Spirit into a dirty cup. Confess your sin when it occurs and keep the avenue between you God open. Unconfessed sin serves as ground upon which Satan builds strongholds in the life of a believer. Don't give Satan this ground! It can be really difficult to dismantle a stronghold!

If you need clarification or further explanation on what I've said here, please let me know.

God bless!

Peace to you.

Listen to this man. He's telling you the truth.

[jenlovesgod]

My problem seems to be that I wake up in the middle of the night and worry. I don't worry all day, and when I do wake up and worry it is about completely stupid things. It is like I am awake but completely irrational...for example the other night I woke up and worried about whether or not I remembered to bring the milk inside from the car or not. But sometimes I worry about work (I own 2 businesses, which actually do pretty well, but there are occassional problems I worry about). It is just so frustrating to me that I know that what I am worrying about is not important, but I cannot talk myself out of it. I even had a dream one night that I was going to be in a dance recital (which I am not) and that I didn't remember the dance...I seriously worried for about an hour and 15 minutes before I finally fell asleep. Is that unbelieveable? I often pray that I can just stop worrying, but when I wake up in the middle of the night, or when I'm going to bed and cannot fall asleep I am just not thinking straight. It doesn't matter what I tell myself or how I pray my mind just wanders into these stupid worring thoughts. I just wanted to get a prescrpition for a sleep aid, but my husband thinks I should see a Doctor o something. I just want to sleep!

[BigNorsk]

I'm 22 years old and for a little over a year I have been battling with anxiety. When I get something stuck in my head, I cannot stop thinking about it. I get anxious at the fact that this is who I'll be if I dont get over it now yet that makes me even more anxious.

I only took medication once and I really do not want to goto a doctor or phycologist. I would like to know what other Christians have done to in battling anxiety. I know prayer and scripture is vital. But i really need advice and prayer in this difficult struggle.

Anyone else here defeated this horrible thing?

Thanks for any advice

May I ask why you would automatically cross off one major source of help with dealing with anxiety? As you can see, many people have had quite positive results using a physician or physcologist for help.

I am not saying it is the only way or one should just go to a doctor take a pill and do nothing else, but you have a problem, which for many is basically physical, as evidenced by the fact that meds do work well for them.

Do you think that somehow you anxiety is a result of sin or moral failure on your part? Are you somewhat ashamed of your problem? Do you think less of people with mental illnesses or not want people to think of you that way?

Moving on a bit. Right now you are basically training you mind to focus on what you don't want to focus on. It would be like you tried to diet and you just sat and thought, I will not eat, I will not eat. There are few ways more effective to make yourself think about food and get hungry, and if you sit and think that way you would indeed eventually break down and eat.

To break you thoughts you need something to distract you. Maybe it can be work. Some people carry with them a pocket bible, and when they start to get anxious and obsess on something, they stop, sit down and read. The concentration of the reading, especially if you do it aloud, breaks the train of thought. That's a behavior modification that helps a lot of people. It depends on how strong the obsession is. The sooner you take steps to break the obsessing the better, because our brain grows and changes and so the obsessing strengthens the thoughts much like weight lifting strengthens muscles.

Another thing you can do is play thinking games. Games like scrabble. Or crossword puzzles, or what's it called suduko?

Anything that demands your attention. If those sorts of things don't break your obsessing, I really would encourage you to seek help of a physician for help breaking the cycle.

Marv

[Indrid Cold]

I defeated it with prayer, fasting, psychological help (both behavioral and counselling) and, I must admit, I am not a big fan of meds, but LEXAPRO was the charm.