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Breaking free from Anxiety What is anxiety and where does it come from? Did you know stress and anxiety is actually good for us, even necessary. Generally speaking, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Both stress and anxiety share similar characteristics in feelings, emotions and physical symptoms – we can talk more about the physical aspect later. A moderate amount of stress and anxiety is intended to keep us on our toes and alert for times when we need to be focused for some activity or we need to be ready to tackle some form of danger – God made us this way so we as humans have our on-board protective mechanism to keep us safe. How does anxiety show up in a person’s life? Anxiety (excessive worry, stress or trauma) is serious when it affects a person’s daily life and that of their family and friends. Anxiety affects a person physically, psychologically, thinking patterns, behaviour and spiritual life. Anxiety is driven by fear and if not dealt with, it can show up in a person’s life by compounding into a range of ailments and conditions. These can include: Physical – Insomnia, nightmares, panic attacks, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, diabetes, cancer, asthma, skin problems, allergies Psychological – Moodiness, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Thinking – Changes how a person thinks: nearly always expect disaster; worry is unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation – daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, dread Behaviour – Changes behaviour: avoid things, places, people interfering with daily functioning at work, school, social activities, and relationships – become distant from friends and loved ones, seek isolation Spiritual – Relationship with God can also become stifled Dr Caroline Leaf is a Cognitive Neuroscientist who says, “75% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally… and it is making us sick!” I can see how stress and anxiety can be so debilitating and controlling, and Christians are not exempt, even though we may pray & ask God to overcome or help us not be so anxious… How can a Christian begin to work through this? Firstly, let me say that anxiety is a part of suffering and the imperfect world we live in, so no one is exempt. Young Timothy (NT) is a good example of being seemingly timid and insecure which caused him fear. And he had some genuine reasons for this (set to take on a leadership role). While Paul was in prison (2 Timothy 1:7) he wrote to Timothy telling him, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” This should have been a confidence booster for Timothy! Paul was reminding him about what we have been save for as Christians… to serve God and not to be hindered by fear in being useful for God. However, no matter what kind of fear any of us face, this is not about feeling guilty. For someone with a debilitating fear who is a Christian believer, this passage can be a reminder to do something about it, to discover what we have been saved to do. God’s spirit will enable them with courage and power to overcome whatever is needed, that he will carry them through any process necessary to deal with their fears. There are many biblical promises where God tells us that we are not alone and that he will be with us and help us like in Isaiah 41:10. “… do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” So why is anxiety so difficult to overcome? Because fear is very physical. Anxiety derives from a genuine ‘fear of something’, usually some life-threatening mishap, traumatic incident, accident, bullying, abuse, even worry about health or physical condition. The initial fear or feelings of anxiousness can accumulate until the original issue or cause may be forgot