Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotional state dating back to the creation of man and woman. Adam and Eve hid from God due to a feeling of vulnerability and shame. Prehistoric man scanned for threats in the African Savanna.  Anxiety is embedded in humanity and typically precipitated or exacerbated by uncertainty, loss, change, transition, fear and insecurity.  There are several diagnoses that fall under the category of anxiety but this DSM-5-TR psychiatric nomenclature won’t be addressed here.

The combination of Covid, school violence, drug abuse, crime and political turmoil have triggered or exacerbated symptoms of anxiety in both adults and children leading to a mental health epidemic in the US.  Surveys suggest that the percentage of adults experiencing anxiety in America ranges anywhere between 20% and 40% and children/teenagers 10 - 20%.  Based on my experience as a psychotherapist and life coach, when rating anxiety either on a continuum from 0 to 10 where 10 is most anxious or a scale of mild, moderate or severe, 90%+ of adults and teenagers and 50%+ of children acknowledge having some form of anxiety. 

The following are tools to include in your toolbox to rejigger your anxiety:

  • Develop a stress management program incorporating such positive, consistent habits as physical exercise, meditation and reading

  • Focus on what is known or true versus what is unknown or uncertain

  • Replace the delusional idea that you can control your environment/others with the real possibility of managing/regulating your own emotions 

  • Guard against tunnel vision/getting stuck in the details by keeping the big picture in mind or broaden your perspective, e.g., if you had a terrible day ask yourself self how your week has gone

  • Ask yourself how you will feel about a current worry/concern in 1 weeks’ time, 1 months’ time and 1 years’ time

  • To put an anxious thought into the proper perspective, rate the anxious thought or feeling on a scale from 0 to 10 with the most anxious thought/feeling imaginable registering as a 10 and a non-anxious thought or feeling as 0 

  • Create guardrails around anxiety and fear by scheduling an appointment with yourself for worrying and use the time exclusively for focusing on your anxious thoughts

  • Practice mindfulness by shifting paradigms from thinking to just noticing your 5 senses one at a time which will help anchor or ground yourself to the present moment (sometimes you can’t think your way out of a problem by thinking)

  • As many times as you are able daily, perform belly breathing exercises (breathe in through your nose slowly for 6 - 8 seconds expanding your belly and out through your mouth slowly for 6 - 8 seconds as your belly contracts), and include a mantra (comforting slogan) on the out breath.  Even 1 of these breaths can be beneficial

  • Rather than dwell on the problem, focus on a solution to the problem

  • Develop a process orientation vs. a results orientation

  • Build a multi-faceted, balanced “life portfolio” and guard against an attachment to one pursuit: Google “wheel of wellness” as a reference which will display a pie with several slices or spheres of living

  • Prevent yourself from focusing on hypotheticals/what ifs, assumptions or worst-case scenarios by staying present-oriented and relying on evidence, a best case or realistic scenario

  • Identify anxious, irrational thoughts in real time and replace/reframe these distorted thoughts with rational, objective thoughts (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tactic)

  • Try on the hat of an optimist when feeling pessimistic (literally put on an optimist hat)

  • When experiencing performance anxiety, empower yourself by visualizing a moment in the past when you were at the top of your game (Youtube “Setting an Anchor Bandler and Grinder”) before a performance, challenge or test

  • Schedule a 15 or 30-minute worrying appointment with yourself and use that time to review all your worries while letting go of these concerns when the appointment ends

  • Set boundaries, use your voice and assert yourself

  • Exposure therapy or gradually approach the anxiety producing fear, e.g., tip your toe in the water

  • Laugh however possible

  • Socialize and seek support from others 

  • Practice altruism/volunteerism rather than dwell on your own problems

  • Get comfortable with uncertainty, imperfection, incompleteness and messiness

  • Consume positive messages and set limits around social media and the news

  • Be outdoors: expose yourself to natural light and nature 

  • Practice creative endeavors

  • Have a purpose, be proactive, build structure and manage your time well

  • Spend your time and money consistent with your value system (please your values/principles not other people)

  • Choose organic foods and limit caffeine, sugar and foods with a long list of additives such as ultra processed flour, ultra process sugar and ultra processed seed oils

  • Practice healthy sleep habits/sleep hygiene (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene)

  • Incorporate spirituality/faith into daily living (The medical journal article “Review on the Effect of Religion on Anxiety” by William C Stewart, MD*, Megan J Wetselaar, BA, Lindsay A Nelson, BS and Jeanette A Stewart, RN cites the ample research that religious practice, prayer and belief reduces anxiety)

 

According to the Christian faith, anxiety is a sin of pride. The reason for this tenet is that the vice, pride, leads to self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and arrogance which invariably results in  insecurity, isolation and ultimately anxiety.  The only antidote to anxiety is having the humility to depend on our omniscient, omnipotent and eternal God. Proverbs 3:5-6 captures this precept: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. The following bible verse poignantly captures the heart of the relationship between humility and anxiety which in the final analysis reflects Christians’ faith in God: Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5: 6-7). 

Finally, while delivering his famous Sermon on the Mount of Olives, Jesus asked a profound question to his followers:  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?  (Matthew 6:27). Jesus provides an answer in Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

We are called to accept the love and humility of God with the humility to receive his love, grace and support.

Mark Deyab