A New Perspective On Anxiety

I don't write much about mental illness.

Because I, like most everybody, hate talking about it.

Mostly because of all of the conflicting opinions that more often than not cause contention.

And contention is just not welcome around me. Period.

Now I can respect if you don't like this post.

I can respect if you disagree with it.

Just keep it to yourself. Or if you MUST let it out, call your mom to complain about it. Not me.

We good?

I have anxiety.

I have anxiety because I don't know how to deal with stress.

It's that simple.

And as we grow and experience adulthood, followed by marriage, followed by the MOST stressful- Parenthood.... the stress grows right along with us.

I have not handled adulthood very well.

I have experienced "stress sickness" which apparently, is totally a thing.

And it is violent and miserable! Let me tell ya!

Over the years, I have studied the scriptures more and more in depth, and I have come to learn that FEAR is the opposite of FAITH.

And that FEAR does NOT come from God.

Wanna know where anxiety stems from?

You got it.

Fear.

Fear of losing.

Fear of not having complete control.

Fear of this.

Fear of that.

Fear of everything and anything under the sun.

Anxiety = Fear.

So here is what I have convinced myself.

My anxiety is not of God, or from God.

The feelings of tightening, shortness of breath, high blood pressure, rapid heart beat, thinking and assuming the worst- Not Godly feelings.

The spirit of God is all things peace, joy, tranquility, serenity, happiness, etc.

You know, the feel good stuff.

So what am I doing about it?

Every time that I find myself having a particularly anxious moment, I stop and say a prayer.

And I pray and pray and pray until I feel better.

Every time I am having a terribly anxious day, or moving towards an anxiety attack- I stop and have a one on one heart to heart with myself.

I remind myself that the things that I am feeling- are not coming from a loving God.

That God did not intend for my life to be this way.

And that if I simply have FAITH, then my anxiety will go away.

Faith is hard, and it is TERRIFYING for a person like me.

But it's the opposite of Fear.

Therefore, it is the opposite of anxiety.

So next time you are trapped in that downward spiral of negative thinking, and the anxiety starts to wrap itself around you like a suffocating blanket-

STOP!

Take control of yourself.

Tell yourself that what you are feeling is not coming from your Heavenly Father.

The thoughts that you are thinking are the enemy of faith, and the enemy of YOU.

FORCE yourself to look on the bright side, think positively, and assume the best!

Do your deep breathing exercises, and pray your guts out until it is gone!

Faith is on your side.

And so is your God.

You are stronger than you think!