ANXIETY

Anxiety is a common emotion. Normal anxiety is both helpful and detrimental in life. Mild to moderate levels of anxiety help us cope with life by giving us the motivation and energy to manage life tasks. On the other hand, severe to panic levels of anxiety can be so overwhelming that coping becomes impossible and the person needs help handling their feelings.

Most people are aware that stressful life events cause anxiety. However, there are a variety of other issues that can cause people to feel anxious. Having too many issues arise close together is extremely stressful, and people will often feel overwhelmed and anxious. People who do not have a support system are at risk for anxiety, because they do not have friends and family to help them when problems arise.

Chronic diseases can also cause people to be at risk for anxiety. Heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, and chronic pain are complicated issues to manage. The complexity of the medical regimen can be overwhelming at times. On top of that, people are often not feeling well while they try to manage these disorders. One disease that is a surprising contributor to anxiety is depression. Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand, and sometimes a depressed person is more aware of anxiety than they are of feeling sad. Fortunately, there are ways to both manage and decrease anxiety:

Mind:

· Stay involved with work, hobbies, family, and friends.

· Seek support from others who can help with finding a solution during difficult times.

· Seek treatment for unresolved depression and anxiety

Body:

· Get enough sleep. Anxious people often have sleep difficulties, and the lack of sleep makes handling anxiety harder. To break this negative cycle, maintain a regular time to go to sleep and to get up. This resets the body’s time clock and promotes sleep.

· Exercise regularly. Besides improving your health, the body also generates endorphins during exercise which help you feel good. Exercise also improves sleep.

· Maintain good nutrition. Avoid fast food and non-nutritious snacks. As attractive as they are, they do not promote health and well-being.

· Decrease caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulate that aggravates anxiety.

· Avoid alcohol. It reduces coping and interferes with good sleep.

· Actively manage all health problems. Ignoring them will not make them go away. When your body feels better, it is easier to handle day to day stress.

Spirit:

· Come to church regularly and engage in fellowship with the church family. We are specifically directed to:Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

· Seek healing prayer at church. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

· Pray regularly in a way that is meaningful to you, and spend time reading the Bible. Growing closer to God brings strength and peace. So 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.Isaiah 41:10