Anxiety

ANXIETY ( from the Latin word angere, meaning “to choke, squeeze, to torment, to cause distress”)

We, as Christian are told in Scripture to “be anxious for NOTHING…”. Wow…That is a tall order! 365 times the Word tells us to “fear not”. Although we strive to align with these words, we find ourselves quickly defeated, increasing anxiety over our sense of failure.

Society is becoming increasingly more stressful and our inner reserves are depleted.

To address anxiety, we must deal with people holistically…I Thess 5:23 tells us that God wants to sanctify us in spirit, soul, and body…

There are things in the SOULISH area that create anxiety…

When there is early childhood trauma, a part of the brain called the amygdala, becomes activated.  This is our “fight, flight or freeze” part of the brain. Once it gets tripped, it stays on throughout the course of our life unless there is healing from the trauma that created it. 

Research indicates that a psychological approach called EMDR is the most effective intervention with trauma. Trauma affects us at a cellular level… It has been said that “our issues are in our tissues”… 

A prominent psychiatrist has written a book called “The Body Keeps The Score”( Bessel van der Kolk). If an individual is in a chronic state of hyper vigilance, there is no amount of prayer or any spiritual discipline that will touch this, unless of course God heals through a Divine Intervention, which He certainly can.

Sometimes we have CONTROL issues because we don’t trust that anyone will take care of us…if our earthly fathers/mothers weren’t good caretakers, it takes a long time to truly trust God…anxiety is caused by the ILLUSION OF CONTROL…trying to control things that we can’t…Learning to surrender control can take a life time.

When we leave the present moment, either to think about the past or ponder the future, we create anxiety. When we leave the moment, we lose our peace. God tells us not to worry about tomorrow….Mindfulness techniques and an intervention called DBT can help us stay in the moment. You can learn to regulate your breathing patterns as well.

Sometimes PHYSICAL conditions create anxiety. For example, when there is a chemical imbalance in the brain… When there in not the correct balance of neurotransmitters including  Serotonin, and Norepinephrine …anxiety/depression may result. Medication is often helpful in alleviating anxiety created by an imbalance.

Hormonal imbalances can create anxiety. For example, an overactive thyroid can create anxiety. Some women experience anxiety before their periods because of the decrease in serotonin at that time (used to be called PMS…now it is called PMDD premenstrual dysphoric disorder)…yes it is a real thing… Cortisol and adrenal fatigue also have a part in anxiety, and anxiety is often a symptom in peri/pre menopause…

Too much caffeine/alcohol can cause anxiety.

We have to remember that Jesus experienced anxiety and He can sympathize with us and join us in our feelings. Our therapists will take a holistic approach to assist you in relieving your anxiety and helping you find peace. We may recommend a consult with your physician or refer you for a medication assessment.  We may refer you to our CCS Wellness Coaching program to help you increase physical activity that will help reduce anxiety. Above all we will pray with you for solutions so that your mind will be still, quiet, and peaceful regardless of your circumstances. (Phillipians 4:7)