Understanding Stress and Anxiety
Connect With UsUnderstanding Stress and Anxiety
Connect With UsHow do we manage
our stress, worry, and anxiety?
Do you find yourself awake at night, plagued by worry and anxiety? Major life changes or external pressures, and difficult situations can easily induce high levels of anxiety. An upcoming wedding. A new job. Financial instability. A troubling medical diagnosis. Difficulties in your personal relationships. Any stressful situation, good or bad, can cause you to feel anxiety or worry.
Stress, anxiety, worry, and even panic are common feelings, but when they disrupt our lives, it can feel like there is no solution. Everyone processes stressful situations and emotions differently, but learning how to approach these intense emotions can make them easier to navigate.
Why do we experience stress and anxiety?
Feeling stress about a situation or circumstance is not an inherently bad thing. We often feel worry and anxiety about things that are important to us. When you value something, it is more likely to cause strong emotional responses in you. We feel anxiety about our jobs because we care about doing them well. We worry about sickness in our loved ones because we love and care about them.
When we experience stress and anxiety about something, it is an indication that we care deeply about that thing.
1 Peter 5:7 says that we should “cast all your anxiety on him [God] because he cares for you”. Just as we care deeply about the things that cause us stress, so does God care deeply about us. He takes care of all our needs, even the things that bring us anxiety.
Message on Anxiety: “I’m Not Okay.”
At Asbury UMC we have encouraging sermons on stress and anxiety, and how it is okay to NOT be okay. Watch the message online at any time or join us this weekend in Birmingham.
What Kind of Stress am I Feeling?
There are different kinds of stress and anxiety that feel different depending on our situation, circumstance, even brain chemistry. Different kinds of stress or anxiety can mean different things, and also require different management techniques. Understanding what we are experiencing can help us manage it better.
Situational Stress
If you’ve experienced a major life change or traumatic situation, it is normal to feel stress, worry, and even anxiety about those things. It is also normal to feel stress about daily life like work or paying bills. This stress comes and goes in life, but it is often easily managed and is not permanent. God reminds us that, even though life is stressful, He cares about us and takes care of all our needs. If you are feeling stressed, bring those stressful things to God.
Long-Term Anxiety
While everyone experiences some level of stress in their lives, constant anxiety might be a sign of something deeper. 284 million people worldwide suffer from some kind of anxiety disorder. If you are feeling constant anxiety that doesn’t have a direct source and doesn’t seem to go away, you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can be treated – talk to your doctor or reach out to a licensed counselor for help. Remember, anxiety disorders are sickness, not sin.
Panic Attacks
Have you ever felt sudden, intense, and uncontrollable fear and anxiety? You may be experiencing a panic attack. Symptoms of panic attacks can be racing thoughts, heart palpitations, hyperventilating, shaking, and dizziness. Panic attacks are uncommon and are your body’s response to major trauma, but they can be very distressing and disruptive to your life. If you are experiencing recurring panic attacks, there are treatment options.
Get Care and Support
Asbury has resources and networks to get you what you need. We offer support groups, spiritual direction, counseling, and more. Connect with us to learn more.
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Managing Stress and Anxiety
Learning how to manage and navigate your stress in the midst of the chaos of every day life is within your reach. If you are experiencing stress and anxiety right now, there are things you can do to help manage those emotions.
Feeling stress is normal, but it shouldn’t keep you from living your life and it shouldn’t keep you living in fear. If you are bottling up your emotions, they can spill out in unintended ways.
Sharing the things that make you feel stressed or anxious can alleviate the power of those emotions. It is also important to remember that we don’t have to hold these emotions and circumstances alone.
Share With Someone You Know
What are the things that bring you the most stress? Work, relationships, bills, sickness? Find a friend or family member to share those things with. Trusted people can help you hold the burden of stress and remind you of the big picture.
Share With A Pastor
Sometimes it can help to share our worries and anxieties with a pastor. If you don’t have a pastor to share with, we would love to talk with you, pray for you, and listen to the things that are bringing you stress.
Share With A Professional
If you feel trapped by anxiety or panic attacks for long periods of time and feel like you could benefit from additional support, a counselor, doctor, pastor, or support group can help you process your emotions and find additional coping methods.
Philippians 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Share your stresses and anxieties with people around you, and also share them with God, who loves you and wants to hear you!