How to break free from Anxiety

Breaking free from Anxiety

1. What is anxiety and where does it come from?

Did you know stress and anxiety is actually good for us, even necessary. Generally speaking, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Both stress and anxiety share similar characteristics in feelings, emotions and physical symptoms – we can talk more about the physical aspect later.

A moderate amount of stress and anxiety is intended to keep us on our toes and alert for times when we need to be focused for some activity or we need to be ready to tackle some form of danger – God made us this way so we as humans have our on-board protective mechanism to keep us safe.

1. How does anxiety show up in a person’s life?

Anxiety (excessive worry, stress or trauma) is serious when it affects a person’s daily life and that of their family and friends. Anxiety affects a person physically, psychologically, thinking patterns, behaviour and spiritual life. Anxiety is driven by fear and if not dealt with, it can show up in a person’s life by compounding into a range of ailments and conditions. These can include:

• Physical – Insomnia, nightmares, panic attacks, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, headaches, diabetes, cancer, asthma, skin problems, allergies
• Psychological – Moodiness, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress
• Thinking – Changes how a person thinks: nearly always expect disaster; worry is unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation – daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, dread
• Behaviour – Changes behaviour: avoid things, places, people interfering with daily functioning at work, school, social activities, and relationships – become distant from friends and loved ones, seek isolation
• Spiritual – Relationship with God can also become stifled

Dr Caroline Leaf is a Cognitive Neuroscientist who says, “75% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally… and it is making us sick!”

1. I can see how stress and anxiety can be so debilitating and controlling, and Christians are not exempt, even though we may pray & ask God to overcome or help us not be so anxious…

How can a Christian begin to work through this?

Firstly, let me say that anxiety is a part of suffering and the imperfect world we live in, so no one is exempt. Young Timothy (NT) is a good example of being seemingly timid and insecure which caused him fear. And he had some genuine reasons for this (set to take on a leadership role). While Paul was in prison (2 Timothy 1:7) he wrote to Timothy telling him, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” This should have been a confidence booster for Timothy! Paul was reminding him about what we have been save for as Christians… to serve God and not to be hindered by fear in being useful for God.

However, no matter what kind of fear any of us face, this is not about feeling guilty. For someone with a debilitating fear who is a Christian believer, this passage can be a reminder to do something about it, to discover what we have been saved to do. God’s spirit will enable them with courage and power to overcome whatever is needed, that he will carry them through any process necessary to deal with their fears.

There are many biblical promises where God tells us that we are not alone and that he will be with us and help us like in Isaiah 41:10. “… 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.”

1. So why is anxiety so difficult to overcome?

Because fear is very physical. Anxiety derives from a genuine ‘fear of something’, usually some life-threatening mishap, traumatic incident, accident, bullying, abuse, even worry about health or physical condition. The initial fear or feelings of anxiousness can accumulate until the original issue or cause may be forgotten. A diagnosable disorder ensues like being obsessive compulsive, phobias, panic attacks. It may even be hereditary. At this stage, the fear is no longer real – it is irrational.

But, for a person suffering anxiety it is very genuine – their mind and body tells them it is.

1. How does fear affect the body?

When there is genuine fear, like being chased by a tiger, you jump out of the way of a speeding car, or we feel threatened in some way, our normal human reaction is stress, where we become instantly motivated into a defensive stance or life-saving action to protect ourselves. God created us that way – the automatic response is to stand and fight or run away in flight. This is the fight-flight response & has happened to all of us at some time. A ‘fear’ message is triggered in the brain which sets off an automatic chain reaction through the body – extra blood gets pumped around the brain and flows to the body’s circulatory system – the nervous, endocrine & immune systems. You get sweaty palms, increased heart-rate, breathe more deeply, mouth goes dry, muscles become tense, tremble, feel nauseous etc.

Research shows that fear, all on its own triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses that activates more than 30 different hormones (endocrine system) in the body!

However, this same response also happens if the fear a person feels is not real, but is perceived. A thought or memory of some past experience is always a reminder, that tells them to be prepared because something bad is about to happen – the same ‘fear’ message that is triggered in the brain for a genuine fear goes directly to the body’s circulatory system. This ‘perceived’ fear message (past memory) tells them ‘loud and clear’ this is an emergency and they need to get ready because something bad is about to happen, even though they are in a perfectly safe place. The same physical responses happen with sweaty palms, tense muscles etc.

This fight/flight response puts a lot of stress on the body, especially if it occurs several times a day. If this happens over a long period of time, additional issues compound the initial anxiety.

1. Why does it get so out of control?

Like anything we might do over and over without thinking, good or bad, it becomes a habit.

For an anxious person the focus is on how bad things are going to get (irrational fear) so they will do whatever is necessary to avoid negative feelings. In order to feel calm, they might self-medicate, smoke, take drugs, drink alcohol. This only adds to the initial problem, so addiction can often follow – for a Christian, guilt is added causing a spiralling affect. It takes over a person’s life, controlling them so they feel imprisoned and unable to escape.

1. How does an individual come up with a plan to break free from anxiety?

The various aspects of anxiety need to be addressed – physical, mental, behavioural and spiritual. There is no point at which change can’t happen and the longer it goes on, the longer it takes to overcome. As the Neuroscientist Dr Caroline Leaf puts it, “The power of the mind can be used to control toxic thoughts and emotions and new ways can be learned to find peace and purpose in the life God intended”.

In this way, helping a person overcome anxiety is a process… and they need to want to be helped.

1. What process do you use when counselling a person seeking to overcome anxiety?

I might begin by looking at a person’s values: what is important… Xian faith, family, work

If they are a Christian believer, they can be reminded of their Christian status “ …whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5: 17. This is not to make a person feel guilty. Christ has already made them new! This is about them following through with their new creativeness or transformation.

Also, that God understands what they are going through and we don’t have to do things in our own strength. Jesus is there to help carry our burdens. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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.” Matthew 11:28-29.

If they are willing, I will invite Jesus along on the journey – they are not alone as together we explore the process as a way of healing and recovery. I will explain the process, that since they know themselves better than anyone else, they will be encouraged to provide their own solutions. I help them to find personal strengths they may not have realised they had, so they can feel empowered to address some very difficult issues. They are in control. Goals are set and I will ask for feedback along the way, to check that what we are doing is effective.

1. How important is it to gain awareness of how anxiety is affecting you ?

Awareness is extremely important. To learn how things work I help with some education in Physiology and Neuroscience.

We talk about the fight/flight response, the connection with the body’s circulatory systems – this makes sense because they can relate very well to what happens physically.

We look at triggers that begin the fight/flight response to combat panic attacks.

And we practice breathing exercises to relax and to help find calm

There is a lot of talk about how the mind thinks and how patterns are formed in the brain to become habits. I like to use visual imagery, to imagine what the neural pathways would look like and how they become fixed, much like ruts form over time on a dirt road. The more a car drives over a road, the deeper the ruts become – when thinking a certain way over a long period of time forms habits, neural pathways become so set it feels very normal.

We also talk a lot about what it means to avoid fearful thoughts – usually anything is done to avoid such thinking or memories in order to feel calm or to numb the feelings (drinking, self-medication) so they don’t have to think. But avoidance never works so many anxious people do more (drinking, self-medicating). Other problems occur – addiction, strange behaviours, physical conditions.

1. So, how can anxious thought patterns be broken?

Neurogenesis: The hippocampus is a part in the brain that is essential for learning and memory. When something new and challenging is learnt (especially positive emotional experiences) new nerve cells are regenerated & born. Neuroplasticity: The brain changes with how we use it – changed thinking changes brain structure and function. Epigenetics: discovery that thinking affects DNA and gene expression – affects the health of the body both positively and adversely. It is now known these can be passed on to our children; some evidence, over generations.

Thankfully because of Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity, fields in Neuroscience, we have the power to create new brain patterns when we think differently. Dr Carolin Leaf calls this detoxing the brain by consciously controlling thought life!

1. That all sounds so easy, but it is also easy to fall back into old patterns, like when people make New Years Resolutions to go on a diet or quit smoking.

If you say those old thought patterns, behaviours and habits can change, how do you go about making that change?

It is really important to note that old brain patterns are there forever which is why old patterns are so easily slipped into. However, it’s not really about breaking an old habit or changing negative thoughts; it’s about finding new ways of thinking so the old negative thoughts are forgotten.

New habits are formed which create new brain patterns.

We look at what has worked before… Think of a time when anxiety was less of a problem? What did you do for it to be less? How did you think then? (the solution is their own)

A very profound step is to help a person face their fears in a gentle way (not avoid)

Here, a person is helped to see their fears as just thoughts in the head that can’t cause any harm. Metaphor: view fear like monsters who are passengers on the bus; you are the driver

Identify triggers that start the fight/flight response, causing panic attacks

A plan is made outlining calming activities to engage in daily/weekly. We will look at activities that engage brain chemicals. These go toward increasing new neural pathways

A huge part of a person’s recovery is to engage family, friends and church family – these are additional supports and are essential for long-term recovery.

Happy Brain Chemicals Dopamine: a person thinks more positively about situations and themselves. Result: gain a sense of achievement, is rewarding, telling them they have done well, makes them feel good about themselves. Endorphins: when physically active, the heart pumps rapidly provides analgesic or pain-relieving effect. Result: less tired, increases motivation, creates more positive & clearer thinking, enjoy life and stimulates appetite. Adrenaline caused by anxiety is also used up. Oxytocin: directly linked to human bonding eg: socialising with others, hug a person, sexually intimate, pat the dog, stroke the cat, talk to pets. Result: increases trust and loyalty, become smarter, more productive & ultimately happier. Serotonin: (like dopamine) activities to feel better about self and the situation. Result: reinforces self-esteem, greater feeling of security, feel happier. Generally for someone with low self-worth other areas also need work: practice ‘faking’ beliefs that you are clever, worthwhile, capable and successful – ‘fake it until you make it’

Does the Bible have any other scriptures that can help people suffering from anxiety?

Sure. Going through a process like this for excessive stress or things associated with anxiety (or anything for that matter where change needs to happen), is all about being transformed by the renewing of your mind… and I doubt that if Paul, who was inspired to write the book of Romans, knew anything about the brains neural pathways.

Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Even though this passage is about our call to be holy and more about triumphantly being right with God (inwardly and outwardly transformed from sinful, worldly behaviour), fears and anxiety are part of our human imperfection that needs ongoing transformation from the inside out… to be transformed into God’s Image, namely Jesus or to be like Christ. The mind is part of the body that God created and because God gave us ‘free will’, we can control our minds to rationally choose what is good and right.

And it is God’s Spirit who renews our minds. Paul says in Titus 3:5, “[God] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Another part of Neuroscience is Neurogenesis: it has been discovered that new nerve cells are regenerated through learning (hippocampus). So when a stressful or anxious person learns something new and challenging like overcoming difficult emotional experiences and being more optimistic, new nerve cells are created. This also develops resilience so a person is able to be more resistant for when things get tough, scary and look hopeless (like when Paul & Silas prayed & sang in prison). This causes a person to also be more resistant to further complications that come from anxiety, like depression or disease.