Does anyone here have anxiety attacks?. It comes from an anxiety disorder. Its not like regular anxiety but it effects both mind and body. How does religion effect your anxiety? How do you deal with it? Im thinking I might be better off staying away from people. Im lonely but the anxiety attacks are worse than loneliness. I dont know of any church that teaches all of the commandments that I see in the new testament. It makes fellowship very difficult. And debate is wrong in my eyes. I would rather take James word and be quiet but the loneliness does bother me.
Bruce, I hear you. I’ve experienced anxiety or panic attacks that seem to come out of nowhere. They’re awful, crippling and I don’t know which is worse; the actual attack or the fear of an actual attack.
I wouldn’t say I have an anxiety disorder, but who knows. All I know for sure is that God can heal it and take it away. He is Lord of our bodies and the Lord of our souls.
My first response when I experience the anxiety you’re talking about is to pray. I have a good friend that I will ask to pray for me too. I’ve seen it disappear as suddenly as it came and praised God for the deliverance. That doesn’t always happen and I have to suffer through it, but I keep praying and drawing as close to Him as I can even with all that’s going on.
I know He can heal. I’ve seen Him heal. I have no doubt that He can heal. Each time He does heal my faith in Him grows stronger for the time that He doesn’t choose to heal.
It’s natural for us as human beings to have anxiety at times, but what you’re talking about is way overboard what most experience. It can also be an attack of the enemy. If it is, then turning to God, trusting in God and in dependance on God is the best response.
So that’s what I do. Believing in Jesus ‘who by His stripes we are healed’ is not something I dismiss.
We are called to be the family of God and family means not being alone. I’ve learned more from the witness of other Christians than being by myself. I’m not surprised if loneliness bothers you. We were made to fellowship with one another no matter how hard that can be at times. I’ll pray for you Bruce.
@Bestill Thank you. Yes the anxiety i refer to is terrible. Its not just worry but is a feeling that something isnt right and it effects the body too. Its been so bad that all I could do is lay down. Medication helps a lot but I feel like getting around religion is a trigger maybe. I had an anxiety attack last night and today it still lingered. And im a little depressed too.
I’ll always take notice and in a good way, when someone is transparent about their struggles. It takes a certain amount of humility to be forthcoming and a certain amount of courage to keep on keeping on. We all have our struggles and broken places. It’s part of the human package.
I was serious when I said the Lord can heal and the Lord can take away anxiety. There’s no issue He can’t heal. There are times and situations where He doesn’t heal and allows the issue to continue. That doesn’t mean He didn’t hear our prayer or that He isn’t able. It means there’s something in it for us to learn. He will use it to our good although that good may be hard to see.
Take heart Bruce. You have family here. People who care about you, and more than that, you have a Lord who loves you so much.
@Bestill I think its good to be weak and humble. The apostle Paul said he was weak when he was around other weak people. I believe God cares and wants us to share our weakness.
1 Corinthians 9:**19 **For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; **20 **and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the [e]law, that I might win those who are under the law; **21 **to those who are without law, as without law (not being without [f]law toward God, but under [g]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; **22 **to the weak I became [h]as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. **23 **Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. (NKJV)
1 Corinthians 1:**26 **For [k]you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many [l]noble, are called. **27 **But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; **28 **and the [m]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, **29 **that no flesh should glory in His presence. **30 **But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— **31 **that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (NKJV)
There is a stigma attached to mental afflictions. But that doesn’t help. What should I do? Give up because I dont fit into someone’s mold of what a Christian should be? No. We walk by faith not by sight. We dont look at the temporary things that are seen such as our body growing old and feeble, but we look to the unseen eternal things instead such as heaven where there is no more illness or death. I will keep fighting the good fight of faith and obey God. There is no other way to live.
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You need to have a soldiers mentality. Keep fighting the good fight of faith even when anxiety or panic attacks cripple you. The hardest part is not knowing why you’re afflicted or what to do about it. Should I be online or go be by myself? Did I do something wrong? Why do I feel thos way? These types of questions fill your mind but you don’t find the answers.
Sometimes I sing that old hymn “leaning on the everlasting arms” to myself. It helps a little.
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***“*Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. (Phil. 4: 6,7)
Bruce—
I share the above verse not because it is a “cure-all”, or to make light of the anxiety you feel. I have felt anxiety deeply many times. The only thing I note about the above verse is that it must be possible not to be anxious or Paul wouldn’t say “be anxious for nothing”, That gives much hope. Secondly, Paul is giving the reason for anxiety—not bringing everything to God. He says "be anxious for nothing, BUT in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known onto God, and the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus".
MANY times I’ve noticed that I get the most anxious when I am trying to solve things myself instead of bringing it to God. To just pray to Him as a Father and “cast all of your cares upon Him for He cares for you”.
Again, I do not share this trying to state I am never anxious—on the contrary. And I do not think the Lord is angry or upset that we are anxious either—He wants us to learn how NOT TO BE. We just need to learn more how to cast ALL OF OUR CARES upon Him—because He does care for us.
God bless you brother—I will be praying for you!
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Im feeling better. Dwelling on it makes it worse. Ill cast down that worry like a good soldier. Sometimes thats easier said than done but I feel like I can do it right now.
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The electricity was shut off today. I lit a candle because it was dark inside. Its actually comforted me. It reminds me of the lamp of the Lord. But we should be getting the electricity back on soon so no worries folks.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. (NKJV)
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The hardest part is the confusion that can set in. People may think that Christians cant experience confusion at times but the apostles did. Paul said they were perplexed.
2 Corinthians 4:**7 **But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. **8 **We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; **9 **persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— **10 **always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. **11 **For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (NKJV)
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@Fish153 I agree that prayer is needed. I agree that we shouldn’t be anxious for anything but we should pray. Sometimes you get so distracted by the anxiety attack that you forget to pray. However panic attacks are not your everyday anxiety. Its way worse. Its confusion and even fear or a sense that something is wrong. It effects the body too. It can cause many physical symptoms. I know because I haven’t always been this way so I know the difference between regular anxiety and panic attacks.
I dont let normal anxiety control me. Like today for example the electricity was shut off. How will i charge my phone? How will I cook food? We dont have much food and I dont have the luxury of eating whatever I want. I need to cook. But I dont let these necessities bother me. I learn to be content in any situation as the apostle Paul teaches and I pray. Thats how I deal with regular anxieties.
I dont know the reason why people are afflicted by mental illness but even Paul said they experienced confusion sometimes. They experienced such hardship that they even despaired of life itself.
@anon42711693 Completely understood. I do realize that anxiety/panic attacks are much different than plain old “anxiety”, It is much more serious. And you’re right—there have been great men of God who were actually afflicted with mental illness. Arthur W. Pink had a nervous breakdown (he was a theological writer in the 1930-s thru 50’s). And David Brainerd (1700’s), the great evangelist to the Indians suffered from deep depression or Bi-Polar disorder. So it is a spiritual warfare all onto itself. Sorry your power got shut off. It’s amazing how much we rely on electricity—we hardly even notice it until the power goes out! We feel lost without it. lol. I’m glad you said it was going to come back on again soon. All the best to you brother!! God bless!
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@Fish153 Thank you, friend.
I think the more in line we are with the teachings of the Lord (God and Jesus), the less anxiety we experience.
I see nothing wrong with respectful debate. We should never lose our tempers during a debate. Insults are always wrong, even if we have been insulted. When someone insults me, I have fun proving that they are wrong.
An anxiety or panic attack isn’t regular anxiety. Its a medical condition. I know the difference between i haven’t always been this way. I dont let regular anxiety control me.
I am not a doctor. I do know that when I disobey the Lord, life gets a lot more difficult.
I dont disobey the Lord that im aware of. Even Jesus and the apostles experienced depression in my opinion. Jesus was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Depression caused the anxiety attacks according to my doctor. The apostles despaired of life but its not because they were disobedient
Are any of us perfect yet? Were the apostles perfect?