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 Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:50 am
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Hello Brothers and Sisters,
I want to invite you to read this article to consider the effects that stress can have on our hearts, minds, and spirits. There is a lot of chaos in the world that can seemingly weigh heavily on our shoulders. However, stressing over these events does more harm to us than we realize.
Scriptures that I hope may encourage you:
"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 comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16.33
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." -John 14.27
Impact of Fear and Anxiety
Link: http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/security/facing-fear/impact-fear
Impact of Fear and Anxiety
Fear is a human emotion that is triggered by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism that signals our bodies to respond to danger with a fight or flight response. As such, it is an essential part of keeping us safe.
However, people who live in constant fear, whether from physical dangers in their environment or threats they perceive, can become incapacitated.
How fear works
Fear prepares us to react to danger. Once we sense a potential danger, our body releases hormones that slow or shut down functions not needed for survival (such as our digestive system) and sharpen functions that might help us survive (such as eyesight). Our heart rate increases, and blood flows to muscles so we can run faster. Our body also increases the flow of hormones to an area of the brain known as the amygdala to help us focus on the presenting danger and store it in our memory.
Effect on thinking
Once the fear pathways are ramped up, the brain short-circuits more rational processing paths and reacts immediately to signals from the amygdala. When in this overactive state, the brain perceives events as negative and remembers them that way.
It also stores all the details surrounding the danger—the sights, sounds, odors, time of day, weather, and so forth. These memories tend to be very durable, although they may also be fragmented.
Later, the sights, sounds, and other contextual details of the event can become stimuli themselves and trigger fear. They may bring back the memory of the fearful event, or they may cause us to feel afraid without consciously knowing why. Because these cues were associated with previous danger, the brain may see them as a predictor of threat. This often happens with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). For example, a soldier who experienced a bombing on a foggy day might find himself panicking when the weather turns foggy—without knowing why.
Impact of chronic fear
Living under constant threat weakens our immune system and can cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, and decreased fertility.
Fear can impair formation of long-term memories and cause damage to certain parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus. This can make it even more difficult to regulate fear and can leave a person anxious most of the time. To someone in chronic fear, the world looks scary and their memories confirm that.
Moreover, fear can interrupt processes in our brains that allow us to regulate emotions, read non-verbal cues and other information presented to us, reflect before acting, and act ethically. This impacts our thinking and decision-making in negative ways, leaving us susceptible to intense emotions and impulsive reactions. All of these effects can leave us unable to act appropriately.
Other consequences of long-term fear include fatigue, clinical depression, accelerated ageing, and even premature death.
So whether threats to our security are real or perceived, they impact our mental and physical wellbeing.
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 8:56 pm
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eastern youth It explains why my body automatically shuts down when I'm outside after getting big waves of anxiety non-stop. I tried to practice controlling it, but the feelings of severe fear on impact are too much for me to cope with and wins out the entire balance that's not a wavering balance, just close to a mess of the most least of my foundation about to topple over. It's people and the environment they are in that sends me into an ominous fuzz of a completely strained world sweeping me across in my brain. In that world I can't breathe nor move nor function in general. That's why the wobbly legs from crippling myself over before drop outright away from the scene when I get home and need to lie down from being hit with a sudden tiredness, it's in all directions caught everywhere of all my energy being drained out and tossed in a bulk. It's the mental flashback of the setting I get each time after it happens and I'll just keep thinking back to it repeatedly while wanting to hurl. This is the only thing that's majorly crippling to me and me in my life. Having extreme social anxiety and the fear of going to places/being seen outside. I just can't relax, not of the smallest desired bit when I'm in public. My default is still being in the state even when I'm alone so there's no complete removal of this anxiety. It's to the point of frustrating, crippling, penitence where I feel I can't lift my head when others are there unless it's just myself; it's hard all in all. I'm always crying because of that. I feel anything is possible with God and I've heard of testimonies online about people with the same or worse level of anxiety and how He cured them but it's most likely the reluctance in discomfort of knowing I have to let myself go in some way that I'm imagining I couldn't even stand to try. This is all on my cue to start nevertheless! Yet most--no, all- of the time I don't know how to walk to reach it. Even when my body shuts out this is how low my heart sinks and stays on the ground. I have absolute total doubt and lack of confidence in myself that therefore makes me believe it won't work a cinch on my mind. Because of the tidal surging in me afterward, I become lower than the lows. I found out an interesting part on anxiety and I was surprised when I first heard it. It really startled me, I totally wasn't expecting it. They said the reason why is because of being so self-aware and conscious of what's happening around yourself to the extreme--and it's really out of grip with reality. And that in itself is pride, in thinking that everything that is going on justly aligns with what are the thoughts in your head, which seriously justifies the anxiety. I have low self-esteem and that seems like it has nothing to do with pride but I justified all my thoughts by---in the end I allowed myself to believe it from a pride I never saw residing within my inner core. But it comes up to the surface because of knowing the delved voiced out comes out ringing true. But then again, it's just my unwanted surge of reflexes blocking my functionality, and to top it so off I have all this useful not applied prize-piece of information, I just need to put more faith in God and believe that He can cure me from the bonds of anxiety and unrest just as He did with others and so, thus, actually pray for it, but I haven't fully believed in His wonders (I believe, but I'm really having a hard time with it; that I'll be fine after letting myself go a little right-smack at the face of my biggest doubted fear) because I've been trapped for most of my life like this unable to get out of this spot with being in consistent/permanent/painful struggle. The struggles never take a day off or break momentarily but I want to be totally cured from it. I have a lot of praying to do in this prospect. I know that this is what I really need. Which is really just placing a dependence and trust in Him to do anything, even taking all the deep rooted traces of my anxiety away. I'd really like to have this peace someday, even as I feel it strongly in me to want to be granted the gift of His solution to my chaos, it seems impossible to get right now. But I'll make intense amount of struggle in my prayers now and in incessant future prayer for His solution until I do get a ready-steady balance in me.
I am sorry to hear how much you are struggling. Anxiety can certainly be a tormenting feeling that looms over our lives. It's also can be very incapacitating... A feeling that I can also relate with. It can be an exhaustive loop of emotions. We stress over whatever is bothering us in our lives, then seeps in frustration, anger, and then depression. It leeches out into different aspects or our lives that we never imagined possible. It's amazing how powerful our mind can be and influence us. In that respect, I have no doubt that is how dark forces work against us; through the mind. It prevents us from truly glorifying God in our lives. How can we touch the lives of others or serve Him if we are frozen in fear and anxiety?
I can see your point about low self-esteem being a pride issue, to an extent. Being too involved about the flaws and insecurities in ourselves rather than focusing that attention for the positive that we can spread outwards. Is that what you meant? I apologize if I misunderstood.
The reason why I wanted to talk about this topic is because I have currently been in a very "fearful" state for over a year, now. To the point of being incredibly paranoid. Between the (what could have been fatal) car accident I was involved in, my cystic brain tumor diagnosis, and being given the boot from my nursing program... Well, you can say I have a bit of a phobia of even leaving the house unless accompanied by my partner. It truly has been no way to live. That being said, I have recognized this as a problem and how incapacitating it has been.
Though, there are some Bible verses that have caught my attention that I would like to share.
Quote: James 1:23-25 ESV For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Quote: 2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Quote: ames 1:22 ESV But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
There is so much emphasis on "action" in The Bible. There absolutely is the power of prayer. However, we also have the responsibility to take action. Definitely easier said than done, right? That is where prayer, meditation upon His words, and faith comes in.
We both know the kind of energy that goes into stress and anxiety. So much that it makes us exhausted and convolutes everything. If we are constantly spending time and energy exhausted, confused, frustrated, and emotionally drained... There really isn't much room to do much else.
In my opinion, there is some good news to being a worrier. There is a TON of energy there that you can utilize. I mean, stressing out isn't easy! Imagine how tired you feel after an emotional roller coaster. You just need to find a way to hone it and channel it.
Before the accident, diagnosis, and being knocked out of school -- I was still a pretty depressed and anxious person. Someone helped me to realize what was making me feel this way. I didn't particularly feel great about my eating habits, my weight, and overall health. One day, I made the decision that I was tired of my predicament and began to walk everyday for one hour. Then I began to go to the gym. I began to train with a trainer. Within a few months, I had lost 50lbs and even got in enough shape to do Cross-fit weekly.
I cut out all of the excuses in my life. Was it difficult? Absolutely! But not only was I allowing myself to have more control over my situation, I was also channeling a lot of that energy into something that was constructive. I began to apply this to other areas of my life; such as volunteering and joining a bowling league. Sometimes we have to "get out of our own way".
It's easier to sit back behind a screen of a computer and say all of these things. I acknowledge what I need to do, sure. But the real test is going out and making small actions in our lives, and diving in instead of delaying or making excuses for ourselves. That being said... While I turn to God and pray for the strength to help me get back on my feet and walk towards building a life with less stress and anxiety.
It does take time... Sometimes it does even warrant a visit to a doctor or therapist. However, I would first suggest seeing the preacher of your congregation. Personally, I don't go to a church at the moment, but I have seen therapists/doctors. Sometimes it also helps just to talk to a friend. I am here for you if you ever just need to vent.
I will also pray for you, brother, that our Eternal God and Father may lift your spirits during this difficult time. May He protect you and grant you discernment from worldly distractions that penetrate the mind, heart, and spirit. We humbly ask that He strengthen you to walk alongside Him, on a path that will help bring you peace and clarity in your journey. May He send us out into the world with confidence of His word, to serve Him, and bring glory to His name. Amen. |
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:02 am
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eastern youth I'm also a Sister (lol), and you're definitely right. I agree there's more beauty in outwardly multiplied action than being a lump of so little progress/no fruit at all in the zoom of the picture shot, and change in action is what counts. I already changed a lot inside, now I've got to walk the self-beliefs I hold dear. Thanks for the words, I appreciate the verses! It's like God is telling me to rise any day now with the responsibility He gave. I judge myself so hard but I'm also too easy on myself for not acting upon doing the good I initially have the thought of doing. I'll be able to do natural good when I still give it my best effort, and not turn completely inside out loose of myself where I just think it's okay to go like 'uh ah no, nevermind' then shortly regret it afterwards. But like you said why not push it all out and give no room for a single excuse to shroud me? I really got to let it die and go. And free myself from my own burden of thoughts holding me back to do any good for myself and others. No longer should I allow the adversity to dwindle the tiny flame I have and let that eat me up altogether. The paranoia and fear directed inwardly to ourselves is no joke. I'm sorry for all the pain you handled throughout your life and difficult to battle through experiences you had to endure and pull through in each but I'm glad you took the pained steps to recover from the black hole adrift in the sky. I understand about the weight stuff. It's not easy to do but you're continually budding into a token that brings the strong light without the darkness winning over you. I pray He'll bless you into more success by action and guide you through those incapacitating times. It's relieving to hear even though you fall down from the stress of anxiety like everyone else you put the motion of importance in carrying out the duty for the result and success being achieved to your best resolution/efficiency. Everyone has the evil plight against them but not everyone has got out the zone by simply deciding it for themselves. I admire the strength and courage that flows in your spirit to go on the way you do. Amen. Bless you bouts for the prayer, I really needed it! I'll take root to be blessed to overcome on the spot and act upon my weaknesses. If I fail I won't indulge in a wallowing of my self-pity, because by being this far into it I know that's not the answer that's going to get me out in the satisfaction of the long run. Thank you for letting me see and be reminded of that!
Sorry about that, sister!
You must be a writer? I don't know how to explain it... The way you write is beautiful and almost comes across like I am reading a poem or song. Thank you for your kind and supportive words, they were truly touching.
Like I said... It is so much easier said than done. Even more so when typing behind a computer screen. I am hesitant to call these dark times "weaknesses". I think they are opportunities that allows us to grow and truly show the potential we have to overcome adversity. Our suffering also molds us to become stronger and wiser. When I don't feel well (health-wise), it gets particularly harder to admit those words... Deep down, I know it is true though.
Take small steps to build your confidence and self-esteem. It will be a process that will take some time, effort, and commitment. I really do think you can heal from the damage it has caused. You are worth so much more than to be gnawed away by these poisonous thoughts. You also have the power, granted to all of us through Christ, to not allow this to consume you. That goes for both of us... because I seriously need to take my own advice here, lol. |
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