My Christian walk and my anxiety

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Ernie

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To make a long story short I have dealt with health anxiety a large portion of my life, and this is how it goes...when jovial I try to realize that I am happy and things are going well and still thank God/Jesus for all my blessings, try to keep my walk going how it should be but am a bit more laid back...but I am content. As soon as the anxiety hits because of a symptom etc, fear, pleading sometimes, anxiety devotions, etc...and it's a revolving door like this. I guess it's kind of normal but it is awful over whelming. My point is I feel when my anxiety hits , my thoughts are much more focused on God/Jesus which I assume is normal. Does anyone else deal with this and how do you combat it? I'm extremely analytical and Introspective and it hinders my walk sometimes.
 
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marks

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To make a long story short I have dealt with health anxiety a large portion of my life, and this is how it goes...when jovial I try to realize that I am happy and things are going well and still thank God/Jesus for all my blessings, try to keep my walk going how it should be but am a bit moreaid back...but I am content. As soon as the anxiety hits because of a symptom etc, fear, pleading sometimes, anxiety devotions, etc...and it's a revolving door like this. I guess it's kind of normal but it is awful over whelming. My point is I feel when my anxiety hits , my thoughts are much more focused on God/Jesus which I assume is normal. Does anyone else deal with this and how do you combat it? I'm extremely analytical and Introspective and it hinders my walk sometimes.
I also have triggers for anxiety. Normal, not normal, I don't know about that, but I understand the overwhelming part! I very much relate to everything you said here. My anxiety doesn't necessarily focus on my health, but that can come in too.

One thing I do is to remember, remind myself, that my anxiety is a physical thing, and that I don't have to buy into it. I remember that I've been in the same situation, or worse, without these feelings, and that even when I have these feelings there isn't a good reason for them.

Anxiety . . . fear . . . is based on assuming a future outcome. And we don't have to assume bad outcomes. God promised that all things work for our good if we love Him, if we are someone He called.

I've had "free floating anxiety", that is, I'll become anxious over one thing, and I'll address it in my mind, only to become anxious the next moment over something else. My anxiety would attach itself to anything.

The Psalms are great for dealing with emotional issues. For so many years I never got that, but many times God has directed my eyes to various passages such as,

Psalms 27:1 KJV
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Nowadays, for the most part, when I get anxiety, I tell myself that this too will pass. That it's a physical thing, it doesn't mean something horrible is going to happen, only, my flesh got triggered, and is responding. Something set it off, but it's not reality, it's coming from my corrupted flesh.

Hold on to Jesus! He will carry you through everything!

Much love!
 
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quietthinker

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To make a long story short I have dealt with health anxiety a large portion of my life, and this is how it goes...when jovial I try to realize that I am happy and things are going well and still thank God/Jesus for all my blessings, try to keep my walk going how it should be but am a bit moreaid back...but I am content. As soon as the anxiety hits because of a symptom etc, fear, pleading sometimes, anxiety devotions, etc...and it's a revolving door like this. I guess it's kind of normal but it is awful over whelming. My point is I feel when my anxiety hits , my thoughts are much more focused on God/Jesus which I assume is normal. Does anyone else deal with this and how do you combat it? I'm extremely analytical and Introspective and it hinders my walk sometimes.
Me personally, I've thrown out the word 'should'.....and remind myself "I am loved, I am known by name, I am precious to him and my life is hid in Christ with God.

The 'should' factor is never satisfied. It is the back door used by self condemnation, the condemnation of others and the accusations of the devil....true though they may be. It sets up a paradigm at odds with God's kindness.
 
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Ernie

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I keep acknowledging that all my "works" won't stand a chance when it comes to my walk. I wish my faith was stronger, but i believe my mind for whatever reason prohibits it from gaining strength. It's draining.
 

Jericho

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2012 was a difficult year for me. I had a panic attack that came seemingly out of nowhere. Although in retrospect, it was the culmination of many fears and worries I had about my future. When the panic attack passed, that should have been that, but I let myself go down the anxiety rabbit hole. I developed all sorts of symptoms that were scary and mysterious at the time, though they were all stress and anxiety related. That led to a host of health anxieties I never had before. I probably went to the doctor more that year than I had in my entire life up to that point. Of course, they never found anything physically wrong with me. But not understanding what was happening led me down a deep dark hole that I wasn't sure I would ever get out of. I would see other people smiling and laughing, but it was like I was on the outside of a window looking in. I couldn't feel any joy or happiness, there was just a big empty void. It probably took me a year to a year and a half to fully recover emotionally. I can't say what helped me the most except the many prayers that were prayed for me.
 
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Behold

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I keep acknowledging that all my "works" won't stand a chance when it comes to my walk. I wish my faith was stronger, but i believe my mind for whatever reason prohibits it from gaining strength. It's draining.

The Christian is always kept at peace with God, based on Jesus's Blood and Death. And we are to know this as our Faith, and Paul said that this knowing......is to let the peace of God reign in our Heart and Mind.

One of the best ways to understand what it means to have become a born again "new creation".....is..

A.) The Christian starts FINISHED.

We are already made perfect IN CHRIST........Colossians 2:10.....>"made COMPLETE in Him". (KJV)

1 Corin 1:30 (KJV) says that Jesus is become unto us our Santificaiton, our redemption.

Now, the confused Christian is trying to get there and stay there by their DISCIPLESHIP...their works and deeds.
And that's a fail, as only God can make us Righteous, and only the Blood and Death of Jesus is THE WAY.

The Christian exists forever, in God's Grace.....and that means that we dont have to strive to be accepted or try to stay saved.
God has already taken us, for eternity.........we are eternally secure..........we are forever made righteous......because we have received from God, "the GIFT of Righteousness".

Luther said.......>"Jesus has my sin, and I have His Righteousness".....and that can never change., as that is God's Grace, and we are to relax and be confident that "God who started salvation (in the born again), shall HIMSELF be faithful to complete it".
 
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Windmill Charge

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Some suggestions for dealing with anxiety:-
Symptoms of a panic attack
If you experience sudden, intense anxiety and fear, it might be the symptoms of a panic attack. Other symptoms may include:

a racing heartbeat
feeling faint, dizzy or lightheaded
feeling that you're losing control
sweating, trembling or shaking
shortness of breath or breathing very quickly
a tingling in your fingers or lips
feeling sick (nausea)
A panic attack usually lasts 5 to 30 minutes. They can be frightening, but they're not dangerous and should not harm you.

Things you can try to help with anxiety, fear and panic
Do
try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: [email protected] if you need someone to talk to

use calming breathing exercises

exercise – activities such as running, walking, swimming and yoga can help you relax

find out how to get to sleep if you're struggling to sleep

eat a healthy diet with regular meals to keep your energy levels stable

consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website

listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides

Don’t
do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve

do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better

do not avoid situations that make you anxious – try slowly building up time spent in worrying situations to gradually reduce anxiety

try not to tell yourself that you're alone; most people experience anxiety or fear at some point in their life

try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anxiety as these can all contribute to poor mental health.
From Get help with anxiety, fear or panic
 
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Lambano

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Does anyone else deal with this and how do you combat it?
Several years back, I was going through a rough stretch. I talked it over with my doctor, and he offered to prescribe a cocktail for anxiety that he said would "make me feel like a new man". (My PCP is pretty big on pharmaceutical solutions). My brother-in-law and one of my best friends went that route. They told me that the transition period while they tune the prescription could be pretty miserable, and, I knew from my research that SSRIs could, um, keep me from enjoying my marital relationship with my wife. I passed on the cocktail. On my next appointment, Doc asked me how I was doing with the anxiety, and I realized I hadn't even thought about it in months. I guess it must've gone away as mysteriously as it came.

You can go for the pharmaceutical solution if you want, but there are side effects, and I hear the SSRIs are hard to get off of if you change your mind.
 
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Jericho

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You can go for the pharmaceutical solution if you want, but there are side effects, and I hear the SSRIs are hard to get off of if you change your mind.

I was prescribed some and nearly took them out of desperation, but I didn't like the idea of something messing with my brain chemistry. I opted to go cold turkey instead and came out the other side. I can understand why people take them, but, they were not for me.
 
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Ernie

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Several years back, I was going through a rough stretch. I talked it over with my doctor, and he offered to prescribe a cocktail for anxiety that he said would "make me feel like a new man". (My PCP is pretty big on pharmaceutical solutions). My brother-in-law and one of my best friends went that route. They told me that the transition period while they tune the prescription could be pretty miserable, and, I knew from my research that SSRIs could, um, keep me from enjoying my marital relationship with my wife. I passed on the cocktail. On my next appointment, Doc asked me how I was doing with the anxiety, and I realized I hadn't even thought about it in months. I guess it must've gone away as mysteriously as it came.

You can go for the pharmaceutical solution if you want, but there are side effects, and I hear the SSRIs are hard to get off of if you change your mind.
I actually have been on ssri unfortunately a large majority of my life ...my anxious life really took off around 14 and I'm in my mid 40s now. I do believe it helps but yes it can come with a price as I went off cold turkey a few years ago, thought I was in the clear then boom ...a pshyc contributed it to possibly going off cold turkey
 
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Ernie

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2012 was a difficult year for me. I had a panic attack that came seemingly out of nowhere. Although in retrospect, it was the culmination of many fears and worries I had about my future. When the panic attack passed, that should have been that, but I let myself go down the anxiety rabbit hole. I developed all sorts of symptoms that were scary and mysterious at the time, though they were all stress and anxiety related. That led to a host of health anxieties I never had before. I probably went to the doctor more that year than I had in my entire life up to that point. Of course, they never found anything physically wrong with me. But not understanding what was happening led me down a deep dark hole that I wasn't sure I would ever get out of. I would see other people smiling and laughing, but it was like I was on the outside of a window looking in. I couldn't feel any joy or happiness, there was just a big empty void. It probably took me a year to a year and a half to fully recover emotionally. I can't say what helped me the most except the many prayers that were prayed for me.
Funny how everyone is different. I avoid the doctor which is probably 99.9 percent of my problem. My main fear out of everything are docs, tests, etc
 
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Lambano

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do not avoid situations that make you anxious – try slowly building up time spent in worrying situations to gradually reduce anxiety

Funny how everyone is different. I avoid the doctor which is probably 99.9 percent of my problem. My main fear out of everything are docs, tests, etc

Windmill's PSA source is right on this one. Avoidance doesn't help and can be counter-productive. Just doing SOMETHING about the thing you're anxious about is cathartic.
 
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GRACE ambassador

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