Prayer for deliverance from anxiety

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Avidreader33

New Member
Sep 15, 2026
3
4
3
29
Texas
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
(Apologies in advance for how long this post is, but it’s worth reading)

Looking for hope and encouragement!!

I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder at 12 years old after a traumatic event. Been taking Zoloft/Sertraline ever since and functioned normally for 15 years. Finished high school, graduated college, got married with no issues. Recently went off medication to consider starting a family, and the anxiety relapsed severely, now weening back on to medication again, currently in the thick of it, and waiting to feel like myself again. It’s been 2 and a half months of hell, anxiety so bad that I took several days off work, sitting on the couch, stuck in my own head. Waking up with adrenaline shakes, struggling to eat enough food, having a plethora of physical symptoms, and feeling hopeless and terrified.

As of today, I’m on week 3 of 150 mg of Zoloft (I was on 200 for 15 years and did fine). Had a week and a half where I felt great, almost like myself, but this week is much worse. Struggling to eat again, taking magnesium to help me sleep, but I’ve never been this severely anxious for this long and it’s terrifying.

As a Christian, I know there are spiritual and physical aspects of anxiety. It’s a very real chemical imbalance in the brain. But I’m very discouraged after having a week of feeling better to now feeling much worse. I’m seeing a counselor and a psychiatrist to manage the medications, and trying to surrender my desire to control when this difficult season will end.

Any advice/encouragement/prayer/uplifting stories of hope would be greatly appreciated.
 
  • Praying
Reactions: Debp

GRACE ambassador

Well-Known Member
Mar 1, 2021
2,862
2,065
113
74
Midwest
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Male

Bob

Well-Known Member
Sep 23, 2023
954
900
93
Tucson, AZ
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Thank you for your heart-wrenching post, and welcome to this Christian community.

Know that you have all of us around the world praying for you.

Do you find personal prayer helpful? It has a calming effect, giving all of your troubles over to God, & asking Jesus to comfort you during difficult episodes.

Does reading the Psalms provide solace? Many of them speak of enemies all around the writer, and ask for God’s intervention. Perhaps you can relate, having physical & spiritual demons hammering on you.

We pray also that medical professionals can alleviate your pain.

Stay in touch.

Blessings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Avidreader33

Avidreader33

New Member
Sep 15, 2026
3
4
3
29
Texas
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Thank you for your heart-wrenching post, and welcome to this Christian community.

Know that you have all of us around the world praying for you.

Do you find personal prayer helpful? It has a calming effect, giving all of your troubles over to God, & asking Jesus to comfort you during difficult episodes.

Does reading the Psalms provide solace? Many of them speak of enemies all around the writer, and ask for God’s intervention. Perhaps you can relate, having physical & spiritual demons hammering on you.

We pray also that medical professionals can alleviate your pain.

Stay in touch.

Blessings.
Thank you for your encouragement. I have been praying daily, crying out to the Lord, making sure I’m thanking him and showing gratitude rather than just begging and pleading to make things better. I have a list of Bible verses on my phone that I read when I’m feeling very anxious or panicked, and that sometimes helps. I know God is trying to teach me in this season that I need to trust Him more and surrender my desire to control things. I want nothing more than for things to go back to normal as quickly as possible, but I’m trying to surrender that too. Hoping and praying that medication and God’s timing will get me through this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob

Jay Ross

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2011
9,679
3,614
113
QLD
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
My Prayer is that: -

The Lord will include you among those whom He is calling to Himself such that you may know of His personal Love just for you, that He has wrapped His arms around you and is hugging you to keep you safe, that you know beyond any reasonable doubt His purposes for your life and that you live within the confines of that understanding being content in Who Gos is within your life.

Shalom
 
  • Like
Reactions: Avidreader33

Debp

Mod - Encounter Team
Staff member
Encounter Team
Jul 5, 2020
14,209
17,042
113
California
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
As of today, I’m on week 3 of 150 mg of Zoloft (I was on 200 for 15 years and did fine).
You mentioned being weened back onto the medication. Isn't 150 mg a lot for just beginning the medication again? Perhaps your brain isn't used to that large amount anymore?

The Mayo Clinic said the following:

For panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or social anxiety disorder:
  • Adults—At first, 25 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken either in the morning or evening. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 200 mg per day.
 

Avidreader33

New Member
Sep 15, 2026
3
4
3
29
Texas
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Gender
Female
You mentioned being weened back onto the medication. Isn't 150 mg a lot for just beginning the medication again? Perhaps your brain isn't used to that large amount anymore?

The Mayo Clinic said the following:

For panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or social anxiety disorder:
  • Adults—At first, 25 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken either in the morning or evening. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 200 mg per day.
For context, I began the medication again two and a half months ago. I was completely off the medication back in June. Around early July, the anxiety became debilitating. My doctor started me back on 50 mg. After three weeks, 100 mg because 50 wasn’t providing any relief. After three more weeks, 150 mg. Week 2 of the 150 dose I finally felt more like myself again, but now it’s just as bad as before. Everyone says to give it more time since 3 weeks after a dose increase isn’t very long.
 
  • Praying
Reactions: TLHKAJ and Debp

PeterAndroz

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2026
1,405
359
83
42
Mt Compass Adelaide
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
For context, I began the medication again two and a half months ago. I was completely off the medication back in June. Around early July, the anxiety became debilitating. My doctor started me back on 50 mg. After three weeks, 100 mg because 50 wasn’t providing any relief. After three more weeks, 150 mg. Week 2 of the 150 dose I finally felt more like myself again, but now it’s just as bad as before. Everyone says to give it more time since 3 weeks after a dose increase isn’t very long.
Magnesium Chelate equiv to 300mg daily.
Fish oil
Vit D3 10,000 iu 3x a week
Full body sun twice weekly if poss
Reduce sugar - goto pure stevia extract :)