Anxiety - It’s More Than Just a Feeling of Nervousness…

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It is a feeling of fear or uneasiness about what’s to come. Ordinary anxiety is a feeling that comes and goes, but does not interfere with your everyday life. In the case of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time. It is intense and sometimes debilitating. And this type of anxiety is what can cause you to stop doing things you used to enjoy. 

Many people think anxiety is just a feeling of nervousness or worrying, but those of us who have experienced anxiety know it is much more than that. Anxiety can look like this:

• It is hard to concentrate
• Sleeping is a problem - you can’t sleep because you’re anxious, and you’re anxious because you know you need to sleep
• Intrusive thoughts
• A feeling of worry that you cannot control
• You are irritable all the time
• Restlessness and a feeling of being “on-edge”
• You avoid situations that cause fear or that make you anxious
• Appetite changes: loss or increased appetite
• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Digestive issues
• Excessive sweating and increased heart rate
• Dizziness, nausea, and many more physical symptoms
• Overthinking a lot, especially about what other people think of you

These are just some of the ways anxiety can manifest. You may have experienced all of them at some point or maybe just a few; everyone is different, but we can all conclude that anxiety sucks! But you can find relief in that you are not alone!

What are the different types of anxiety?

1. Panic Attacks: an intense anxiety that may include racing thoughts, light headedness, stomach problems, dizziness, racing heart rate, etc. You can feel like you are about to die, but the crazy thing is that most panic attacks are not even noticeable to others around you. 

2. Phobias: intense fear of something specific. It can be a person, animal, or place. 

3. General Anxiety: Fear and worry that can be caused by daily stressors and daily events. You may feel anxious about work, your health, money, etc. 

4. Social Anxiety: Extreme fear of being judged by others. Feeling shame and embarrassed. 

5. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: recurring irrational thoughts that make you repeat certain behaviors. Like washing your hands compulsively because you don’t want to get sick or get someone else sick. Compulsions can be both physical and mental. 

6. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: PTSD usually follows a traumatic event. It can cause nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, and other symptoms. 

7. Separation Anxiety: fear of being away from home, loved ones, or your comfort zone. 

8. Illness or Health Anxiety: Also known as hypochondria. It is the fear that you may or will develop a severe illness. 

How Do You Find Relief?

There are many ways you can find relief for your anxiety, but I’d like to share the top 3 simple ways to overcome anxiety. They are not ranked in order of importance. However, number three is very close to my heart. I hope they may be of some help to you. And like I mentioned above, please know and understand that YOU ARE NOT ALONE :)

TOP 3 SIMPLE WAYS TO OVERCOME ANXIETY

1. FIX YOUR SLEEP

When you experience a physical symptom due to anxiety, it's your body trying to tell you that something might be missing. One of the first symptoms I experienced when anxiety hit was not being able to fall asleep. I would spend hours awake trying to fall asleep, but my mind just kept racing with different thoughts. When I could finally fall asleep, I did not really rest. In the morning I would wake up really tired and fatigued. Have you ever felt that way?

Well, I stumbled upon this health magazine (can’t remember the name) that talked about the importance of Magnesium and how most of us are deficient of this mineral because of our diets and ultra-processed foods, etc. I kept reading and when the author mentioned how Magnesium can help you fall asleep faster by actually turning your mind off, I knew I might be one of the many Magnesium deficient people out there and decided to give it a try. 

I started taking Magnesium about 3 years ago, and I never knew it would help me so much. Magnesium is present in more than 300 chemical processes in our bodies. No wonder deficiency can really mess us up. Magnesium deficiency can also cause anxiety and many of its symptoms. So why not give it a try? 

One of my favorite types of Magnesium is the Natural Stacks Magnesium because it is easily absorbed by the body and it contains glycine, which relaxes the body and muscles. I take it one hour before I go to bed, and it greatly improves my sleep quality. It helps to turn my mind off, so I get some real rest.

Side note: I have found with Magnesium, you need to find a form and a brand that works with your body. All bodies are different. 

By giving your body what it needs to function properly, you will see how everything will begin to get better, and your body will have the right tools to overcome anxiety.

I just want to encourage you to keep going. It can seem like a slow process in the beginning, but it will definitely be worth it. Don’t give up!

2. FILL YOUR MIND WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF CONTENT 

I believe it is important to fill our anxious minds with the right kind of information. There are tons of books out there on anxiety disorders and mental health, but many of them are really hard to read. Some contain too many scientific words that you can’t even understand, and if you find it difficult to concentrate, those books do not really help much. 

But the one book that has always eased my mind is the Bible. I have found that reading a few verses or chapters everyday has actually helped with those anxious feelings and thoughts. If you’ve never read the Bible, and it’s something you’d like to try, I recommend the New Living Translation or some other modern version. I love reading the Bible because it’s filled with stories of super imperfect people filled with all kinds of fears, traumas, insecurities, anxiety, etc, but they overcame despite all the odds. And I always love the book of John or the book of Psalms. 

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

You can also download the Bible app and have it with you anytime you need it. I especially love the daily verse. 

3. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: EVERYONE NEEDS A FRIEND THEY CAN COUNT ON ALL THE TIME 

Having someone you can talk to any time you need to, someone with whom you can be your real true self, someone who is willing to listen and never judge you, someone who truly cares about you, having that someone in your life is vital to overcoming anxiety. 

We are not meant to be alone, but the truth is that dealing with anxiety can get very lonely. That loneliness can actually be very painful, and it might feel like you are drowning in your own pain and fears, and you see no end to your anxiety. You just want to feel like your old self again, but everyday feels more and more frustrating because you just want to be okay, but you seem to be getting worse. And it is so hard to communicate with others what you truly feel and think because it can get real ugly sometimes.  

And you think to yourself - who would want to be my real friend when I am so messed up inside?

Well, if you’ve read this far, give yourself the opportunity to a new friendship, a new relationship, don’t shut yourself because this just might be what you’ve been looking for without even knowing. 

I have found that friend in Jesus. And it’s not the Jesus from religion, rules, or the Jesus from all those movies. It’s Jesus, the friend who knows the storm inside of me, and yet cares enough to walk by my side through it all. It’s Jesus, the friend I can come to anytime, I can talk to anytime, and I can cry with anytime. I don’t have to pretend everything is okay around him, and I can just be me. He sees the struggle, the ugliness, but he also sees the beauty. And he is for everyone!

Yes, no matter what you believe, feel, think, or do, I have to let you know that Jesus is for you too!

And you need to know he loves you just as you are. He is the only one who truly knows everything that goes on inside of you, he does not judge you, and he is open to a relationship with you if you’d like… because he’ll never push himself into your life. He is that gentle friend. 

Forget about all those pre-conceived ideas about God or religion and give this friend a chance; he won’t disappoint. 

Someone once said to me, I’d like to know more about Jesus, but I don’t even know where to start. I said it is very simple, you can just start with a simple honest prayer from your heart - you can sincerely say: “Jesus I am tired of being tired and hopeless, I need you. Be my friend and never let go of me.”

This is what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message) - “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

As you start talking to Jesus everyday, a relationship develops, and somehow his love begins to fill all those voids in your heart. I wish I could put it all into words, but I’d rather let you experience it for yourself. You can begin right where you are, no need to pretend, just be you, no need to earn his love (he already loves you), just open up your heart. That is it! It is really that simple. 

So Jesus is that friend that has helped me through this entire process of healing. It has not been easy, and you will find that you’ll want to give up many days, but he’ll hold you and somehow give you strength to face the next day. And one step at a time, one day at a time, you’ll see how you begin to overcome any anxiety, and you’ll not only feel like your old self again, but you’ll feel like a completely new self :).