Defeating Worry and Stress
5 Ways I Handle Anxiety
Note: Before diving in I want to remind you I am NOT a doctor. If you're experiencing prolonged or severe stress/anxiety, schedule an appointment with a mental health professional. Life can be full of stress, worry, and anxiety. Prison certainly pumps these out on a daily basis with countless unknowns, lack of privacy, reminders that we are not in control, and uncertainty about the future. I've seen some of my closest prison friends lose hair, lose weight without trying, gain excessive amounts of weight, and even fall back into drug addiction as a direct result of anxiety. I've had my fair share of anxiety battles so I want to unpack anxiety and share some ways I respond to it.
What Is Anxiety?
My favorite definition of anxiety is simply when we mentally create possible scenarios. It's worrying about future potential outcomes, and then ruminating over them. I recognize when I'm heading down this path because I notice my thoughts repeating a thousand "what if" scenarios. When I have anxiety and start to worry, my heart rate increases, I have trouble falling asleep, and it's difficult for me to concentrate. The wild thing is that NO amount of stress, worry, or anxiety has ever helped me take healthy steps toward my goals. Urma Bombeck said, "Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere." I know that, like me, many people struggle with anxiety, so I want to share 5 ways I respond to it when it comes.1. Acknowledge It
We can't heal what we don't acknowledge. The more I try to hide, deny, minimize, or ignore that I'm feeling levels of stress, the longer it takes to begin the process of reducing them. Ignoring one weed in my garden guarantees that tomorrow there will be more. I must acknowledge how I'm really feeling in order to deal with it.2. Get Grounded
When my mind begin to race and I feel it spiraling, I take a deep breath and focus on where I am. What do I see, hear, smell, taste, and feel? By focusing on the present I ground myself back to this moment. I remind myself that feelings of worry are coming from my mind, not my circumstances. Being grounded and 100% present in my today allows me reduce anxiety about what "could" happen in my tomorrow.3. Shift My Self Talk
I used to say that I worried about my family because I care so much about them, but the truth is I worried because I was fearful that something bad might happen to them. Worrying doesn't mean I care, it means that I fear. I am now working to simply affirm my love for my family rather than have anxiety about things that "could be." I also tell myself that worrying is a total waste of time and energy, and I am convinced I can get through whatever happens in the future. There are obviously outcomes I prefer, but I must change the narrative around my anxiety and shift my self talk.4. Run to Faith
Worry is the opposite of faith. I've found that it's impossible for me to have worry and faith at the same time. Philippians 4:6 (NLT), "Don't worry about anything. Instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." When I feel that surge of stress, that bubbling accumulation of anxiety, I cling to Christ. God already knows how I'm feeling so I just shoot straight and tell Him what I need in that moment. God gives me peace, so I run to Him.5. Wave The White Flag
For those of us who are "go-getters" this seems counterproductive, but when I surrender what I CAN'T control, and focus on what I CAN control, peace rushes in. Our expectations are often the catalysts for our anxiety, so releasing expectations helps. I can only control a few things in my life right now. I control my attitude, what programs I sign up for, and how I spend my free time. I must choose to surrender the rest in order to find peace. I'd love to hear how do you deal with anxiety. Post a comment or send me an e-message.Like Trent's blog? Subscribe to his monthly newsletter at ichoosehope.substack.com.
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