I wanted to start out today by giving you some statistics that I found on the website for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Then, I’m going to share with you some of the things I’ve found that people have anxiety about.
You Are Not Alone
Dealing with Anxiety
I took a poll this past week on my Facebook page. Family, friends, and associates answered the poll, and I’m not going to name anyone, but I wanted you to realize that you are not alone in dealing with anxiety. I wanted you to know that you can overcome anxiety, which is what this podcast is all about, but I feel like just sharing my story may not be enough.
I’ve overcome anxiety, though there are times that I still deal with it. This past week, I’ve had some things in my personal life that have caused my anxiety to spike, and sometimes that happens. I just wanted you to see that you are not alone in this.
Statistics
So, let’s start with the statistics that I found, and then I’m going to share from my Facebook post some of the things that people just like you struggle with. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults in the US ages 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering ever received treatment. It’s okay to ask for help.
People with anxiety disorders are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety. Anxiety Disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
Personal examples
I asked this simple question on my Facebook page last week: “What is something you struggle with regarding anxiety?” This way, you can see what others are feeling and dealing with when it comes to anxiety.
Some answers included social anxiety, fear of failure, and accomplishing tasks. People build it up in their minds that they’re not going to be able to complete a project, so that causes anxiety. Other answers included things being out of order, the unknown, fear of public speaking—even in small groups.
One person mentioned self-doubt and trusting the wrong people. Several people mentioned crowds, public spaces, and anxiety over health. One mom of twins said that her anxiety is more about her kids. She doesn’t know if she has what she needs, but she said she knows God has her.
One woman mentioned anxiety on the road, and I agreed with her because driving and traffic have definitely become a source of anxiety as I’ve gotten older.
These were some comments from 24 different individuals. Many of the comments were the same, and many of the people agreed with each other. This is a problem. This is a disorder, a situation that plagues a lot of people, and you are not by yourself in this.
The biblical response
The last commenter said that she went to God in prayer in these situations. And honestly, this is the best thing to do.
If you have listened to some of my previous episodes, I’ve talked about how we need to replace those anxious thoughts and renew our minds as the Bible tells us. Here are some ways to do that:
- Immediately catch yourself when you have anxious thoughts.
- Turn your thoughts over to God in prayer.
- Replace anxious thoughts—not just with positive thoughts, but with God’s word and what God’s word says about us as Christians.
This is the path that you must take to overcome your anxiety.
If you haven’t listened to episode four about your thought life, it talks about this, and I encourage you to go back and listen, because this is how we all can overcome anxiety through faith.