Patients are faced with a choice: Pop a pill? Or say a prayer and eat an apple?
What is anxiety?
When we experience or perceive challenges to our well-being that exceed our ability to cope, the psychological condition that results is called stress. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Generally defined, anxiety is a “feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” (It is important to distinguish between anxiety and anxiety disorders. Individuals suffering from the latter must meet criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, including experience of “excessive anxiety and worry” that lasts at least six months and symptoms that cause “clinically significant distress” and/or interfere with the individual’s ability to function.)
What causes anxiety?
What do you spend most of your time worrying about? Whether your answer is money, love, looks or just what other people think about you – every worry has the same thing in common: an uncertain outcome. Philosopher-theologian Soren Kierkegaard first popularized this notion in the 19th-century, writing that anxiety “is altogether different from fear and similar concepts that refer to something definite” (The Concept of Anxiety). In a separate journal entry, Kierkegaard observes:
Love this! You’re right that anxiety feels automatic sometimes, and even though we know the Bible says not to worry, it’s still hard! Another problem I sometimes have is if I AM able to say “let’s just leave this to God,” I then worry that I sound apathetic about it to others. This happens a lot with money and my husband.
Such a tricky subject! Thanks for shedding some light on it!
Definitely really tricky! I know what you mean – sometimes I worry in circles because I start with, “Let’s just leave this up to God”… but then I get that little story about the rowboat stuck in my head (you know, where there’s a big flood and this one guy keeps denying help saying, ‘God will save me’ and then the flood gets really high and he cries out to God, ‘Why don’t you save me?’ and God goes, ‘I sent a rowboat, a helicopter and a rescue group – what else did you want?!’) – so then I start worrying, “Ok, wait – was that just my row boat? Am I supposed to stay still, or do something?” lol :) ..definitely tricky, but I think it’s important to talk about! :)
Jessica, you are right on time! In this evidenced based world we live in it’s easy to over look the creator of spirit, body and mind…especially over looking the Creator. You have no idea how much this post means to me. Thank you for following the leading to put your to do list on the to do list and write this post!
Thank you,
So, so glad you liked it! And thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! :) Xo