Coping with anxiety

I've been learning breathing techniques at my CBT group and thought I would share. 

When we’re anxious we usually take very shallow breaths, cutting down on the oxygen level in our brain. This lack of oxygen will make you feel out of control, not able to solve the problems you might be facing. Breathing deeply will calm your brain and help you feel more relaxed.

When you feel anxiety coming on, change your breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose, hold it, and then let it go out through your mouth.

When you breathe in, you’re gathering strength. When you breathe out, you will relax.

In my CBT class we learned to use coping statements while we do this breathing. We repeat the same statement whenever we need to do our breathing. When we get tired of one statement, we try another one.

The following are some coping statements:

• I can ride this through   - I don't need to let this get to me
• I have survived this before and I can survive this time, too.
• I will use my coping skills and allow this to pass.
• Anxiety will not hurt me, even if it does not feel good.

But I’ve found something that works even better….much better. By making my coping statement a Bible verse or part of a verse, I encourage myself – not only psychologically – but spiritually. I’m turning to God, trusting Him to help me get over my fears. In the process I draw closer to Him. Every time I breathe and repeat a coping verse to myself, I’m practising His presence.

BIBLICAL COPING STATEMENTS

You will want to find your own favourite verses to use, but here are a few to get you started:

·         The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
 He makes me lie down in green pastures, (Psalm 23:1-2)

·         The LORD your God is with you, he will quiet you with his love. (Zephaniah 3:17)

·         The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 18:2)

·         Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1Peter 5:7)

·         “Be still, and know that I am God;” (Psalm 46:10)

·         Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

·         I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

·         Remain in me, and I will remain in you. (John 15:4)  

·         “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

·         Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

·         With God all things are possible… (Matthew 19:26)

·         “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) 

     [Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God… (Romans 8:39)                                

                            

What a difference...

...a couple of days can make when you're dealing with bipolar. In my last post I sounded so strong, yet over the last couple of days I've started to feel an inexplicable anxiety, bordering on depression. Inexplicable, because I don't feel fearful. Explicable perhaps, because my husband is away and I have been spending long periods of time alone.

I should be happy. I should be grateful. Actually, I AM grateful for the way things are going in my life and the way doors are opening to building awareness about mental health issues amongst church people. Yet the anxiety and slight taste of depression remain.

This being early in a new day, I will have to take myself in hand and plan some things to fight this thing off. Yesterday I found that cleaning up the dirty dishes in the kitchen, accompanied by some of my favorite music, helped me feel better. There's something about work of a physical nature that is healing. Could I get myself up to do a big project - cleaning up our workshop - a HUGE mess? I could play my music loud while I work. How good it would make me feel if I could accomplish that big job! Then I could reward myself with something fun like painting. After energizing myself with the work, I might welcome the play.

I must write a little as well. That is the most significant way to use my time today. I am happy to have been asked to write some things on mental health topics by a Christian publication and I mustn't let those jobs sit in the wings for too long.

And, of course, I should try to get together with a friend today.

I want to thank Howard Freeman of Surfcountry (author of the new book, Lullabye) whose comment on my last post was the first thing I read this morning. Today I will hold close the verse he has found helpful from 2 Timothy 1:7. In fact, I found I already had that underlined in my own Bible as well:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.