Christian Counseling Homework 01/03/2026
Notes
Transcript
Anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a response to a vague or imaginary threat or danger. Fear is a response to a well defined or real threat or danger. Both anxiety and fear trigger unpleasant mental symptoms as well as physical symptoms.
Note: with anxiety we are addressing an overwhelming emotion without a pathology or physical cause.
Symptoms
Mental
Periods of undefined worry and fear
Fear of dying
Fear of going crazy
Fear of losing control
Fear of unknown origin
Fear of an object
Physical
Shortness of breath
Choking
Sweating
Dizziness or unsteady feeling
Nausea
Flushes
Crying
Different Kinds of Anxiety Problems
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental, health condition causing persistent, excessive and uncontrollable worry about everyday things ( like work, health, or family) for at least six months, where the anxiety is out of proportion to the actual situation and hard to manage, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily life, often accompanied by physical symptoms like restlessness, fatigue, and muscle tension.
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms.
Panic disorder with Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder where recurrent, unexpected panic attacks lead to persistent avoidance of situations where escape might be hard or help unavailable . Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense, irrational fear and avoidance of situations or places where escape might be difficult or help might be unavailable.
Social Phobia (Officially known as Social Anxiety Disorder or SAD) is a chronic mental health condition characterized by an intense, persistent fear of being watched, judged, or negatively evaluated by others in social or performance situations.
Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by a pattern of unwanted, recurring thoughts and fears (obsessions), which lead to repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions or rituals) performed in an attempt to reduce anxiety or prevent feared outcome.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, involving persistent, distressing memories, nightmares, and flashbacks (reexperiencing), avoiding reminders (avoidance), negative changes in mood and thinking, and heightened arousal or reactivity (hypervigilance). These symptoms significantly disrupt daily life and must last for over a month for a diagnosis, though they can emerge months or years later.
Simple Phobia (now called a Specific Phobia) is an intense , persistent, and irrational fear of a particular object, animal, situation, or activity that poses little or no actual danger, leading to significant anxiety, panic, and avoidance behaviors that interfere with daily life.
What causes anxiety?
Anxieties are the result of negative thoughts and expectations that are reinforced repeatedly and therefore strengthened. This means people simply work themselves into their own anxiety.
People with anxiety related problems often share the same personality traits.
These are..
Extreme creativity
Rigid thinking
High need for approval
High self expectations
Perfectionistic Tendencies
High Achievement
Need to remain in control
Suppression of negative Feelings
Ignores body messages
Individually, these traits are not undesirable, however when taken to the extreme, they are evidenced in the person who suffers from anxiety disorders.
Reactions to childhood events that carry over into adulthood and are found to be contributing causes to anxiety disorders...
Anxious Role Models
Child Abuse
Overly Critical Parents
Rigid Family Rules
Emphasis on Appearance
Suppression or Denial of Feelings
Approval based on performance
Separation or loss of Significant Person
How anxiety develops
Anxiety develops through a series of steps that is repeated , reinforced, and strengthened over time.
Progression
An episode provokes an unpleasant thought or sensation
There is no acceptable or logical explanation for the response
Worry over the possible recurrence develops
This worry causes an increased focus on the thought or sensation
Increased attention causes increased reaction
This increased reaction strengthens the thought or sensation
Begins to experienced magnified thought or sensation regularly
Each episode may add to other physical or emotional manifestations
This process will repeat itself
It is not so much the reality of the situation that causes the anxiety reaction, but what the person thinks and believes about the situation that is key to the cause of anxiety.
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
The main contributors to continuing anxiety in people has its root in a lack of faith and reliance on God’s comfort
Needless worry over unidentifiable problems
Needless worry over identifiable problems
Over reliance on self to solve problems
Failure to fully deal with the problem of anxiety
Thought patterns that lead to Anxiety
All or nothing thinking (Have to)
Over generalizing (I always, I never, labeling)
Magnifying or Minimizing (Little things big or Big things little)
Personalizing (All things are my fault)
Assumptions (I know what others really mean)
Predictions (I know what will happen)
Dubious Authorities (Questionable sources)
Emotional Reasoning
Faulty Thinking
Biblical View of Anxiety
The Bible speaks of anxiety in two ways
as a healthy concern
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
as fear or worry
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
There is nothing wrong with caution, planning, or common sense. There is nothing wrong with fearing that which should be feared. It is the anxious reaction to the vague or ill defined that we must address. We must address the anxiety produced by a lack of faith.
Consider
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: Surely they are disquieted in vain: He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows: For so he giveth his beloved sleep.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Look at this
9 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: Mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. 11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, But especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: They that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. 13 For I have heard the slander of many: Fear was on every side: While they took counsel together against me, They devised to take away my life. 14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. 15 My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
God tells us not to be anxious for the common things of life. Yet these are the very things many people become anxious over. By repeatedly reinforcing their responses and fears, people magnify their concerns to the point of being overwhelmed by them. So once again, it is not the issue of life that causes the problem, it is the reaction to it that causes the problem.
Counseling
It is not enough to work at relieving the symptoms of anxiety. One must confront the mistaken beliefs and habitual thinking that causes anxiety.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
The key to overcoming anxiety is to change the way you think. Thoughts are really nothing more than short sentences you say to yourself. Since the sentences you say to yourself is wrong, it produces wrong feelings and reactions. Therefore changing the wrong sentences to right sentences will change wrong reactions to right reactions.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, And shall be quiet from fear of evil.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee.
Ten Behavior Patterns and Attitudes that will decrease Anxiety
Determine to obey God. God commands us not to be anxious.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
2. Pray
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
3. Realize God can keep your mind safe as we obey Him
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
4. Meditate on positive thoughts
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, And shall be quiet from fear of evil.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the Lord shall be thy confidence, And shall keep thy foot from being taken.
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, That the everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; And to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.
5. Focus on Godly behavior
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
6. Divert attention from self to others
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
7. Work on being content
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
8. Realize that responsibility is yours and Christ’s in doing anything
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
9. Eliminate the fear of poverty
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
10. Realize the grace of God is with you
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Identify the steps presented
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. 22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
