Anxiety in the Last days

Biblical Sketch

What Are Anxiety Disorders?

Anxiety is a normal emotion. It’s your brain’s way of reacting to stress and alerting you of potential danger ahead. 

Everyone feels anxious now and then. For example, you may worry when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision.

Occasional anxiety is OK. But anxiety disorders are different. They’re a group of mental illnesses that cause constant and overwhelming anxiety and fear.  The excessive anxiety can make you avoid work, school, family get-togethers, and other social situations that might trigger or worsen your symptoms. 

Situation Analysis on Mental Health in Jamaica This section provides a brief overview of the mental health situation in Jamaica. It includes summaries on the epidemiological situation related to depression, anxiety, and psychosis as well as an overview of the institutional and societal contexts under which interventions for mental health conditions take place. Depression and Anxiety Depression and anxiety are serious and debilitating mental health concerns. Depression, a persistent mood disorder that results in feelings of dejection, can pervade daily life, affecting basic activities such as eating and sleep, and provoke suicidal thoughts (12). Anxiety disorders, which involve a persistent state of worry or fear, similarly manifest in everyday activities, causing fatigue and sometimes hurting academic or professional performance (13). The 2017 Global Burden of Disease database shows that depression and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health concerns facing the population of Jamaica. Around 3% of Jamaicans have a depressive disorder and 4.1% have an anxiety disorder. Women are at a disproportionate risk for both disorders, as 3.7% have depression and 4.3% have anxiety, compared to just 2.3% of men for each disorder (14). Local studies have also indicated that depression is a significant problem in Jamaica. The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey 2007-2008 found that 20% of respondents aged 15-74 reported symptoms of depression within the past month (15). Depression and anxiety manifest in markedly different age groups. Jamaicans aged 60 and above are more likely to have depressive disorders than younger Jamaicans (5.2% among Jamaicans aged 60-74 and 5% among those aged 75+). In contrast, anxiety is most common in those aged 35-59 (5.5%), who suffer from anxiety disorders at higher rates than other age groups (14). Care for Mental Health Conditions in Jamaica https://iris.paho.org/bitstream/handle/10665.2/51834/9789275121184_eng.pdf?equence=5&isAllowed=y#:~:text=Approximately%204%25%20of%20Jamaicans%20suffer%20from%20anxiety.&text=Most%20new%20cases%20of%20anxiety,and%2035%2D59%20age%20groups.&text=Anxiety%20is%20common%20among%20working,age%20group%20suffer%20from%20anxiety.

Jamaican children shielded in restrictive home environments from the coronavirus pandemic may be vulnerable to early-onset mental-health disorders, says Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan.

The displacement in school and family since Jamaica recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 10 places children at greatest risk, the child-health expert has said.

“They had the anxiety of persons around them, almost constant information from the news, daily counts, disruption in their normal school life, home life, social life ... anxiety as adults became ill and died and worsening anxiety as a child died. That was a lot for our children,” said Samms-Vaughan.

She was speaking yesterday at The University of the West Indies’ (UWI) Faculty of Medical Sciences teleconference focused on the impact of COVID-19 on children and families in the Caribbean.

Samms-Vaughan, who works out of the Department of Child and Adolescent Health, Child Development and Behaviour, asserted that children are at risk of developing disorders owing to prolonged isolation, the significant difference between pandemics and disasters.

She said that the situation worsens for children in special circumstances such as those who have had the virus, those who live in poverty or in a quarantine community, and children of front-line workers. http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20200518/isolation-anxiety-could-harm-kids-professor

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Anxiety

ANXIETY State of mind wherein one is concerned about something or someone. This state of mind may range from genuine concern (Phil. 2:20, 28; 2 Cor. 11:28) to obsessions that originate from a distorted perspective of life (Matt. 6:25–34; Mark 4:19; Luke 12:22–31). Jesus did not prohibit genuine concern about food or shelter, but He did teach that we should keep things in their proper perspective. We should make God’s kingdom our first priority; everything else will fall in line after we do that (Matt. 6:33).

What do you do when you feel like your whole world comes crashing down? We have all faced anxiety in some for or the other. Covid19 has added to the stresses in this life, some of us have lost our jobs. Some of us have lost our loved ones because of Covid. Cancer is still wreaking havoc in our society. Crime and violence are still at an all time high. School fees are still owed; rent is still due. Still have that car loan to pay off. Husband is sick, children are stubborn they won’t come the Jesus. Mama nuh have nuh gas. what going on we need help i just can’t take it anymore Lord I need help. what’s going on? why am I struggling so much i’m tired i just can’t take it anymore. I don’t know what to do. i can’t take this mask anymore i’m tired of being jobless and penny-less; i’m tired of being hopeless and hapless. God, i need a word of assurance, i need a word of hope, cause I can’t take it anymore I don’t think I do this anymore it too hard.

The need for a truth (Solution)

Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

μεριμνάω:merimnáō (derivative of μέριμνα ‘worry,’ 25.224) to have an anxious concern, based on apprehension about possible danger or misfortune—‘to be worried about, to be anxious about.’ τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ προσθεῖναι πῆχυν; ‘can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?’ Lk 12:25; μὴ μεριμνήσητε πῶς ἢ τί λαλήσητε ‘do not worry about how or what you are going to say’ Mt 10:19.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 12

25 “And which of you by worrying can add a single 1ahour to his 2life’s span?

26 “If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 10

19 “aBut when they hand you over, bdo not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.

Don’t be worry just pray. When you are lying on you bed and the tears are flowing just pray. 24 “It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Is 65:24.

The New King James Version Chapter 33

3 d‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and 2mighty things, which you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3

Here is a prayer:

To You, O LORD, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help, When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 28:1–2.

The Signs of the Times December 23, 1889: “Pray without Ceasing”

The darkness of the evil one incloses those who fail to pray to God. The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin, and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s store-house, where are the boundless resources of Omnipotence?

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 312.

Many of us are anxious and fearful; we are concerned about many things and the future seems bleak but here comes Jesus the other day He was walking on water through your storm to get to you, just the other day he was praying in a mountain for you. Just the other day while in the garden of Gethsemane He decided that he would drink the cup for you. Here comes Jesus, just the other day they told lies on Him, they falsely accused Him, they boxed Him, they spat on Him, they took Him before Pilot and there they condemned Him they took a cat-a-nine and whipped Him but one prophet said just the other day

53 Who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,

And as a root out of dry ground.

He has no form or comeliness;

And when we see Him,

There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Is 53:1–5. like a Humble lamb He uttered not a mumbling word

just the other day He carried- He carried an old rugged cross He was supposed to carry it all the way to Calvary but weight was too much Simon was there he had to help Jesus. Jesus was touched with the feelings of our infirmities He knows what you are going through. Just talk to Him in prayer, and here He comes Here comes Jesus. 27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 14:27.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

6 aBe anxious for nothing, but in everything by bprayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And athe peace of God, which surpasses all 1comprehension, will bguard your hearts and your cminds in dChrist Jesus.

The need for a new life (transformation)

So what are we going to do with stress and anxiety? 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Php 4:8–9.