It is easy to fall into a habit of worry and anxiety.
Today’s fast paced, high pressure life is full of stress. For some, worrying is a habit that has developed slowly over time. For others, anxiety has definable roots in childhood.
When does anxiety become a problem?
Dysfunctional patterns of worry and anxiety can last quite some time before they become unmanageable. Technically, it is a problem when your anxiety becomes disproportionate to the trigger situations. In other words, when everyday situations start to feel like a threat to your emotional system, your anxiety has become overblown. For some, everyday life feels threatening or dangerous. The smallest events can turn the average day into severe tension or in the worst cases, emotional crisis. At this level, it’s not just worrying anymore. 
This month, “Mind Matters” focuses on strategies to reduce anxiety. Life is intended to be of such high quality that we enjoy it immensely. Anxiety and worry can be like an attack on the mind, that can eventually destroy your joy for living. Does anxiety have you feeling like life is a daily struggle? If you are experiencing the symptoms noted in the infographic, Top 10 Anxiety Symptoms, reach out for help. A lifestyle that is guided by the Holy Spirit and nurtured by His church is uniquely anxiety resistant. Jesus says:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 NASB)
Whether you are just now considering a life devoted to Jesus, or if you have been on this path for a life time, wise counsel can be part of a plan to manage anxiety. If you are struggling this week, reach out to the Lord in prayer, seek help from a friend in your local church or call Christian Counseling Associates; we have a location that is near you.
May God richly bless you!
Richard Hoffman Ph.D.
Clinical Director, Christian Counseling Associates of Western PA
