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Christina Cook Lee

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panic attack

Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

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Topic: You’re not alone

Focus: Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I will fear no evil;
 For You are with me;
 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

If you’ve ever had an anxiety or panic attack, you have walked through the valley of the shadow of death…and you probably have ‘feared evil’.

Anxiety and panic often lead to depression, so we should talk about that. If you haven’t had to fight anxiety and panic—you might know someone who has. One of the worst things about these conditions, is that the people who suffer with them, are often too ashamed to say so. They may struggle with some of the symptoms and not even know the actual problems at the bottom of it all—are worry and fear. Who wants to admit they’re filled with worry and fear? Almost no one. But, the reason why it’s especially hard for the people who battle with anxiety and panic to admit it—is that the root of the cause is having ‘control issues’. Ouch! That’s something those of us in the battle don’t want to hear or admit, either! But, it’s a known fact.

If you’ve ever been ‘stuck in a store’ you were too afraid to leave, but too scared to stay in—you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of being short of breath—or unable to breathe, you might be a victim, also. There are a whole list of possible signs that are often ‘treated’ while the real problem goes undiagnosed. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real and painful physical ailments.

I am going to share some of the possible symptoms I found throughout the internet which were reported by people who have had anxiety and panic attacks. You may have suffered with some, or many of these. It’s a very interesting list: Joint pain, racing heart, slow heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, lump in the throat and/or difficulty swallowing, skin problems, sweating, shaking or shivering, neck and shoulder pain, muscle cramps, numbness in face or head, indigestion, stomach trouble, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, symptoms of urinary tract infection, skin rashes, weakness in arms, tingling in hands or feet, nerve shock feelings in the body, dry mouth, symptoms like ‘flu’, distorted vision, hormone problems, headaches and feelings of tightness around the head, migraines, sore eyes, creeping or pins and needles sensations in the skin, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, hyperactivity, sexual addiction, pain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea. Those are some of the real ‘physical’ signs that could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. There could be others.

(Read more below)

Link to New Strength Audio Version
New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Some of the emotional symptoms could be overwhelming stress, outbursts of terror or concern, fear of going crazy, agoraphobia, hallucinations, personality change, insomnia, nightmares, fears of losing control or mental breakdown, increased depression and suicidal feelings, obsessive and compulsive thoughts, inappropriate thoughts, increased violence or aggression, feeling out of touch with reality, extreme fear of certain places or situations, a preoccupation of fear for loved ones, absentmindedness, distraction, paranoia, fear of sickness, fear of terminal illness, fear of being alone, many other kinds of fears, shyness, social phobias, feeling like you can’t cope, inability to trust others, flashbacks, tiredness, disinterest in life…to name a few.

An important step in recovering from anything—is to admit you have the problem, to some degree. People who are Christians sometimes have a hard time admitting any kind of condition that has its roots in ‘fear’ or ‘control’, because we’re not supposed to ‘fear’ or have ‘control issues’. Well, I’ll tell you straight up—I’ve had huge problems with anxiety and panic. I’m doing a lot better now, but a few years ago—the aftermath of an unpredictable encounter with a man in a women’s restroom sent me into a totally unexpected meltdown. Counseling, a lot of prayer, training my mind to trust God in a deeper way, and ‘time’, helped me get my feet back on the ground. It wasn’t a quick fix. When it happened, I was in a period of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which made me extra vulnerable.

Writing about this is something I didn’t want to do, as you can imagine. But, some of the things that help people struggling with anxiety and panic to have less trouble—are being able to acknowledge their problem, forgive themselves for the weakness, and try to make positive changes that will create the possibility for improvement.

Anxiety and panic attacks intensify from dwelling on negative thoughts. These attacks get a firmer grip on you when they’re fed a steady diet of fear. You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. When you have any moment free, try to think of something wonderful as opposed to something fearful. Psalm 23:4 has been an amazing help to me. The words are so powerful for any person who has walked through this valley. Reminding yourself that the rod and staff (righteousness and justice) of the Lord are there for you—can be immensely comforting. Making the decision to get better and not worse—is pivotal.

Declaration: I will find new strength by recognizing that anxiety and panic are not going to continue to rule over me. The Lord is with me constantly. I am not alone. I will focus my thoughts away from things that produce more fear and deliberately fight back by counting my blessings. As I choose the ‘positive’—the ‘negative’ will lose its power.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

You’re not alone

By Leave a Comment

Focus: Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I will fear no evil;
 For You are with me;
 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

If you’ve ever had an anxiety or panic attack, you have walked through the valley of the shadow of death…and you probably have ‘feared evil’.

Anxiety and panic often lead to depression, so we should talk about that. If you haven’t had to fight anxiety and panic—you might know someone who has. One of the worst things about these conditions, is that the people who suffer with them, are often too ashamed to say so. They may struggle with some of the symptoms and not even know the actual problems at the bottom of it all—are worry and fear. Who wants to admit they’re filled with worry and fear? Almost no one. But, the reason why it’s especially hard for the people who battle with anxiety and panic to admit it—is that the root of the cause is having ‘control issues’. Ouch! That’s something those of us in the battle don’t want to hear or admit, either! But, it’s a known fact.

If you’ve ever been ‘stuck in a store’ you were too afraid to leave, but too scared to stay in—you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of being short of breath—or unable to breathe, you might be a victim, also. There are a whole list of possible signs that are often ‘treated’ while the real problem goes undiagnosed. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real and painful physical ailments.

I am going to share some of the possible symptoms I found throughout the internet which were reported by people who have had anxiety and panic attacks. You may have suffered with some, or many of these. It’s a very interesting list: Joint pain, racing heart, slow heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, lump in the throat and/or difficulty swallowing, skin problems, sweating, shaking or shivering, neck and shoulder pain, muscle cramps, numbness in face or head, indigestion, stomach trouble, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, symptoms of urinary tract infection, skin rashes, weakness in arms, tingling in hands or feet, nerve shock feelings in the body, dry mouth, symptoms like ‘flu’, distorted vision, hormone problems, headaches and feelings of tightness around the head, migraines, sore eyes, creeping or pins and needles sensations in the skin, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, hyperactivity, sexual addiction, pain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea. Those are some of the real ‘physical’ signs that could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. There could be others.

(Read more below)

Link to New Strength Audio Version
New Strength Inspirational Statement of the Day

Some of the emotional symptoms could be overwhelming stress, outbursts of terror or concern, fear of going crazy, agoraphobia, hallucinations, personality change, insomnia, nightmares, fears of losing control or mental breakdown, increased depression and suicidal feelings, obsessive and compulsive thoughts, inappropriate thoughts, increased violence or aggression, feeling out of touch with reality, extreme fear of certain places or situations, a preoccupation of fear for loved ones, absentmindedness, distraction, paranoia, fear of sickness, fear of terminal illness, fear of being alone, many other kinds of fears, shyness, social phobias, feeling like you can’t cope, inability to trust others, flashbacks, tiredness, disinterest in life…to name a few.

An important step in recovering from anything—is to admit you have the problem, to some degree. People who are Christians sometimes have a hard time admitting any kind of condition that has its roots in ‘fear’ or ‘control’, because we’re not supposed to ‘fear’ or have ‘control issues’. Well, I’ll tell you straight up—I’ve had huge problems with anxiety and panic. I’m doing a lot better now, but a few years ago—the aftermath of an unpredictable encounter with a man in a women’s restroom sent me into a totally unexpected meltdown. Counseling, a lot of prayer, training my mind to trust God in a deeper way, and ‘time’, helped me get my feet back on the ground. It wasn’t a quick fix. When it happened, I was in a period of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which made me extra vulnerable.

Writing about this is something I didn’t want to do, as you can imagine. But, some of the things that help people struggling with anxiety and panic to have less trouble—are being able to acknowledge their problem, forgive themselves for the weakness, and try to make positive changes that will create the possibility for improvement.

Anxiety and panic attacks intensify from dwelling on negative thoughts. These attacks get a firmer grip on you when they’re fed a steady diet of fear. You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. When you have any moment free, try to think of something wonderful as opposed to something fearful. Psalm 23:4 has been an amazing help to me. The words are so powerful for any person who has walked through this valley. Reminding yourself that the rod and staff (righteousness and justice) of the Lord are there for you—can be immensely comforting. Making the decision to get better and not worse—is pivotal.

Declaration: I will find new strength by recognizing that anxiety and panic are not going to continue to rule over me. The Lord is with me constantly. I am not alone. I will focus my thoughts away from things that produce more fear and deliberately fight back by counting my blessings. As I choose the ‘positive’—the ‘negative’ will lose its power.

IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO NEW STRENGTH DEVOTIONAL BELOW, A NEW SEGMENT WILL COME TO YOUR EMAIL EACH DAY.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, https://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/playlists?sort=dd&view=1

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

You're not alone

By Leave a Comment

Focus: Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I will fear no evil;
 For You are with me;
 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

If you’ve ever had an anxiety or panic attack, you have walked through the valley of the shadow of death…and you probably have ‘feared evil’.

Anxiety and panic often lead to depression, so we should talk about that. If you haven’t had to fight anxiety and panic—you might know someone who has. One of the worst things about these conditions, is that the people who suffer with them, are often too ashamed to say so. They may struggle with some of the symptoms and not even know the actual problems at the bottom of it all—are worry and fear. Who wants to admit they’re filled with worry and fear? Almost no one. But, the reason why it’s especially hard for the people who battle with anxiety and panic to admit it—is that the root of the cause is having ‘control issues’. Ouch! That’s something those of us in the battle don’t want to hear or admit, either! But, it’s a known fact.

If you’ve ever been ‘stuck in a store’ you were too afraid to leave, but too scared to stay in—you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of being short of breath—or unable to breathe, you might be a victim, also. There are a whole list of possible signs that are often ‘treated’ while the real problem goes undiagnosed. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real and painful physical ailments.

I am going to share some of the possible symptoms I found throughout the internet which were reported by people who have had anxiety and panic attacks. You may have suffered with some, or many of these. It’s a very interesting list: Joint pain, racing heart, slow heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, lump in the throat and/or difficulty swallowing, skin problems, sweating, shaking or shivering, neck and shoulder pain, muscle cramps, numbness in face or head, indigestion, stomach trouble, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, symptoms of urinary tract infection, skin rashes, weakness in arms, tingling in hands or feet, nerve shock feelings in the body, dry mouth, symptoms like ‘flu’, distorted vision, hormone problems, headaches and feelings of tightness around the head, migraines, sore eyes, creeping or pins and needles sensations in the skin, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, hyperactivity, sexual addiction, pain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea. Those are some of the real ‘physical’ signs that could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. There could be others.

(read more below)

Now, you can listen and/or read!

You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
New Strength Devotional Inspirational Statement of the Day
You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
Link to New Strength Devotional, Audio Version

 

Some of the emotional symptoms could be overwhelming stress, outbursts of terror or concern, fear of going crazy, agoraphobia, hallucinations, personality change, insomnia, nightmares, fears of losing control or mental breakdown, increased depression and suicidal feelings, obsessive and compulsive thoughts, inappropriate thoughts, increased violence or aggression, feeling out of touch with reality, extreme fear of certain places or situations, a preoccupation of fear for loved ones, absentmindedness, distraction, paranoia, fear of sickness, fear of terminal illness, fear of being alone, many other kinds of fears, shyness, social phobias, feeling like you can’t cope, inability to trust others, flashbacks, tiredness, disinterest in life…to name a few.

An important step in recovering from anything—is to admit you have the problem, to some degree. People who are Christians sometimes have a hard time admitting any kind of condition that has its roots in ‘fear’ or ‘control’, because we’re not supposed to ‘fear’ or have ‘control issues’. Well, I’ll tell you straight up—I’ve had huge problems with anxiety and panic. I’m doing a lot better now, but a few years ago—the aftermath of an unpredictable encounter with a man in a women’s restroom sent me into a totally unexpected meltdown. Counseling, a lot of prayer, training my mind to trust God in a deeper way, and ‘time’, helped me get my feet back on the ground. It wasn’t a quick fix. When it happened, I was in a period of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which made me extra vulnerable.

Writing about this is something I didn’t want to do, as you can imagine. But, some of the things that help people struggling with anxiety and panic to have less trouble—are being able to acknowledge their problem, forgive themselves for the weakness, and try to make positive changes that will create the possibility for improvement.

Anxiety and panic attacks intensify from dwelling on negative thoughts. These attacks get a firmer grip on you when they’re fed a steady diet of fear. You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. When you have any moment free, try to think of something wonderful as opposed to something fearful. Psalm 23:4 has been an amazing help to me. The words are so powerful for any person who has walked through this valley. Reminding yourself that the rod and staff (righteousness and justice) of the Lord are there for you—can be immensely comforting. Making the decision to get better and not worse—is pivotal.

Declaration: I will find new strength by recognizing that anxiety and panic are not going to continue to rule over me. The Lord is with me constantly. I am not alone. I will focus my thoughts away from things that produce more fear and deliberately fight back by counting my blessings. As I choose the ‘positive’—the ‘negative’ will lose its power.

If you subscribe to New Strength, a new segment will come to your email each day.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse:http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

You're not alone

By Leave a Comment

Focus: Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I will fear no evil;
 For You are with me;
 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

If you’ve ever had an anxiety or panic attack, you have walked through the valley of the shadow of death…and you probably have ‘feared evil’.

Anxiety and panic often lead to depression, so we should talk about that. If you haven’t had to fight anxiety and panic—you might know someone who has. One of the worst things about these conditions, is that the people who suffer with them, are often too ashamed to say so. They may struggle with some of the symptoms and not even know the actual problems at the bottom of it all—are worry and fear. Who wants to admit they’re filled with worry and fear? Almost no one. But, the reason why it’s especially hard for the people who battle with anxiety and panic to admit it—is that the root of the cause is having ‘control issues’. Ouch! That’s something those of us in the battle don’t want to hear or admit, either! But, it’s a known fact.

Now, you can listen and/or read!

You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
New Strength Devotional Inspirational Statement of the Day
You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
Link to New Strength Devotional, Audio Version

If you’ve ever been ‘stuck in a store’ you were too afraid to leave, but too scared to stay in—you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of being short of breath—or unable to breathe, you might be a victim, also. There are a whole list of possible signs that are often ‘treated’ while the real problem goes undiagnosed. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real and painful physical ailments.

I am going to share some of the possible symptoms I found throughout the internet which were reported by people who have had anxiety and panic attacks. You may have suffered with some, or many of these. It’s a very interesting list: Joint pain, racing heart, slow heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, lump in the throat and/or difficulty swallowing, skin problems, sweating, shaking or shivering, neck and shoulder pain, muscle cramps, numbness in face or head, indigestion, stomach trouble, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, symptoms of urinary tract infection, skin rashes, weakness in arms, tingling in hands or feet, nerve shock feelings in the body, dry mouth, symptoms like ‘flu’, distorted vision, hormone problems, headaches and feelings of tightness around the head, migraines, sore eyes, creeping or pins and needles sensations in the skin, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, hyperactivity, sexual addiction, pain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea. Those are some of the real ‘physical’ signs that could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. There could be others.

Some of the emotional symptoms could be overwhelming stress, outbursts of terror or concern, fear of going crazy, agoraphobia, hallucinations, personality change, insomnia, nightmares, fears of losing control or mental breakdown, increased depression and suicidal feelings, obsessive and compulsive thoughts, inappropriate thoughts, increased violence or aggression, feeling out of touch with reality, extreme fear of certain places or situations, a preoccupation of fear for loved ones, absentmindedness, distraction, paranoia, fear of sickness, fear of terminal illness, fear of being alone, many other kinds of fears, shyness, social phobias, feeling like you can’t cope, inability to trust others, flashbacks, tiredness, disinterest in life…to name a few.

An important step in recovering from anything—is to admit you have the problem, to some degree. People who are Christians sometimes have a hard time admitting any kind of condition that has its roots in ‘fear’ or ‘control’, because we’re not supposed to ‘fear’ or have ‘control issues’. Well, I’ll tell you straight up—I’ve had huge problems with anxiety and panic. I’m doing a lot better now, but a few years ago—the aftermath of an unpredictable encounter with a man in a women’s restroom sent me into a totally unexpected meltdown. Counseling, a lot of prayer, training my mind to trust God in a deeper way, and ‘time’, helped me get my feet back on the ground. It wasn’t a quick fix. When it happened, I was in a period of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which made me extra vulnerable.

Writing about this is something I didn’t want to do, as you can imagine. But, some of the things that help people struggling with anxiety and panic to have less trouble—are being able to acknowledge their problem, forgive themselves for the weakness, and try to make positive changes that will create the possibility for improvement.

Anxiety and panic attacks intensify from dwelling on negative thoughts. These attacks get a firmer grip on you when they’re fed a steady diet of fear. You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. When you have any moment free, try to think of something wonderful as opposed to something fearful. Psalm 23:4 has been an amazing help to me. The words are so powerful for any person who has walked through this valley. Reminding yourself that the rod and staff (righteousness and justice) of the Lord are there for you—can be immensely comforting. Making the decision to get better and not worse—is pivotal.

Declaration: I will find new strength by recognizing that anxiety and panic are not going to continue to rule over me. The Lord is with me constantly. I am not alone. I will focus my thoughts away from things that produce more fear and deliberately fight back by counting my blessings. As I choose the ‘positive’—the ‘negative’ will lose its power.

If you subscribe to New Strength, a new segment will come to your email each day.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse:http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

You’re not alone

By Leave a Comment

Now, you can listen and/or read!

You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
New Strength Devotional Inspirational Statement of the Day
You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. --Christina Cook Lee, A Quest For New Strength
Link to New Strength Devotional, Audio Version

Focus: Walking through the valley of anxiety and panic

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
 I will fear no evil;
 For You are with me;
 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

If you’ve ever had an anxiety or panic attack, you have walked through the valley of the shadow of death…and you probably have ‘feared evil’.

Anxiety and panic often lead to depression, so we should talk about that. If you haven’t had to fight anxiety and panic—you might know someone who has. One of the worst things about these conditions, is that the people who suffer with them, are often too ashamed to say so. They may struggle with some of the symptoms and not even know the actual problems at the bottom of it all—are worry and fear. Who wants to admit they’re filled with worry and fear? Almost no one. But, the reason why it’s especially hard for the people who battle with anxiety and panic to admit it—is that the root of the cause is having ‘control issues’. Ouch! That’s something those of us in the battle don’t want to hear or admit, either! But, it’s a known fact.

If you’ve ever been ‘stuck in a store’ you were too afraid to leave, but too scared to stay in—you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve ever felt the symptoms of being short of breath—or unable to breathe, you might be a victim, also. There are a whole list of possible signs that are often ‘treated’ while the real problem goes undiagnosed. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause real and painful physical ailments.

I am going to share some of the possible symptoms I found throughout the internet which were reported by people who have had anxiety and panic attacks. You may have suffered with some, or many of these. It’s a very interesting list: Joint pain, racing heart, slow heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, lump in the throat and/or difficulty swallowing, skin problems, sweating, shaking or shivering, neck and shoulder pain, muscle cramps, numbness in face or head, indigestion, stomach trouble, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, symptoms of urinary tract infection, skin rashes, weakness in arms, tingling in hands or feet, nerve shock feelings in the body, dry mouth, symptoms like ‘flu’, distorted vision, hormone problems, headaches and feelings of tightness around the head, migraines, sore eyes, creeping or pins and needles sensations in the skin, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, and smell, hyperactivity, sexual addiction, pain in the face or jaw that resembles a toothache, dizziness, vertigo, nausea. Those are some of the real ‘physical’ signs that could be symptoms of anxiety and panic. There could be others.

Some of the emotional symptoms could be overwhelming stress, outbursts of terror or concern, fear of going crazy, agoraphobia, hallucinations, personality change, insomnia, nightmares, fears of losing control or mental breakdown, increased depression and suicidal feelings, obsessive and compulsive thoughts, inappropriate thoughts, increased violence or aggression, feeling out of touch with reality, extreme fear of certain places or situations, a preoccupation of fear for loved ones, absentmindedness, distraction, paranoia, fear of sickness, fear of terminal illness, fear of being alone, many other kinds of fears, shyness, social phobias, feeling like you can’t cope, inability to trust others, flashbacks, tiredness, disinterest in life…to name a few.

An important step in recovering from anything—is to admit you have the problem, to some degree. People who are Christians sometimes have a hard time admitting any kind of condition that has its roots in ‘fear’ or ‘control’, because we’re not supposed to ‘fear’ or have ‘control issues’. Well, I’ll tell you straight up—I’ve had huge problems with anxiety and panic. I’m doing a lot better now, but a few years ago—the aftermath of an unpredictable encounter with a man in a women’s restroom sent me into a totally unexpected meltdown. Counseling, a lot of prayer, training my mind to trust God in a deeper way, and ‘time’, helped me get my feet back on the ground. It wasn’t a quick fix. When it happened, I was in a period of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which made me extra vulnerable.

Writing about this is something I didn’t want to do, as you can imagine. But, some of the things that help people struggling with anxiety and panic to have less trouble—are being able to acknowledge their problem, forgive themselves for the weakness, and try to make positive changes that will create the possibility for improvement.

Anxiety and panic attacks intensify from dwelling on negative thoughts. These attacks get a firmer grip on you when they’re fed a steady diet of fear. You can start crippling the effects of anxiety and panic by intentionally spending time counting your blessings everyday. When you have any moment free, try to think of something wonderful as opposed to something fearful. Psalm 23:4 has been an amazing help to me. The words are so powerful for any person who has walked through this valley. Reminding yourself that the rod and staff (righteousness and justice) of the Lord are there for you—can be immensely comforting. Making the decision to get better and not worse—is pivotal.

Declaration: I will find new strength by recognizing that anxiety and panic are not going to continue to rule over me. The Lord is with me constantly. I am not alone. I will focus my thoughts away from things that produce more fear and deliberately fight back by counting my blessings. As I choose the ‘positive’—the ‘negative’ will lose its power.

If you subscribe to New Strength, a new segment will come to your email each day.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse:http://www.youtube.com/view_all_playlists

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee 2012. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog.

 

Pain

By Leave a Comment

New Strength, October 13OCTOBER 13

Focus: Finding purpose in pain

Romans 8:37 (NKJV) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

I experienced a lot of pain during the recovery of a traumatic head injury in a car accident that happened when I was 21. I felt robbed in many ways—due to the facial disfigurement that resulted. Today, not many people would ever guess my nose was totally smashed and my cheekbones were covered with fractures. Reconstructive plastic surgery gave me a new, smaller nose.

In most people’s minds, I had nothing to complain about. Surely, other people have had much harder things to bear—and that’s true. I don’t have a debilitating handicap like some people, but I’ll never forget the stares from people during the period of time it took for the jagged scars on my nose to heal and for the swelling and bruises on my face to go away.

During the year following the accident, my sinuses progressively shut down, because my fractured cheekbones were over-calcifying in an attempt to heal. More surgery had to be done to open my airways so I could breathe normally again. It took a long time for me to accept my appearance…and it was hard dealing with people who said I didn’t look that bad. To me, it wasn’t a question of ‘looking good or bad’—it was my own loss of identity that I was dealing with.

Close to a year after the accident, I had the opportunity to go to a foreign country and spend a little time with a man who was clearly poverty stricken. He wore a soiled patch of cloth tied around his head to cover the fact that he had no nose at all. I was sure that God had arranged our meeting. It was completely obvious that he had it so much worse than I did.

From that time on, I tried to accept what had happened to me and be grateful in spite of everything. Up until then, all I could see was what I had lost—instead of what I still had left.

I have to admire our many veterans who went off to war and have come home forever changed, whether their injuries are visible or invisible. I can’t help but look at any soldier who has seen active duty and not wonder what trauma he or she is working through. Just because you can’t see any physical change in them, doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering emotionally because of what they may have witnessed.

Just because an injury can’t be seen—or isn’t as bad as it ‘could have been’—doesn’t mean it wasn’t and isn’t catastrophic to the individual. Any injury is serious to the person who receives it. Post-traumatic stress syndrome and panic attacks are common and potentially devastating to people who have experienced a violent physical injury—and also to those who have been forced to live in highly dangerous circumstances and observe others being wounded or killed.

It’s hard to understand why we have to go through some of the things we do in life. It might be harder still, to believe that a loving God would allow anybody to live through some of the things our veterans have. I don’t have all the answers—but I know that God can help any person to find peace.

If you’ve had some kind of traumatic experience—war or otherwise—you might still be trying to figure out how you’ll ever be able to live a normal life again. For many people, things will not return to ‘normal’ in comparison to the past…but life can go on, by drawing new strength from the power of God.

Jesus Christ, Who according to historical record, was tortured to the point of being unrecognizable as a man preceding His brutal crucifixion—is a model to any person who is struggling from the effects of disfigurement and trauma. His resurrection from the dead and His glorified body, can give us the hope that one day—we will be like Him.

Philippians 3:20-21 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

There were times I wished I had died during the aftermath of my head injuries. It took a few years before I felt like living was actually a good idea. I know God had a purpose in letting me go through what I did. He has given me peace, and He can help you, too.

Declaration: I will find peace and purpose as I draw new strength from the power of God. His love and friendship will see me through my trials day by day…and someday I will understand.

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book in 2014, by the grace of God. To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse:http://www.youtube.com/user/NewStrengthMusic/videos?view=1&flow=grid