Anxiety can be prevalent in many different ways with every individual, but it is defined as “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” This mental illness is becoming somewhat common amongst college students it seems like. This makes sense because of the overwhelming amount of homework and tests we get each week. This isn’t the only thing that causes anxiety disorders, though. It’s different for each, and we all handle it in our ways. Some turn to the Bible while others turn to drugs or alcohol. We all have our coping agents rather they be healthy or not. Some have always had anxiety, but it doesn’t become prevalent until they’re older.

First, I’m going to share a quick story of my struggle with anxiety. It all started when I was junior in college (at least that’s when I noticed it), and I have now just started my senior year. I don’t take any medications for it and hope never to need to. It began by me noticing how much I picked at my cuticles and lips throughout the day; I had a friend who had pointed out that those can be nervous ticks or a sign of an anxiety disorder. It became increasingly worse the spring semester of my junior year when bad things just kept happening one after the other. There were times where I couldn’t help but cry about everything going on. I took this as an opportunity to grow my faith in God even more than before, and that’s exactly what happened. I’m SO strong and trusting in the Lord more now than I have ever been before. While I still struggle with anxiety attacks and other little things from it, I know that there are many scriptures that help me calm down and that prayer is the best coping agent. I have finally reached a point to where it is mostly under control.

Having an anxiety disorder can be a dark and scary thing because it can get so bad that you may develop mild to severe depression from the thoughts put in your head caused by it. This can lead to an individual starting to self-harm, turning away from God and their loved ones when they need them the most, or even suicidal thoughts. Some thoughts that can be put in the mind of one struggling with anxiety include “nobody cares about you”,”no one will ever love you”,”everyone is talking bad about you", ”you’re a failure," and so on. It differs from each person based on what is going on in their life and what causes their anxiety.

If you have a loved one that struggles with anxiety, be gentle with them. There will be times that they seem overdramatic or overwhelming, but these will be the times that they need you the most. This is when they’ll be having those negative thoughts, and if you leave, they will think that you don’t love them. NEVER, NEVER EVER say things like “you are overreacting,””it’s not that big of a deal,” “just calm down,” “other people have it much worse,” etc. If you decide that you know longer want to be in their life, then tell them instead of just leaving without notice. This could cause them to think that it’s all their fault and that they’re a terrible person. Instead of these things, try to give them words of encouragement, listen to what they have to say, support them, comfort them in the best way that you know how to, assure them that you’re never leaving them, and always let them know that they are loved. These are some of the best ways to handle someone who is struggling with anxiety. If they’re a Christian give them these verses: Philippians 4:6 (my absolute favorite), Matthew 6:25, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 11:28-29, Proverbs 12:25, and Psalm 23:4. Just never forget to love and support those with anxiety, because you never know where their mind is taking them. For those suffering from anxiety, know that you are not alone, and it’s not just you because there’s a lot of people out there who can help. There are even support hotlines, groups, and live online chats if needed. Never be afraid to reach out to those around you for help, because they may be even having the same problem and you could be each other’s saving grace.

“Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries.”

~ Astrid Alauda