Anxiety & Grief – The Companion No One Wants

There seems to be much talk about anxiety lately. Everywhere I turn, there’s another post, article, or reel popping up. My pastor, Louie Giglio, who suffered from anxiety and depression, has been leading a great discussion about it (https://youtu.be/u8cVVQjL7II). I couldn’t be happier that a topic that affects thousands is gaining so much attention. Anxiety and grief – the companion no one would want is a typical response to those who have lost a loved one and are grieving. 

A few months ago, I attended a conference, and the speaker’s main topic was anxiety and depression in children. The world has seen a rise in anxiety in kids since 2012, and they believe the main culprit is social media. Kids as young as 10 are dealing with such anxiety and depression they don’t know what to do, so they are harming themselves. It’s an unfortunate turn in our society. 

Anxiety can also come as a result of control as we try to control all that is surrounding us. Joining anxiety is also our cousin worry. We tend to worry about all the possible things that could happen. Most of which we have no control over and which rarely occur. A study was done, and did you know that almost 91% of the things we worry about never come to pass? Amazing, isn’t it? 

Even though anxiety and depression are typical responses to grief, it’s not something we long to have in our lives, yet they can walk with us daily. So, what can we do to help abate these intense feelings that can come upon us? Below are some suggestions:

Some others include praying, watching funny videos, journaling how you feel, squeezing a stress ball, spending time in therapy, and using aromatherapy oils.

Anxiety means different things to each of us, but a few of the most helpful things for me have been:

• Prayer – if you are a person of faith, spending time at the feet of Jesus sharing your fears, thoughts, cares, and troubles with him can make all the difference between continuing to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders or releasing it. 1 Peter 5:7
• Deep breathing – the more anxious I am, the shallower my breaths are, so I have to consciously sit in a quiet place and breathe in through my nose, hold it to the count of 4, and very slowly release the breath through my lips.
• Listen to music – preferably softer, quieter, like worship music, or perhaps you like instrumentals or jazz. For me, worship music invites God into the center of everything around me, and soon I feel his peace surrounding me.
• Journaling – writing it all down and getting the words out on paper has been a beneficial exercise to help battle what’s going on within.

Friends, I’m neither a professional nor a psychologist/psychiatrist nor do I have a degree in counseling. These are just some helpful tools that have worked for me as I’ve walked this road. I hope they might help you, too. Wishing each of you much love and peace.