Kate Motaung

One of the most common concerns addressed in therapy is that of “anxiety.” Most of us do not have to get far into our daily routine without having to manage anxious emotional events. For instance, let’s follow a working mother through her morning with a first grader. Get the child up and dressed; make breakfast and pack the lunch; get in the car without forgetting something; drive to school and get through the carpool lane; back out in traffic and drive to work. Any one of those details could produce anxiety, small or great, but a working parent begins the day like this regularly. Merriam-Webster defines anxiety as “apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated misfortune.” That definition implies unusual or out-of-the-ordinary events, but honestly, we are living in an era that I would label “anxiety-producing.” Social Concerns for Youth Stories abound of children leaving private schools due to social isolation or being bullied because of exclusive friend groups, or of unruly students who are disruptive and make it almost impossible for a teacher to maintain classroom management, all while dealing with parents who are not seeing to their children completing and turning in homework assignments, but expecting teachers to discipline and educate their children. Another disturbing trend, especially in middle and high schools, is the continued rise of cyberbullying among high school students for a wide variety of reasons. What can a parent do to help their child? Have a home environment where your child is allowed to express their frustrations without judgment. This includes not being concerned about the words they use but what they are really communicating. Children do well when they are able to tell their parents anything that is going on in their lives. One suggestion is to have a time [...]

What is anxiety? It is a feeling of nervousness, anticipation with uncertainty, or fear. Anxiety often creates a physical response. Common physical symptoms are sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, muscle tension, shakiness, increased heart rate, and sometimes increased breathing rate. The word anxiety comes from the Latin angere, meaning to choke or squeeze. Strangely, this is exactly what can happen in our brains when we feel under threat or danger, whether it is real or imagined. When we are relaxed and calm, more blood goes to the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for functions like self-control and decision-making. However, during an anxiety attack, blood flow is reduced to the prefrontal cortex and increased to the amygdala, resulting in our emotional response being disproportionate to the stimulus. The amygdala is responsible for the detection and response to threats. Fear triggers a distress signal to the hypothalamus, and then adrenocorticotropic hormones are sent to the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. This stress response allows for energy to be converted quickly because anxiety often leads to a fight or flight response. However, often there is no need to fight or flee, and we are overwhelmed with anxiety when this energy is just held in the body. Our body is “hijacked,” and physical symptoms occur. Anxiety attacks can be triggered by reminders of past trauma, or they can occur for no apparent reason. The Bible offers comfort and guidance for anxiety as God knew that it is something we would struggle with. Several scriptures specifically address anxiety. I Peter 5:7 reminds us to cast all of our anxieties on Jesus because he cares for us. Philippians 4: 6-7 reminds us not to be anxious about anything, but in everything be in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be [...]