I am running off on a bit of a tangent for this post simply because it is very applicable to this time of year. It's the holidays. End of year goals have to be met. Bills need to be paid. Family reunions are close by, maybe with family members that you may not get along with, but you have to at least once a year. Christmas is close and your kids are expecting gifts, but your budget is tight this year. Obligations. Responsibilities. Stress. Anxiety.
You hear about it all the time these days, but what exactly is anxiety? Oxford dictionary defines it as such:
(noun) : a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with and uncertain outcome.
similar : desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease.
similar (psychiatry) : a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks.
If you simply type in “anxiety” into google you will get the following definition: "Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. The first day of school, going to a job interview, or giving a speech may cause most people to feel fearful and nervous.”
Let’s take a short look into some facts about anxiety and how it is affecting our society at large…
Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 or older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
People with anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
If you noticed above, I underlined a couple words in google’s definition of anxiety. First, you will notice that “natural” is underlined and secondly, “fear” is underlined. While the general consensus may be that anxiety is a negative response or trait in someone, I believe there is another point of view. Take for example that you have a job interview coming up. Your heart rate begins to accelerate at the thought of it. So what do you do? Maybe you have a family member or a friend role play with possible questions/scenarios that may arise in the interview. Maybe you pray hard about your situation for peace of mind. Then you find yourself up late at night doing research on the job and potential responsibilities in order to prepare ahead of time. So here’s a thought: what if anxiety is actually a natural response that causes us to get ready for the unknown. Is that such a bad thing?
Now the second word that was underlined was “fear.” Fear is: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid (dictionary.com, 2019). Fear many times is not accompanied by action and therefor is categorized as a negative response. If you watch any superhero movie, 9 times out of 10 the villain does his/her best to produce fear as their main goal. Why? Fear is what keeps us from moving forward. It stops us in our tracks and can fully dismantle our goals from a simple feeling of being afraid.
So what does Christianity and Stoicism have to say about anxiety? A lot actually.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. — Isaiah 40:10
True happiness is to enjoy the present without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied, for he that wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not. — Seneca (Daily Stoic, 2019)
Wild animals run from the dangers they actually see, and once they have escaped them worry no more. We however are tormented alike by what is past and what is to come. A number of our blessings do us harm, for memory brings back the agony of fear while foresight brings it on prematurely. No one confines his unhappiness to the present. — Seneca (Daily Stoic, 2019)
There is a lot to unravel here, so I will try to keep it brief…
For Christians, it is simple. Anxiety is the (one of many) doorway that allows Satan to get a foothold in our lives. Whether we cross over that threshold is up to us. Christians are told to present all of their worries and anxieties to the Lord and He will take care of the rest. This simple (yet difficult) solution is only advantageous through faith. You must believe that He can and will provide. Without the faith that accompanies the Lord’s power to provide, we are only bargaining against God. The peace that follows is something to behold.
The stoics love to put the burden on themselves referring to the saying that “God helps those who help themselves.” While many christians and stoics believe this to be true, it in fact is not. (See Proverbs 28:26) This widely used motto was actually popularized by none other than Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1733). The stoics, who do not have much to say about the afterlife, tend on the philosophy that we ought to take what is given to us and make the best with the life that we are given. So when it comes to anxiety, the stoics knew that anxiety was an inevitability of being human, but did not allow it to CONTROL their responses. Instead, they suggested that we be thankful for our blessings as well as our shortcomings, for these are what make us who we are. Stoicism teaches us to acknowledge our anxieties but not allow them to dictate our lives and to live in the present moment rather than worrying about the past or the future. This is so important, because in today’s society we are told (whether blatantly or subliminally) to adhere to our emotions rather than logic. This is in complete defiance of the stoic beliefs. They wanted to have an educated, logical response to daily circumstances, in lieu of an emotive one.
While I take anxiety and anxiety related disorders very seriously, I want you to take a step back and think on these few questions: What is it that is causing you stress/anxiety? Why does it matter so much? Does it really matter or is your perspective off? How can a stoic response to my situations help me? How can a christian response to my situations help me?
For a more in depth look into how the stoics view/viewed anxiousness and anxiety click the link below:
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