@mary31 Hi I have some gifts for you to help in battling anxiety, please see below:
Source: Controlling Social Phobia
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101998523?q=social+anxiety&p=doc
A Song about battling Anxieties
https://www.jw.org/en/library/music-songs/original-songs/each-day-has-its-own-anxieties/?content=video
How to cope Succesfully with Anxiety?
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-april-2022/How-to-Cope-Successfully-With-Anxiety/
If the topic you want is not listed above you can check more helpful article about anxiety here: https://www.jw.org/en/search/?q=anxiety
Stay safe always <3 I love you, we love you, we are here for you.
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Also some tips:
What makes you anxious?
Do the following statements describe how you feel at times?
âIâm constantly thinking: âWhat if . . . ?â âWhat if we get in a car accident?â âWhat if our plane goes down?â Iâm anxious about things that a more rational person wouldnât worry so much about.â?âCharles.
âI feel anxious all the time, as though I were a hamster on a wheel running around but never getting anywhere. Iâm working myself to death but not really accomplishing anything!â?âAnna.
âWhen people tell me that Iâm fortunate that Iâm still in school, I say to myself, âThey have no idea how stressful school is!ââ?âDaniel.
âIâm like a pressure cooker. Iâm always worried about the next thing that will happen or the next thing I need to do.â?âLaura.
Fact of life: We live in what the Bible calls âcritical times hard to deal with.â (2 Timothy 3:1) Because of that, anxiety can affect young people as much as it affects adults.
Is anxiety always bad?
The answer is no. In fact, the Bible says that it is right for people to be anxious to please the ones they love.?â1 Corinthians 7:?32-34; 2 Corinthians 11:28.
Also, letâs face it?âanxiety can be a powerful motivator. For example, suppose you will be taking a test at school next week. Anxiety might compel you to study this week?âand that might help you get a better grade!
A degree of anxiety can also alert you to danger. âYou might feel anxious because you know that youâre taking a wrong course of action and that you need to make changes for your conscience to be at rest,â says a teenager named Serena.?âCompare James 5:14.
Fact of life: Anxiety can work for you?âas long as it moves you to the right kind of action.
But what if anxiety traps you in a maze of negative thinking?
A man helps a teenage boy find his way out of a maze
Anxiety might make you feel as if you were trapped in a maze, but someone with a different perspective can help you find a way out
Example: âMy mind races when I think about the different ways a stressful situation could turn out,â says 19-year-old Richard. âI play the situation over and over in my mind to the point that it makes me very anxious.â
The Bible says that âa calm heart gives life to the body.â (Proverbs 14:30) On the other hand, anxiety can bring on a number of unpleasant physical symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, upset stomach, and heart palpitations.
What can you do if anxiety seems to be working against you rather than for you?
What you can do
Question the reasonableness of your anxiety. âBeing concerned about your responsibilities is one thing; being overly anxious is another. It reminds me of the saying, Anxiety is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesnât get you anywhere.â?âKatherine.
The Bible says: âWho of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?â?âMatthew 6:27.
What this means: Unless anxiety leads you toward a solution, it will only add to your problem?âor become your problem.
Take things one day at a time. âThink it through. Will what you are anxious about matter tomorrow? in a month? in a year? in five years?â?âAnthony.
The Bible says: âNever be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.â?âMatthew 6:34.
What this means: It makes little sense to take on tomorrowâs problems?âsome of which may never even become a reality.
Learn to live with what you cannot change. âThe best you can do is prepare for situations to the extent possible, but accept the fact that some situations are out of your control.â?âRobert.
The Bible says: âThe swift do not always win the race, . . . nor do those with knowledge always have success, because time and unexpected events overtake them all.â?âEcclesiastes 9:11.
What this means: Sometimes you cannot change your circumstances, but you can change the way you view them.
Put your situation in perspective. âI find that I have to focus on the big picture and not stress over the details. I have to choose my battles and channel my energy into taking care of priorities.â?âAlexis.
The Bible says: âMake sure of the more important things.â?âPhilippians 1:?10.
What this means: People who put their anxieties in perspective are less likely to be overwhelmed by them.
Talk to someone. âWhen I was in the sixth grade, I would come home from school very anxious, dreading the next day. My mother and father would just listen to me as I expressed myself. It was so good to have them there. I could trust them and speak freely to them. It helped me to face the next day.â?âMarilyn.
The Bible says: âAnxiety in a manâs heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.â?âProverbs 12:25.
What this means: A parent or a friend might be able to give you practical suggestions on how to reduce your anxiety.
Pray. âPraying?âand doing so aloud so I can hear my voice?âhelps me. It allows me to vocalize what I am anxious about instead of keeping it in my head. It also helps me to realize that Jehovah is greater than my anxiety.â?âLaura.
The Bible says: âThrow all your anxiety on [God], because he cares for you.â?â1 Peter 5:7.
What this means: Prayer is not a mental trick. It is real communication with Jehovah God, who promises: âDo not be anxious, for I am your God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you.â?âIsaiah 41:10.
When Anxiety Is Severe
Some young people suffer from chronic anxiety. For example, a teenager named Jenna says: âAs a result of anxiety, I had a constant headache, I couldnât focus, I would sleep for days or not sleep for days, I wouldnât eat, or I would eat too much?âI was wired all the time. Very small problems seemed like mountains.â
When anxiety is prolonged or excessive, it might be good for you to get a medical checkup. Thatâs what Jenna did. âAfter receiving treatment, I can handle things better and I have control over my anxiety,â she says.
WHAT YOUR PEERS SAY
Carissa
âWhen I face anxiety, I pour out my heart to Jehovah in prayer. I can sleep well at night, knowing that the problem is in Jehovahâs hands?âand thatâs the best place for me to place my life and my anxiety.â?âCarissa.
Samantha
âI always think to myself, âWhy worry about things I canât do anything about at the moment, or ever?â I think about Jesusâ words at Matthew 6:27. This helps me to rely on Jehovah and listen to his advice.â?âSamantha.
