Magnesium is also depleted during times of stress and via hyperventilation. Meaning that people with already low serum magnesium levels can actually worsen their situation when they experience anxiety and stress for extended periods of time. This results in even lower serum magnesium. Keep in mind, it is unlikely that low magnesium actually causes anxiety, but it can aid in producing the physical symptoms associated with anxiety. However, beyond that first reflection, the ability to “let it go” is a great thing, and hugely powerful. If we cannot let a worry go, we risk magnifying it. It can become all-encompassing.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” Thich Nhat Hanh If you suffer from anxiety or you have periods where you feel anxious, you may feel that you are not in a good position to help your child. This is not true. Supporting an anxious child as a family member gives you advantages over a parent who has never had anxiety difficulties.” Dr Lucy Russell, Clinical PsychologistCarson, D. A. (1999). Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World: An Exposition of Matthew 5–10 (p. 97). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. I am a clinical psychologist working with children, teens and their parents in my clinic, Everlief Child Psychology. By far the most common difficulty I work with is anxiety. Overcoming anxiety quotes can be part of an anxious person’s recovery plan. Over the years I have witnessed the inspiration anxiety quotes can give to young people and their families. Introduction: Anxiety Affects Us All Find a way to move your body that feels good—it doesn't have to be a long and arduous workout. Taking a walk for even 10 minutes can help improve your mood. CBT is an evidence-based therapy for anxiety. Your child will learn how to better handle their anxiety and understand the situations that lead to it. The therapist will help your child to identify and gently challenge thoughts which are not helping them. They will also learn to approach their fear rather than avoiding it, taking baby steps.” Hayley Vaughan-Smith, Person-Centred Counsellor – Separation Anxiety in Teenagers Thoughts trigger emotions , even if they are not true or the worry is not likely to happen. Teach your child to spend time observing their thoughts – or writing them down – like an interested bystander watching clouds passing. The idea that your child is an observer of what’s going on inside their brain is much more helpful than letting thoughts “happen” to them, allowing the thought to trigger worried feelings.” Dr Lucy Russell, Clinical Psychologist – Helping Your Child Cope With Worry Therapy for Anxiety

One of the reasons for this is that some people find noticing their negative thoughts too intense, and it can make them feel worse. If you try mindfulness and still feel unwell, ask your GP or therapist about other things you could try. Application Question: What is the difference between concern and worry? What are the things that you commonly worry about? How is God calling you to focus more on eternal matters? To Overcome Worry, We Must Focus on Our Father’s Providential CareTo prevent reoccurrence, breathing exercises can be utilized to calm the body and reduce the likelihood of hyperventilation. There are dozens of various breathing techniques, but the simplest one is the following: Make a list of all the possible solutions you can think of. Try not to get too hung up on finding the perfect solution to a worry. Focus on the things you have the power to change, rather than the circumstances or realities beyond your control.

Another great thing about therapy – particularly in CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) – is that you create a plan and work towards it, with your therapist alongside you all the way. This can be incredibly empowering.Create a “worry period.” Choose a set time and place for worrying. It should be the same every day (e.g. in the living room from 5:00 to 5:20 p.m.) and early enough that it won’t make you anxious right before bedtime. During your worry period, you’re allowed to worry about whatever’s on your mind. The rest of the day, however, is a worry-free zone. God will always provide grace for the day. It is when we bear the burden of the next day, it is too much for us. George Macdonald said: “No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today, that the weight is more than a man can bear.” 6 Kent Hughes adds: From my own experience, and also in observing other people who are in this painful situation of running out of their resources, one of the characteristics is a need to control—the need to control life, circumstances, people, and unwittingly, God—because we feel afraid of what might happen. We feel that if we can control things and make things go a certain way, we will be less afraid. You may be wondering if you can help others with their anxiety (such as your children or other family members), if you are anxious yourself. If you are interested in understanding more, the book The Art of Breathing is highly recommended. Here are my favourite positive anxiety quotes on the power of slow breathing:

When Adam sinned in the garden, a new word entered his vocabulary. He said, “I was ‘afraid.’” Now man continually lives with fear—fear of failure, fear of success, fear of death. Fear became the norm because there was an absence of love. John says, “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). People’s relationships with God and others are fractured. Therefore, people are constantly plagued by fears, which often inhibit their ability to love and receive love. Mogg K, Bradley BP. Anxiety and attention to threat: Cognitive mechanisms and treatment with attention bias modification. Behav Res Ther. 2016;87:76-108. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.08.001 In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus challenged His followers to see that the opportunities of heaven are more important than the potential losses of life. He urged them to believe that if God takes care of the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields, He will take care of His children. Jesus understands our inclinations, so He reminds us that just like the natural world around us, we were not made to worry. Birds have to eat, but they don’t get migraines obsessing about it. Flowers “wear clothes,” but they don’t have to be treated for ulcers. Their heavenly Father takes care of them. 3. Turn Worry Into Prayer When facing a fear, it is critical to refrain from any safety behaviors that might "undo" learning; this is sometimes referred to as response prevention.Catastrophizing. Expecting the worst-case scenario to happen. “The pilot said we're in for some turbulence. The plane's going to crash!” Although cognitive distortions aren’t based on reality, they’re not easy to give up.Often, they’re part of a lifelong pattern of thinking that’s become so automatic you’re not even completely aware of it. Cognitive distortions that add to worry, anxiety, and stress include: