Anxiety. It has become more than a “hot-button” word for our teens. Their world has been consumed by this real struggle. The pressures they experience internally and externally have paralyzed them.
In spite of this world working overtime to cripple our teens under anxiety, God has something to say about the mental health battle our students are facing. Using Scripture, here are six strategies students can practice in their every day lives to overcome the weight of Anxiety Elephants one moment at a time.
Deep Breathing
Pausing and taking deep breaths allows our brain to move from reacting through emotions to responding with rational thinking. When anxiety causes the feeling of breathlessness or rapid heart rate before a test, public speaking or team tryouts, STOP. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth for 60 seconds. During that time, think on God’s breath in your lungs.
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. Genesis 2:7, ESV
Gratitude
Scientists have been studying the power of gratitude in our lives. They have discovered our brains cannot be anxious and thankful at the same time! Gratitude is a built-in anxiety blocker your teens can use when those anxious thoughts want to pile on. Every morning, they can take time in prayer and thank God for every good thing they have in their lives. They can take this challenge a step further using a gratitude journal and writing down three specific things each day they are thankful for. It can be a pair of sneakers or the connection with a grandparent.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV
Grounding
Spiraling thoughts of anxiety can throw anyone into a whirlwind of panic. Ruminating in future events that are more than likely to never happen or totally out of our control, is exhausting. Nothing has happened around you, and yet you feel as though you have run a mental marathon. Stop the spiral by using your five senses. Look for one thing you can see, hear, taste, touch and smell. This will ground you back in your present moment. The key is to be where your feet are and focus on what you can control. Another grounding method is to count backwards from 100 by 4 or take on the challenge of reciting your cell number backwards!
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5, ESV
What IF to What IS
Our brain tends to tilt to a negative slant and puts those pessimistic messages on repeat. Anxiety thrives in gloom and doom – especially when no one else can see it. Teens’ thoughts become entangled with the What IF’s: “What IF my friend is mad at me? What IF my boyfriend or girlfriend breaks-up with me on SnapChat? What IF I don’t have a seat in the lunch room? What IF I fail? What IF…?” Help them move out of What IF and into What IS, using the method of Casting. Set a timer for 30-60 seconds, grab a piece of paper and start writing down all the anxious thoughts. They may find that putting words down in a list speeds up the process. At the end, rip up the piece of paper and throw those thoughts in the garbage! Replace them with the TRUTH of what God’s Word says.
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7, ESV
Community
God does not want our teens to do life alone. We were created for face-to-face community. Let your teens know that HELP is not a bad word. It is a brave word we all require in our vocabulary. Students need to have adults in their life they can reach out to in the midst of a struggle. These connections will counteract the pull of anxiety telling them to stay silent and not be a burden. When teens know an adult will be a listener and not a fixer, it gives them the freedom to talk openly. Help them to identify up to three safe adults who can be their arm-bearers in the battles of life.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2, ESV
Acknowledgement
This step is the most important, but the most difficult at any age. Acknowledging the struggle of anxiety, depression, fear, shame or whatever the conflict might be can feel awkward. Our students need to know it’s okay to lean into the awkwardness. Freedom will come when they shine a light on what is really going on. They will discover what seems like a monster hiding under their bed is really a tiny lego they can pick up and take authority over. Jesus gave us the greatest example of acknowledgement in the Garden of Gethsemane. He could have told Peter, James and John that He was fine, no worries at all! Jesus, instead, was honest and told them his soul was overwhelmed. He went on to pray to His Abba, Father a vulnerable prayer. God did not meet Jesus with a shaming finger but a loving response. He strengthened Jesus to finish through the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Our teens need to know God will comfort them, equip them and love them as they surrender all their anxieties at His feet.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19, NIV
Caris Snider is an author, speaker, Certified Professional Life Coach, carissnider.com
