Anxiety

Our Mental Health Struggles, Day 2

Anxiety

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

              I wanted to surprise my husband with a weekend in the mountains. I reserved a cabin overlooking a gorge and signed us up for the beginning level ziplines. As a young person, I was always up for a good adventure and ziplining sounded fun.

              We arrived for our course, put on all the gear, received our training, and made the trek to the ziplining area. Even though it was a beginning course, these ziplines for far from beginner level. This place was known for having some of the fastest ziplines in the world.

              I climbed the ladder and looked around. Fear showed up, and I hugged the tree trunk with my body. My husband, who is normally the anxious one, was calm and loving life, hanging off the platform while tethered to the main rope. The guide showed us how to hook to the zipline and explained that each one grew faster than the last. We needed to hold on to the rope  with one hand and use our other gloved hand to slow ourselves down on the metal line. If we didn’t, we’d come in too hard and crash.

              Braking seemed simple enough. But on that first zipline, I realized letting go caused huge amounts of fear. I tried to make myself do it and the guides yelled at me to brake, but I froze. I came in too fast and thankfully didn’t get hurt. But fear grew with each new zipline. My heart rate increased. Sweat beaded even though it was cool outside. My mind couldn’t process anything and I couldn’t talk myself back into reality. My legs began trembling and then my hands. The more the guides instructed me on the importance of braking, the more I couldn’t let go. The last thing I remember was the guides screaming BRAKE and the next thing I knew I crashed into the tree. My glasses cut my eyebrow and all the color drained from my face. My husband said I was talking out of my head. Thankfully it was the end of the beginner course, so he escorted me to the main lodge.

              I didn’t know it then, but I was having a full-blown panic attack. Rational thinking left. Realistic solutions didn’t work. Adrenaline rushed through every part of my body. And I could not stop shaking.

              Anxiety was new to me. I kept myself cool, calm, and collected most of the time. Rarely did things rattle me and problem solving in the heat of the moment was a gift of mine. But that experience opened my eyes to what people who battle anxiety deal with on a regular basis. Sometimes there is no calming down or being rational. The fear doesn’t leave and the calm won’t come. People, smells, situations, places, or almost anything can bring it on and learning to manage it is exhausting.

              Many educators understand the hardship of anxiety. It’s a daily struggle to just show up, keep focused, and make it through the day without overanalyzing or worrying about every possible scenario that most likely would never happen but is certain happen because it could. Anxiety isn’t rational. And it’s not something people can just turn on and off. It’s like a member of the family that we wish would go away and never come back, but instead they stay and regularly make life harder than it has to be.     

Do the Heart Work

1.      How does anxiety look in your life or the life of someone you know?

2.      What are strategies that help with anxiety in the life of an educator?

3.      How can God help with your anxiety?

Digging Deeper

1.      Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:4-8 (ESV)

2.      Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25 (ESV)

3.      Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

One of the biggest helps with anxiety is learning the truths and reciting them until calm comes; or at least the panic subsides. Anxiety isn’t a light switch that turns on and off quickly. But one thing to remember is that God is bigger than anxiety and he can help us overcome anything.

If You Get Spare Time

              As a teacher, when we are riddled with anxiety, it impacts our students. They pick up on the nervousness, overactive fears, and unrealistic thoughts more quickly than we like to admit. For the sake of our students, we must seek help in controlling our anxiety. This might look like medication or therapy, and that’s okay. It might mean openly discussing what we need from our teammates when anxiety overtakes us. And it might mean occasional mental health days when life becomes too hard. If anything we discussed today impacts you, take some time and talk to God about what help you need and ask him to help you.