Self-Care is Biblical- Tips for Dealing with Anxiety

Something I recently heard in my Biblical Psychology class is that self-care is biblical. This revelation was so interesting to me even though it was only briefly mentioned by my professor. I also began to think about how the Bible contains several passages on anxiety and I wanted to look into how they related. I decided to share with my growth group these ideas and I wanted to put together what I shared in a blog post for others to see and share with someone who may need it. In this post I'll mention Bible passages about self-care and anxiety, ways to de-stress/deal with anxiety, and ways to avoid more stress. (Disclaimer: These are all my own ideas or from my own research and what helps me best. Everyone deals with anxiety differently.)

Verses on Self-Care:

• Exodus 18:13-27
• Mark 6:30-32, 46
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Hebrews 4:9-11
• 3 John 1:2
• Ephesians 5:29-30
• Matthew 22:37-39
• Galatians 6:2-5

Verses on Anxiety: (plus many more)

• Psalm 121:1-2
• Psalm 62:5-8
• Psalm 29:11
• Philippians 4:6-7
• Matthew 6:25-34
• 1 Peter 5:7
• Proverbs 3:5-6

Ways to De-Stress:

• deep and focused breathing
• de-cluttering
• meditation
• yoga
• journal
• evaluate priorities
• talk to a close friend or mentor
• dress up a little (being comfy but put together- even just doing my hair instead of a messy bun can make me feel better)
• make a glitter jar and watch the glitter fall to relax (see this link to make one)
• make time to do something you enjoy
• use the app Pacifica, it's great for tracking how you feel and setting small goals for yourself

What to do After a Break Down:

• shower and change all clothes
• drink a big glass of water, and then another
• grab a light snack
• get in bed, watch tv or listen to music, maybe talk to a friend
• know you are love and important, you deserve to feel good

Things to Avoid:

• trying to please God and others
• fearing change
• living in the past
• putting yourself down
• over thinking
• compare yourself to others

I hope something in this post helps you and I hope you pass it on to someone who may also benefit from the things I discussed. Anxiety is an ongoing part of life for myself and many others. It's a daily process to overcome and adjust to. It's not easy by any means. However, I want to strongly encourage everyone to never give up. Keep fighting. You aren't alone. That may sound cliche but it's truth. God will always be there and wants to relieve you of your struggles and worries. You don't have to go through the battle alone. I'm always here to talk to someone who's struggling and I bet you have many others in your life that will be there for you too. I may not have all the answers or be able to help a lot but I know what it's like to have an anxiety attack and not know why. I know what it's like to feel alone in this struggle. I know what it's like daily choose if I'm going to stay in bed and drown out the world or get up and push myself to live my best life.

You are not alone. Every day is a new day. God is with you. Keep dreaming. 

-ek