When you tell people you have anxiety most people will generally think "So you just worry a lot. Just stop". What many fail to realize is we can't just command it to stop. It is a chemical reaction within our bodies. Believe me, if we could make it stop we most definitely would!
Today I want to go over the differences between worry, and anxiety. How differently they present.
Imagine you are going to the dentist and you are getting a simple cavity filled. During the drive there you will have one of 3 things happen. Nothing, worry, or anxiety.
Worry says: "Man, this might hurt. I'm nervous, and I have some butterflies in my stomach. Eh, I'll be fine"
Anxiety says: "What if I have a reaction to the novocaine? What if he goes too deep and does permanent damage? What if the noncaine doesn't work at all? My heart is racing, my hands have pins and needles, my stomach hurts, my breaths are getting shallow, I am crying like a baby, I am breaking out in hives...and I have to pee! (those of us with anxiety have to pee...A LOT! Sorry not sorry, its just the truth)"
Worry is something that you can push to the back of your mind, and talk your way out of it 99% of the time. Its there for a moment, and then not there the next.
Anxiety causes excessive thoughts of the worst possible outcome for a long period of time. You can't make it go away. You can't just stop thinking those things. What causes these excessive thoughts is a boost in your body's serotonin levels. This chemical causes your FIGHT OR FLIGHT response. This response is what happens when your brain and body believe you to be in immediate danger. This boost in serotonin will also cause your adrenaline to kick in, giving you the strength to either fight your danger, or run away from it as fast as you can. Even though we are in no present danger at all, our bodies are fooled into thinking we are.
I know for me, anxiety is VERY physical. Its way more physical than mental. I don't think thoughts first, I have the physical symptoms, then after about 15 minutes of the physical then the mental kicks in with excessive thoughts of every worst possible outcome. And while we know the chances of those outcomes happening are very slim, and its completely outrageous for us to even have them they are there and we have to just wait it out.
I, personally pray when I start to get the physical symptoms because I know the mental is coming. Does it always work...no. But it definitely doesn't hurt to let God know how you are feeling, and what is happening. I usually don't pray for it to pass, but for grace and strength to get through it.
Everyone who has an anxiety disorder experiences their anxiety differently. Some people battle only thoughts, some only the physical, and some both. Everyone's journey is different.
One thing you can do as person who knows someone who battles with anxiety. NEVER downplay what they are feeling or going through. To them, they feel like danger is right in front of their face and they are fighting for their life, even thought they know they aren't in any real danger.
Get them a glass of water.
Give them space, but reassure them that you are there if they need you.
Don't touch them unless they have specifically asked you to. Some people can't be touched at all during an attack, while others will ask for a tight hug, or a back rub to help soothe them.
Pray for them, but don't offer advice of what they can do next during an attack.
The example I gave is just one of many scenarios that anxiety happens with. Although, most of us experience it for no reason whatsoever. There doesn't have to be a reason. So just remember the next time you see someone who is in the middle of an anxiety or panic attack that they are just as frustrated with it as you are because like you, they have NO idea why its happening, but they need your understanding. They need your compassion, not your pity.