Christians having a problem with panic attacks may avoid their friends out of shame or fear of criticism or loss of reputation.
That is unfortunate because panic usually includes spiritual battles, and one way God has ordained that spiritual battles should be fought in with the encouragement of others.
Careful choice of a wise and kind fellow Christian is advisable.
If one is uncomfortable with one's friends (or family), perhaps a more distant counselor from church or private professional help is preferable.
The good news here is that effective strategies have been employed in alleviating and curing attacks.
Anxiety may creep up on a Christian, in some cases almost unawares, with an accumulation of stresses.
Either that or a memorable trauma.
In any case, the onset of panic attacks occurs for one or more reasons.
Undoing our anxious reactions to the stresses can be accomplished in various ways, partly depending on causes.
I.
Physical Causes Panic may be caused or partially caused by a nutritional deficiency, a reaction to a pharmaceutical drug, the presence of toxins in the environment, genetic predispositions or the like.
II.
Physical Remedies Where panic has been considered a problem in the physical brain, drugs, herbs, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and minerals have been used with varying success.
And the brain has successfully been trained not to fear by behavior modification strategies targeted to one's particular circumstances and fears.
III.
Spiritual Causes Perhaps more acute for the Christian than the non-Christian would often be whether the panic attacks are a sign that "God does not love me.
" Or the Christian with panic attacks may question whether God is good, and so on.
We cannot address all such questions here in any detail, but my point is that we are complex beings, and panic attacks can touch on the physical as well as spiritual aspects of our being.
IV.
Spiritual Remedies And it is worth noting that the Christian has advantages in the realm of the spirit when dealing with panic and anxiety.
Perspective is one.
The good news or gospel of Jesus itself is the chief demonstration of the love of God for sinful people like us.
One implication of this greater love is the Christian's conquest over panic.
The forgiveness of sins is the greater problem, and "how much more will God freely give us" conquest over a lesser thing like panic (although of course the attacks are terribly unpleasant things to endure).
All that is not to say the Christian cannot have problems in this life.
The Bible also records all kinds of bad things happening to God's people.
Its just that the gospel gives the Christian a kind of guiding light and hope along a dark path.
The end will be better because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Meanwhile, panic attacks are a considerable challenge.
For this, a second tool for the Christian is prayer.
Remember that Jesus is God made flesh.
The Creator of the universe shared our human and suffering condition.
He thus sympathizes with our weaknesses.
It is not that God is our servant, however.
Prayer must not be demand, nor faith be presumption.
Christian prayer properly is offered in a submissive and humble spirit to a merciful King.
Christians suffering panic attacks have no right to demand an end to suffering, but perhaps the God who sent His Son to die for us would also relieve our suffering in His time.
And the beauty of certain behavior modification strategies, thirdly, is that they can address both physical and spiritual problems at once.
Multiple means of addressing panic attacks is usually recommended because we are complex beings.
One can in fact take advantage of many remedies, physical or spiritual, without necessarily letting your circle of friends know, although again the help of someone sympathetic is also advisable.
That is unfortunate because panic usually includes spiritual battles, and one way God has ordained that spiritual battles should be fought in with the encouragement of others.
Careful choice of a wise and kind fellow Christian is advisable.
If one is uncomfortable with one's friends (or family), perhaps a more distant counselor from church or private professional help is preferable.
The good news here is that effective strategies have been employed in alleviating and curing attacks.
Anxiety may creep up on a Christian, in some cases almost unawares, with an accumulation of stresses.
Either that or a memorable trauma.
In any case, the onset of panic attacks occurs for one or more reasons.
Undoing our anxious reactions to the stresses can be accomplished in various ways, partly depending on causes.
I.
Physical Causes Panic may be caused or partially caused by a nutritional deficiency, a reaction to a pharmaceutical drug, the presence of toxins in the environment, genetic predispositions or the like.
II.
Physical Remedies Where panic has been considered a problem in the physical brain, drugs, herbs, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and minerals have been used with varying success.
And the brain has successfully been trained not to fear by behavior modification strategies targeted to one's particular circumstances and fears.
III.
Spiritual Causes Perhaps more acute for the Christian than the non-Christian would often be whether the panic attacks are a sign that "God does not love me.
" Or the Christian with panic attacks may question whether God is good, and so on.
We cannot address all such questions here in any detail, but my point is that we are complex beings, and panic attacks can touch on the physical as well as spiritual aspects of our being.
IV.
Spiritual Remedies And it is worth noting that the Christian has advantages in the realm of the spirit when dealing with panic and anxiety.
Perspective is one.
The good news or gospel of Jesus itself is the chief demonstration of the love of God for sinful people like us.
One implication of this greater love is the Christian's conquest over panic.
The forgiveness of sins is the greater problem, and "how much more will God freely give us" conquest over a lesser thing like panic (although of course the attacks are terribly unpleasant things to endure).
All that is not to say the Christian cannot have problems in this life.
The Bible also records all kinds of bad things happening to God's people.
Its just that the gospel gives the Christian a kind of guiding light and hope along a dark path.
The end will be better because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
Meanwhile, panic attacks are a considerable challenge.
For this, a second tool for the Christian is prayer.
Remember that Jesus is God made flesh.
The Creator of the universe shared our human and suffering condition.
He thus sympathizes with our weaknesses.
It is not that God is our servant, however.
Prayer must not be demand, nor faith be presumption.
Christian prayer properly is offered in a submissive and humble spirit to a merciful King.
Christians suffering panic attacks have no right to demand an end to suffering, but perhaps the God who sent His Son to die for us would also relieve our suffering in His time.
And the beauty of certain behavior modification strategies, thirdly, is that they can address both physical and spiritual problems at once.
Multiple means of addressing panic attacks is usually recommended because we are complex beings.
One can in fact take advantage of many remedies, physical or spiritual, without necessarily letting your circle of friends know, although again the help of someone sympathetic is also advisable.
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