Mental and Physical Health

All About Anxiety (Part One)

For most people, anxiety has been a part of life, whether in big or small ways. In fact, anxiety affects nearly 300 million individuals annually, with 1 in 3 people experiencing an anxiety disorder in their lifetime¹. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness among adults².

The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as "an emotion characterized by excessive feelings of tension, worried thoughts, intrusive and persistent fear-based thoughts, and physical changes such as increased blood pressure." While fear arises from a real, present-oriented threat, anxiety stems from a perceived or future-oriented threat³. Statistics show that 19.1% of adults are affected by anxiety each year, and anxiety has increased significantly in children and adolescents by 30%, with numbers continuing to rise⁴.

Many of us struggle to manage anxiety—especially when there’s a family history of mental illness or experiences of trauma, life changes like divorce, moving, financial difficulties, or job stress. For Christians, there can be an added weight: shame. Shouldn’t we feel peace if we trust God? Scriptures like Philippians 4:6 say, “Be anxious for nothing,” yet for countless believers, anxiety is a persistent reality. An old pastor of mine used to follow that Scripture with a dismissive “Just stop it,” leaving many hanging their heads in guilt.

But anxiety doesn’t behave to a wagging finger pointed at us and shaming us. We wake up at 3 a.m. with racing thoughts and pounding hearts. We battle tension headaches and persistent “what-ifs.” As a result, we feel hopeless and confused as to how to manage.

Anxiety in Children

And what about our children? Younger children, who may struggle to verbalize inner experiences, often show anxiety through physical symptoms: stomachaches, headaches, sleep troubles, fidgeting, irritability, frequent crying, fear of making mistakes, clinginess, tantrums, and trouble concentrating. Older kids may withdraw, seek constant peer approval, use escapism (like gaming or screens), or have difficulty sleeping and focusing.

We often view these behaviors as negative and worthy of discipline—but we may miss the root cause if we simply tell them to “just stop it.”

So, What Can We Do?

As Christians, we can approach anxiety—both in ourselves and in our children—through a process that avoids shame or dismissal and instead invites compassion, curiosity, and truth. Rather than ignoring anxiety or simply trying to push it away, we can view it as a signal worth listening to and a doorway to deeper understanding, healing, and connection with God.

When we begin to recognize anxiety not as a weakness, but as a messenger, we create space for transformation. We slow down, pay attention to what’s beneath the surface, and invite God into that vulnerable space.

Here’s a simple framework to guide the process:

For ourselves:

• Acknowledge the feeling
• Be curious about the behaviors
• Rightly judge the beliefs beneath it

For our kids (we will address this in part 2 of this blog series):

• Be curious about the behavior
• Help identify the feeling
• Guide them toward healthy decisions

Through these steps, we can move away from reacting in fear or frustration, and toward responding with love, truth, and grace—just like our Father does with us.

1. Acknowledge the Feeling

Why would Scripture speak so often about fear and anxiety if they weren’t common human experiences? All emotions are God-given signals. Just like hunger signals the need for food, emotions point to inner needs or realities.

• Loneliness might signal the need for connection.
• Anger could push us to seek justice.
• Fear might help us swerve to avoid danger.
• Anxiety before a project could motivate us to plan and prioritize.

Jesus Himself experienced a wide range of emotions. Rather than shame, dismiss, or numb these feelings, we can acknowledge them as morally-neutral messengers and ask:

“What is this emotion trying to tell me right now?”

2. Be Curious About the Feelings and Behaviors

Our behaviors often flow from our emotions and not all of them are unhealthy. When fear pushes us to act quickly or anxiety motivates productivity, the responses are proportionate and helpful.

But sometimes, our reactions are disproportionate:

• Anger turns into uncontrolled outbursts.
• Anxiety leads to obsessive worry or paralysis.

These responses may stem from deeply rooted beliefs like "I’m not valuable" or "I’m only safe if I have enough money." Curiosity helps uncover the why behind our behavior.

3. Rightly Judge

Once we recognize these underlying beliefs, we can take them to Scripture. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Take every thought captive to obey Christ.” When we realize a belief like “I am not valuable” doesn’t align with God’s Word, we can replace it with truth:

• "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14)
• "I am made in God’s image" (Genesis 1:26)
• "God will provide for me" (Matthew 6:25-26)

By confessing false beliefs and replacing them with Scripture, we align our thoughts and actions with God’s truth. For instance, if we believe “I am not valuable” and respond by overcompensating with perfectionism or people-pleasing, that behavior becomes a reflection of an internal lie. Replacing that belief with “I am made in God’s image and He loves me as I am” can help us let go of those unhealthy behaviors and walk in the freedom of God’s truth.  When our beliefs align with Scripture, our actions begin to follow, and we respond to anxiety with confidence in God’s provision and love.

References

¹ Shackman, A. J., & Fox, N. A. (2021). Anxiety and the Brain: Neural Circuits and Networks. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 17, 459-480. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032820-122106

² Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Facts & Statistics. Retrieved from https://adaa.org.

³ American Psychological Association. (2025). Definition of Anxiety. APA Dictionary of Psychology.

⁴ Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Child and Adolescent Anxiety. Retrieved from https://adaa.org.

Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social Influences on Neuroplasticity: Stress and Interventions to Promote Well-Being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093

Feist, G. J., & Barron, F. (1996). Emotional Intelligence and Success: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Science, 7(6), 409–416. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1996.tb00357.x

Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hyperion.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan, 2011.

 

Jessica Wojnarowski is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) at Emerge Counseling Ministries, where she is dedicated to helping individuals and families find healing through compassionate, faith-based care. She earned her Master of Arts in Counseling from Liberty University. Jessica has been married for  20 years and is a proud mom of four, drawing on both her professional training and life experience to support and guide those she serves.