Anxiety with church & related activities

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:24 pm

I attend a small local church, also...I used to always have a need to sit in the back near the door (exit)....I suffered severe panic attacks in any social setting...I continued attending church; in the meantime, I ordered the Attack and Anxiety course...I did the work, and worked really hard on replacing my negative thoughts with more truthful, realistic thoughts. Next, I began to take action...Sometime, after riding out a few of those panic attacks, and using positive self talk to calm myself down, I finally conquered the fear of the panic attacks.
I no longer have the panic attacks in my church.
I still have some anxiety with the prayer circle, at least I think it is anxiety (an off-balance) feeling, so, I just kneel and pray..I do have inner ear problems, so, this may be what is causing the off-balance feelings...I just feel the need to kneel down, and talk in earnest to the Lord...It really helps...I do have a lot of stressors in my life, so, when I look back to where I was just a few months after completing the course; I just can't believe how far I have come. I know the Good Lord helped me find this program, and I give Him all the credit for what He has brought me from...By the way, for a few years I was totally housebound with these attacks, and they began when I was only 22 years old. I have experienced every symptom imaginable, and I have made it...If I can, so, can you. And, yes, I sure had a lot of negative thoughts about the program, and often wondered if I was fighting a losing battle...But, I could not continue living another day in that misery, so, I ordered the program, and did the work. What did I have to lose? I had no life...All I lost was my panic attacks...Thank God For Miracles!!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:53 pm

I have had some anxiety, but not at church. All I can really contribute to this thread is that I think everyone should take the pressure off themselves. Know that nothing you can do will make God love you less, and nothing you can do will make God love you more. He knows your frame and loves you if you can make it through a service or not. I would just go, try and focus on Jesus, His love for you, His promises and tell yourself it is OK to be anxious and try not to let it rule your thoughts. Try to just let it go and emerse yourself in the service and if the anxiety comes, just say, hi anxiety, are you stil here? Well, I wish you would go Mr. anxiety, but if you must be here, try not to get in my way of spending time with God ok. Not to be flipant, but just keep your eyes up and focued on Jesus and don't feel guilty or ashamed of the anxiety. God will even use your anxiety to His glory...as ALL things work together for those that love God. Peace my friends

marygold · Post by **marygold** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:41 pm

I've been going to my church for about 10 months. Back in Sept. I actually went to a women's retreat and stayed in a hotel room with 3 other women. Fortunately one of those women is also my counselor, but even after that I still don't feel like I'm worthy enough. My self esteem is always interfering with my progress. One Sunday I may feel comfortable enough to talk and open up and then the next I don't want to say anything. Then I feel like everyone notices and I think I must be a real freak. I can't wait to overcome this so I can become more connected.

angelos · Post by **angelos** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:48 pm

Thanks for all your replies, it's very comforting.

Stac you give me quite a giggle when you wrote "I just envision myself trampling over everyone with my arms in the air going ahhhh!! " what a mental image, I should think of that next time I feel anxious in a crowd or church, that sure would relieve the pressure!

Waldo thanks for your wisdom it is much appreciated!

K.Denise I envy you, I have a real hard time sleeping away from my bed, even in a hotel room with my own family! For you to go on a retreat with 3 other women in a hotel room, wow, is all I can think of. I'd love to be able to do that one day and actually be able to sleep, I think I would just be up all night, tossing and turning!

Adamo, you sound like you have a generous heart. Are you young? Just curious, I used to feel like I gave so much more than I received that I actually tightened up on my generosity as I grew older. Now I feel a bit selfish because I hate giving and giving and others taking more and more, I feel like I get taken advantage of, so after the first 1 or 2 times if I feel like the giving isn't mutual I usually stop on my end. That may be the wrong way to go about things, because we should be giving freely from our hearts without any expectations but I find it hard to do that myself. I hope you can find a way to feel more appreciated, I think I do know how you feel!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:44 am

good morning everyone, I started to have panic attacks, they had gone away and then i had a blasphemous thought in church and i had a panic attack, so the next day when i was going to church as i was going i started to feel panicky. I started to feel the body symptoms and i couldn't be in church i had to leave. So now i'm scared that I wont ever be able to go to church again, and that makes me more anxious and I'm feeling very sad and depressed. At night i start to worry about me not going to church and i can't sleep and then i wake up and it's just horrible. I feel so miserable...

BronzeStar45 · Post by **BronzeStar45** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:03 am

I just started to go to church for the first time ever hoping it will help eleviate some anxiety. I purposefully picked a big church even though i hate crowds because then maybe no one would notice me if i did have a anxiety attack or something. Yesterday at church I freaked out a bit and had an anxiety attack but i let it pass and focused on what the pastor was saying and got through it. It's nice to see that I'm not alone in this feeling! I pray that I will be able to keep going and that it will help my anxiety instead of making it worse. nicamo, I know you can do it. I think if i were you I would try to go but remember that you can always leave if you have to. It will get better for all of us I have to believe.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:13 am

I agree with Collinsmom, it would be better to go, at least so you aren't completely shutting yourself out and making your anxiety worse or becoming housebound. Do what you can, at your comfort level, if you have to sit all the way in the back, or even stay outside in the foyer and listen.

I've been practicing some of the techniques from Power to Panic and they really do help, also I just ordered the AA & D coaching videos and looking forward to implementing them. I'm tired of all the anticipatory anxiety I get in different situations.

derfy · Post by **derfy** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:14 pm

Originally posted by Shifrah:
I was curious do other Christians have these types of issues:

+ not wanting to sit in the middle of the row or in the front of the congregation/having to sit in the aisle seat, sometimes arriving early to make sure you aren't enclosed in a row so you can't get out during the service.

+ sometimes feeling like you have to run out to the bathroom in the middle of the sermon, and counting the minutes until the end, not wanting to leave in the middle in front of everyone.

+ not wanting to pray out loud or publicly in front of others

+ not wanting to join a small group or other prayer groups because you feel uncomfortable and anxious talking/praying in front of others or having to get up to use the bathroom several times

+ feeling like a 'bad Christian' because of your anxieties/inhibitions about all of the above.

Family expects a lot of me (attend twice a week, one hr ea. session, and go to all social events, which are like once a wk). What they don't know are the symptoms of my anxiety, namely in social situations. Sounds sad, but I'm only attending b/c they provide monetary support. I'm only 19 going on 20 but I am not established yet, trying to transfer to four-year university. It panics me to death.