Anxiety

<p>Good morning, Five Minute Families. Many of us spent time with family and friends this past weekend for the Labor Day holiday. In all of those gatherings, the likelihood is extremely high that someone was dealing with anxiety considering that about 1 in 5 people are dealing with a diagnosable anxiety disorder in America today. Today, we are going to talk about what a five-minute family can do to show the love of Christ to one another even in a time of increased anxiousness for one of the family members. </p><p>Why would this be a discussion for a Christian family? Well, unfortunately, there are people out there who do not recognize the importance of mental health and mental health issues. God commands us to love one another. He encourages us to encourage one another. He loves us through the difficult times as an example of how we are to love one another through tough times. Many websites have specific ways family members can help or simply cope with a loved ones anxiety. Please remember that your family member with anxiety does not want to experience the rapid heart rate, constant overthinking, possible nausea, sweating, and difficulty concentrating, to name just a few of the symptoms. </p><p>A blog at calm.com has numerous tips. These are the five we felt were of the highest priority and why.</p><p>1. Listen deeply and compassionately. James 1:19 tells us to “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” When we are listening to a loved one with anxiety, we need to practice being fully present, not merely trying to think of how we may respond, especially if we have been thinking about ways to correct their faulty thinking. </p><p>2. Be aware of your impact on your loved one. Your family member is facing an inner, constant bully and they are likely constantly telling themselves that they are always a burden. Reminding them that you enjoy being with them, even when they are anxious, can mean more than you can possibly imagine. One thing that the blog pointed out that is a very practical matt