Understanding Anxiety and Worry

Tag lines: Fear, Uncertainty, Worry, Faith, Anxiety

Alice Delaney, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.A.

05 October 2025

Understanding Anxiety and Worry

“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your comforts delight my soul.” – Amplified (AMP)

“When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up.” – The Message Bible (MSG) -Psalms 94:19

This is a subject that is near to my heart because until very recently, I had not known that I suffered from anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember. Looking back, it started as early as six years old when I worried incessantly that I would say something or do something to invoke my father’s anger. I desperately wanted to please him, and equally, I wanted not to be seen by him when he was angry. My young mind was saturated with behaving appropriately for the moment it called for. Fast forward to elementary school, when I was so fearful of not exacting my letters because if the cursive letters did not match the illustration on the chalkboard, the teacher would smack my hands with a ruler. When my parents separated when I was 12 years old, and we moved to another state, I feared going to class because of the bully who would take my lunch and stalk me home, pulling up my dress as the other students laughed. In middle school, I was taunted because of my weight (another stressful point) and intelligence (I loved to read because, in doing so, I could escape my disappointment, fear, and anger toward people), and I was beaten up in the shower/locker room as we changed into gym clothes. The abuse continued throughout dating and eventually found its way into my marriage. By then, 24 years later, I had become one nervous wreck. I lived to please people and learned to avoid those who were challenging and harsh in their speech. My confidence was easily shaken, and although I appeared to have it all together on the outside, internally, I was drowning in worry, fear, and uncertainty.

I worried about my appearance, my performance, my grades, my personality, and even my mind. I wondered why “everyone disliked me,” and eventually I began to dislike myself. I was in a constant storm, yet folks would see me as a ray of sunshine, and now I understand that this was because I was so agreeable to everyone and everything. I rarely said no.

But as God would have it, He knew, although I didn’t, that He had a plan to bring me out of this constant state of fear. It started with prayer, as I fearfully hoped that my husband wouldn’t do me harm when he came home. That prayer gave me the courage to leave the marriage, and although there were many delays in my doing so (another story for another day), it was the beginning of my reliance on God. Over time, God helped me to understand that he has people in place to help me with understanding and eventually treating the anxiety.

Both fear and anxiety evoke physiological responses and emotional responses that can be debilitating in their severest forms. Drawing from the work of Amy Simpson’s book, “Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry,” she describes the following:

“People with anxiety disorders may experience panic attacks and an overwhelming urge to flee because their threat-response system is stuck and their bodies believe they are in imminent danger” [increased heart rate, shortness of breath, chest constriction, increased blood pressure] …. Still, when there is no present danger, this response is unnecessary and is life-altering. For some people…it may be tied to a particular trigger, such as worry over a specific situation (e.g., finding suitable employment), and for others it may be triggered by an incident such as a traumatic event.”

She goes on to say that “many Christians consider anxiety disorders, and other mental illnesses, signs of weakness or self-indulgence that should be condemned.”

But as we can determine from the psalmist, God is aware of our anxious states and does not look at mental illness as a sign of weakness or something to be stigmatized. In fact, His comforts (notice that comforts are plural, meaning that he can use more than one source) delight our souls, calm us, and cheer us up. But not necessarily in lieu of seeking guidance and professional care when needed.

As Amy so compassionately notes, “Despite what some may suggest, your anxiety disorder is not your fault, and the answer is not as simple as 'pray more' or 'have more faith’, You need help from a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist who can help you identify the errors in your mind and body that are causing your symptoms.”

Each day, I am mindful of the need to take care of my mental health. Today, I am more confident in saying no. I am better able to foresee my stress building up and take time to decompress, I am more open to medication when I am unable to manage on my own, and equally as important, I remind myself of God’s promise to keep my mind in peace when I trust my mind to Him.

If you or someone you know desires support in this area, contact drdelaney@picie-consult.org or visit us at www.loverofmysoulministries.org

References:

¹  Amy Simpson (2014) Anxious: Choosing faith in a world of worry. IVP

Dr. Alice Delaney

Clinical Pastoral Counselor

Certified Temperament Counselor

Certified Life Coach

Founder and Director of Pathways Institute for Crisis Intervention and Education, Inc. www.picie-consult.org

Creator and Ministerial Servant of Lover of My Soul Ministries www.loverofmysoulministries.org