Does fear have you paralyzed?
You may be familiar with the term “fight or flight.” It is a term used to describe what you do when faced with danger.
You either stand and fight or you run for your life.
Well, there is another response that you may not have heard of: fright. This can occur when you don’t stand to fight or run to escape. You may freeze, unable to move, paralyzed with fear. Watch this 3 minute video.
Have you seen this acronym?
E (evidence)
A (appearing)
R (real)
You may be afraid of something that happened in the past that can no longer harm you; yet, the feelings of fear are very real. Your mind may tell you there is nothing to be afraid of; but your heart believes a lie. The lie is that you are still in danger. If you don’t put up a wall of protection, you will be hurt.
Fear does not come from God.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7
Do you have anxiety attacks?
Do you know anxiety attacks (often called panic attacks) can occur due to uncontrolled fear?
To help you right now, there is a simple grounding technique to use when you feel an attack coming. Using the senses you will choose one and focus on what you are feeling, or seeing, or smelling, or hearing, or tasting. Then find five things.
Example: Pick 5 things you feel.
I feel the floor under my feet. I feel the chair under my body. I feel my shirt against my skin. I feel my shoes on my feet. I feel my hands resting on the chair.Then find 5 things you see, then 5 things you smell, then 5 things you hear and then 5 things you taste.
Then find 4 things from each sense, then 3 things each, then 2 things each and finally 1 thing each.
The object is to focus on your senses in an organized fashion until the panic dissipates. Be diligent and hopeful, most people only make it to 3 before they are calm and in control again.
Triggers
Do you know anxiety attacks can be “triggered” because of memories that have yet to be healed?
A trigger is something that causes an emotional response that is out of proportion to the actual event occurring now.
Example: I am running late and I begin to get very tense, upset, and fearful. I explode at my husband when I get home at any comment he makes. This reaction occurs because my father used to abuse my mother when she was late or took longer than he expected her to take when running an errand. The fear is real. The anger is real. The memory is real. The reaction and behavior is inappropriate to the situation. The current circumstance does not put me in danger, but the memory “triggers” the feelings that have yet to be healed.
A trigger can be something you see, hear, feel, smell, or taste. It elicits the feelings from the abusive memory.
Please know you have a choice.
You can choose to remain paralyzed in fear; unable to move forward in any area of your life.
You can choose to just use the grounding technique and “manage” your attacks.
OR… You can choose Jesus
You can choose to trust in One who promises to never leave you, nor forsake you. One who died to set you free from bondage. One who knows everything you have been through.
Do you want to be set free from fear, anxiety, and paralytic reactions to life? Do you want to replace the lie of fear in your heart with the truth?
A Story of Freedom
Janet Chiefari (founder of CAMEO Ministries) suffered from severe anxiety attacks for years. They completely disrupted her life. She has been set free from these attacks for many, many years. God has healed Janet from anxiety and so much more. To read more about Janet’s story and God’s work in her life, consider reading Janet’s testimony in her book I Don’t Want To Remember.