Parenting Tips: How To Help Young Adults With Anxiety

Have you ever received a text from your young adult saying, “Anxiety really bad this morning. Going to class late.” How do we respond to these words when our child is away from home? The feelings associated with not being able to help or be with them are far from fun. I have wanted to pack my bag, jump in the car, or plane, and go make everything better. How about you? It’s hard, isn’t it? I’ve learned to slow down in the moment, get quiet, remember the promises God has given me about my child, and text my close friends for prayer support.

When my child sent an uneasy feeling kind of text, I encouraged them to do their best to get quiet, turn on some worship music, pray, and allow God to take away the stress and anxiety. I let them know that God is always there, waiting with open arms to comfort and meet all their needs.

By grace, I’ve been able to choose trust in God’s ability to meet my child’s needs in every way. I intentionally thank Him throughout the day for making Himself known to them. It’s gotten a little easier over time because I’ve been a witness to the other side of their anxious moments. He is always faithful.

I’ve realized I must give my children the freedom to choose Jesus and press into Him. I can provide encouragement and tools, but I cannot save them or become their savior. Jesus does a much better job at this; and for that I am grateful.

I read an article recently on how anxiety, fear, and stress impact the brain. The amygdala, an almond-shaped section in the back of our brain, is responsible for a chemical response when negative feelings occur. A simple way to combat these uncomfortable feelings such as anxiety or stress is to breathe deep, practice meditation, and gratitude. 

Meditation will help calm and shrink the amygdala. Deep breathing will help supply more oxygen to the brain, and gratitude will shift thoughts away from the chemical reaction in the amygdala and move us toward the prefrontal cortex. The PFC is where we can think clearly, be creative, and make good judgments about our circumstances. 

The amygdala lives in the back part of the brain and is activated during fight, flight, freeze, or appease moments. Slowing down and taking time to develop a consistent habit of deep breathing and meditation will improve mental health. The benefits of adopting these practices will heighten your emotional intelligence and lessen your emotional response. In other words, you can choose to instill a steadiness or calm into your reply or being. Secondly, you gain more mental clarity. Third, you become more self-aware, and your empathy increases. Lastly, your attention span grows giving you the ability to stay attuned and present.

“I leave the gift of peace with you, my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts; instead, be courageous!” ~ John 14:27

God has instructed us to meditate for a very good reason, like those stated above. He nailed this anxiety thing thousands of years ago. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. He has provided much encouragement through the scriptures, particularly the Psalms. Find the ones that speak to your heart and pray through them, until they become part of your DNA—teach your children to do the same for their anxious, stressful, or fearful moments.

God desires the Word to automatically bubble up inside us when anxiety rears its ugly head. Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. But then I realize that our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth” (TPT). There are many more examples of meditation in the Bible. Genesis 24:63 says, “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening.” The main reason God directs us toward meditating is to achieve peace. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).

All these verses point us toward obtaining peace in our mind, body, and soul. Peace from anxiety. Peace from fear. Peace from stress. God came to give us His peace. It is His gift to us. He tells us in John 14:27, “I leave the gift of peace with you, my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but My perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts; instead, be courageous!” (TPT). This brings such comfort to my soul, and I pray it brings just as much to yours.

What are you struggling with today? Fear? Anxiety? Dread? Will you ask God to pour over you (or your child) His warm and calming balm of peace? What scripture verse will you grab hold of for you or for your child?

For more info or other encouraging blogs, you can connect with Patti @ www.pattireed.net or join her weekly email list here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/hpQ0Lib/wiseinsights