ANXIETY

I've been diagnosed with clinical depression & a chronic anxiety disorder. This information from Reader's Digest (July/Aug 2021), may be helpful, if you suspect you suffer from an anxiety disorder.

"Despite the fact that chronic anxiety is very manageable with some combination of medication, therapy, & lifestyle adjustments, only about 37% of affected people receive treatment of any kind. The rest try to battle their anxiety from within or suppress it . . . Here are some tips to help minimize anxiety's negative effects:

 

1. Accept it. If you accept anxiety as part of life & part of everyone's lived experience, you can learn to relate to it with self-compassion & even with humor.

2. Be curious about it. Along with acceptance, a mindfulness approach to anxiety can be useful, especially when you're cycling through anxious thoughts & unable to think clearly or rationally.

3. Make lifestyle adjustments. Learning to live with anxiety is an individual process that requires trial & error to get just right. While acceptance is the first & most important step, some lifestyle changes have been proved to take the edge off as well. Since fatigue & increased stress leave us more vulnerable to anxiety, a well-balanced diet, adequate rest, &, above all, exercise can help us manage it better. One research study showed that regular vigorous workouts reduced the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder over the next 5 years by 25%.

Also, medication can help. Many people avoid even looking into medication for anxiety because of the stigma associated with psychiatric drugs. Those with anxiety may worry that they'll become dependent on the drugs or that loved ones will see them as weak or flawed. But the fact is, modern pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders are safer & produce fewer side effects than they did 30 years ago. At the same time, attitudes toward mental illness are improving. A 2019 survey by the APA found that 87% of adults agreed that having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of."

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO

Tomorrow is our bi-weekly Grace Men's Breakfast Bible Study at 1st Choice. We're joined by men from other congregations. Pastor Asbury, our associate pastor at Grace, usually leads, but he'll be absent tomorrow, so I'll be leading the Bible study. We're working our way through the Gospel of John. Please pray for me. Also, did I mention it's a "Breakfast" Bible Study?

My brother Mark & sister-in-law Christy will be here on WED. They're heading to Beatrice on FRI for a visit with my sister Carolyn & brother-in-law Matt. We'll join them on SAT for--I hope--Matt's world-famous smoked ribs. Oh, & if you're reading this, Mark & Christy, rest assured. You don't need to bring your own toilet paper. We're all stocked up.

Yesterday we had our weekly Zoom call with Lois' siblings. We discussed plans for Lois' Sibling Bash in Sedona, AZ, next month. COMING SOON! Sibling Bash Rules! Plans seems to be falling into place, & we're really looking forward to it. We'll also be visiting national parks in Utah & Arizona, & we'll spend a night with our niece Jocelyn, who lives in a suburb of Denver.

DEPT. OF SHAMELESS JOKE-STEALING *

* Compliments of Reader's Digest, July/Aug 2021

"I don't want a whole dessert; let's just get two spoons." - Former friends of mine

"The most cutting thing you can say is, 'Who's this clown?' because it implies they're (a) a clown & (b) not even one of the better-known clowns."

"Sometimes I want kids just so I can eat fish sticks for dinner."

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NORTH DAKOTA

"North Dakota's 'Flying Farmer' wrecks car during daredevil stunt." Fox News

. . . WASHINGTON

"Washington school bans pro-police flag, claims it's 'political,' but permits BLM & LGBT messages." Fox News

OUR FRIENDS THE TALIBAN

"Taliban hang bodies in four city squares." Drudge Report

"Taliban warn barbers in one province not to trim beards, report says." Fox News. At least our president is confident of their professionalism. Too bad there are no women on their ruling council.

CRIMINAL MINDS

"Maine woman allegedly calls in bomb threats to get boyfriend out of work." Fox News

TRENDING *

* Compliments of Babylon Bee

"Study finds horse unemployment has risen 900% under Biden administration." 

"Lockdown deemed a success as everyone is now so obese they can't fit out their doors."

"Border Patrol ordered to chase immigrants with segways & pool noodles."

"AOC argues that an Iron Dome over an entire country would be completely impractical, would block out the sun."