Any advice on Panic Disorder?

I know that there's a lot that's been written about panic disorder as a prominent manifestation of anxiety...but I was wondering if there are any of you in our Sermon Index community who may have suffered from this. I have a son who is in his 30's who is struggling with it and I want so desperately to help him through it. I talk to him every morning on his way to work and we pray together and I try to encourage him...but it has been such a battle for him. He's a believer and is really discouraged that in spite of his diligent prayers and many tears that he hasn't found healing. I do my best to remind him of God's Word and His ways that are not ours, and promises in the Word that he needs to cling to. I've also shared many messages with him from SI too that I thought may be of help to him. Perhaps there may be some of you who have struggled with this and maybe able to offer some advice...I'd be grateful for any prayers and wisdom that you may share. I know that God is working in my son's life through this experience and in His time will show him deliverance, but in the meantime, I wish I could be more helpful.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Blessings to all of you!

Dear chadster,

I don't know if this will help but I have had panic attacks and have also been bound by fear.

The panic attacks ended when I realized that everything was so far out of my control that I "had to" leave everything in God's hands. He was literally (as He is in all things) the only thing that kept me alive throughout the situation.

The fear - well - I was to the point that I wouldn't leave the house. Then this book arrived in the mail and I discovered that fear was a sin. Then I heard a sermon on how we need to pray and read our Bible [u]daily[/u]. And once I started doing that . . . GOD took over! Praise the LORD!

Interestingly, I am in the middle of listening to a sermon that may help

Overcoming the Voices of Fear - [i]Carter Conlon[/i]

I will pray for your son!

A few years ago suffered greatly from fears about being anywhere in public, and a sense of unreality. I would panic, and feel as though i was in my own little world.

The Lord showed me that He is greater than all my fears. If i did not know Christ, i feel as though i would fly apart at the seams. Trusting in the Lord, He delievered me.

I have had this as well.

I have found it to be a spiritual attack, and rebuking it seeems to work.(not trusting in the phrase "I rebuke you" but trusting in Jesus) You must know and believe that "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" and that "He has overcome the wicked one". If it still binds, ive had other saints pray for me. But you must must must believe that God is greater and that He WILL do it. Just as with anything else, you must believe that He really is that good and that He really will help in time of need. Faith is key.

"For he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him" Hebrews somewhere.

And I also wanted to add that fear is, indeed, a sin that we commit. But it starts with an idea that is planted in your head that is contrary to faith. If you give in to that thought, it will grow, and fester and become greater and greater until it turns into fear then panic. Just as with all evil thoughts, you must cut it off at the start... it is always easier to defeat it at the start. Have your son memorize these verses, i have found this to be a key of victory in almost every area of my life, including fear: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS (fear), casting down imaginations and every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinth 10:4-5

chadster wrote:
I know that there's a lot that's been written about panic disorder as a prominent manifestation of anxiety...but I was wondering if there are any of you in our Sermon Index community who may have suffered from this.

My wife is an anxiety sufferer, and I wonder firstly, has he been diagnosed by a doctor?Apparently anxiety is caused by excessive adrenaline build up. Something that my counsellor told me once, was that people often don't consider positive stress, when considering stress levels in their life.

This would lead into the next question, does he get much exercise? I ask because studies have shown that "all work and no play" will lead to a very stressed out little boy, and stress fuels anxiety.

I have a little phrase that will make for a good t-shirt print, one day: "If the only thing that will make the difference between you living and dying is antidepressants, then go see a shrink." Sure, in an ideal world, we wouldn't need it, but we also wouldn't need paracetamol and chemotherapy, but reality is, we are human beings with God given bodies that break down.

The same theory applies to the clinically anxious, except xanax could be the temporary solution. I remember watching an episode of the West Wing, and the guy who played the Chief of Staff, was having a chat with the First Lady about her taking Xanax. He had a history of tranquilizer abuse, and was warning her that medication wasn't the answer. I can remember her reply well, but I just Googled for it, because it was put beautifully well:

"You know what this lifestyle does to the body? The minute your system senses stress, it releases a hormone that constricts blood vessels, contracts the heart muscles, stimulates the adrenal gland. You stay in this state for not a hundredth of the time that you and I have existed like this, and the vessels begin to shred.... Relieving those conditions is the one responsible course of action I can take."

You wanna hear some practical advice, stop for a break, and go for a walk every now and again. The fourth commandment is there for a reason.

Dear Brother Aaron,

With the love of Christ in my heart, count how many things you have noted as the solution without even one of them being God?

(edit) Forgive me Aaron . . . me and my mouth.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

[size=xx-small][b]Oh LORD I believe; help thou mine unbelief!!![/size][/b]

sermonindex wrote:
Prolonged Prayer, Prevailing Prayer, Powerful Prayer.

This is the only soltion.

Not trying to single you out, Greg, but chose you because it best summarises the point. Do you guys ever go to see a doctor, when your sick, or do you just sit there and say, "God will heal me, I don't need to go"? I'm sure that you could see the foolishness in such a statement, as it borders on "putting the Lord God to the test", which Scripture admonishes us not to do.

My comments were not in any way to take away from any of the great advice that had already been given, but to emphasise the neglected physical element (hence my reference to Gnosticism). Fact is, anxiety is a physical condition as much as an emotional one. We must take care of His temple, and if we don't presently have the faith to be healed, then perhaps medication could be an temporary solution.

I'm sorry if I'm passionate about this, but it is attitudes regarding mental health, within the church, that was the major contributor of my wife avoiding receiving treatment for the biological aspect of her condition, for fear of what Christians would say if they found out. It really is a form of arrogance to deny treatment if it is needed, and the old "joke" about the guy who drowned because the Lord sent a helicopter and ship to save him, instead of coming down from heaven to do it Himself. comes to mind.

Scripture says that, that which is not of faith is sin. Sadly there are many who are working up their own "human trust" when they should be believing God for supernatural faith, while not expecting Him to answer their prayers on their own terms.

If you don't agree with what I am saying, then go and tell all the diabetics to throw out their insulin, and empty your homes of all your aspirin, because that is just as much a drug as something like xanax or an antidepressant.

I once heard David Hogan say something to the effect of, "You better know that you have a word from God before you go around trying to tell someone that their healed, because I have thrown out countless pairs of glasses because of someone telling me that 'God would heal me' if I did."

HeartSong wrote:
Notice that He says [b][size=x-small][color=0066CC]ALL THINGS![/color][/size][/b]

[size=xx-small][b]Oh LORD I believe; help thou mine unbelief!!![/size][/b]

Dear Paul,

I read this today:

"I went in and put my hands upon him, and said, 'Martin.' He just breathed slightly, and whispered, 'The doctor said that if I move from this postition I will never move again.' I asked him 'Do you know the scripture that says God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever?' He said 'Shall I get up?' I said, 'No.'"

Then I layed my hands on him in name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, and immediately the glory of the Lord filled the room, and I fell on the floor. I did not see what took place on the bed, or in the room, but this young man began to shout, "Glory! Glory! For thy glory, Lord!" and he stood before me perfectly healed. He went to the door and opened it up and his father stood there. He said, "Father, the Lord has raised me up!" and the father fell to the floor and cried for salvation. And his sister was that day brought out of the asylum perfectly healed the moment the power of God hit that house."

- Smith Wigglesworth

PaulWest wrote:
... I asked him 'Do you know the scripture that says God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever?' He said 'Shall I get up?' I said, 'No.'" ...

Oh how this verse has been used mightily in my own life. Whenever I forget that He is meant to be doing the work, this one always brings me home.

Note the preceding words, "Thought my flesh and my heart faileth.." Is there any onther place of salvation, but at the end of the rope?

Thank you, Paul.