9/29/09
I am just beginning to read your book "Psychology
Debunked," and am finding it biblical and insightful. You are partaking in a
vital ministry to the body and the world. Keep it up. God Bless you.
I am on the mend since my last correspondence to you. No more panic attacks,
just re-occurring bouts of mild to moderate anxiety. But I know the Lord is not
distant, He is at work in this sinner! Praise His Mercy!!!!!
My history in a nutshell:
1. tough year: new baby (now have 3 kids), bought house, run my own business,
mom diagnosed with benign brain tumour (via MRI and MRA and several MD interps
of the imaging) which was found to be cause of sudden significant short term
memory loss forcing her to retire early as vice principal and educator at age
57. Involved in a church plant, etc.
2. while at work, about 6 months ago, had a single, 30 second episode of classic
panic attack.
3. weeks later, thought I could "feel" my heart beat.
4. took blood pressure = normal
5. heart rate = slightly elevated 70 to 100 bpm, normal for me is in sixties
6. I exercise 4 to 6 times per week. Am 34 year old chiropractor, eat well, no
smoke or excessive drink nor any family history of heart disease.
7. Kept "feeling" my heart beat. Went to MD who took heart rate, pressure and
EKG and sent me for blood work. All normal.
8. Awoke at 5 AM one morning due to elevated heart rate, pain in arm, numb lips
and shortness of breath. Called ambulance.
9. Ambulance EMT took an on-the-spot blood pressure, O2 Sat. and EKG. All
normal.
10. ER physician took chest x-rays, blood work, EKG and O2 sat's were monitored.
All normal.
11. Few days later I was given an echocardiogram (ultrasound image that "films"
heart while it beats, looking for abnormal wall thickness, aneurysms, etc) = All
normal.
12. The ER physician, my General Practioner and all my friends involved in
cardiac field say same thing: anxiety/panic disorder.
13. My MD prescribed valium and cognitive behavioural therapy. Says it's genetic
and brain chemistry induced. Those very words from his lips almost gave me an
instant panic attack!
14. I thought my mind was "broken" from years of being a "worry wort," something
my wife kept telling me: "you worry too much, about everything, trust God!!"
Guess it finally caught up with me.
15. A few weeks ago, while on vacation, I started getting anxious and a fatal
thought entered my mind: "I CAN'T stop this. It IS an unmanageable condition!"
And entered an anxiety/panic cycle that nearly made me feel suicidal. That's
when I cried out to God to really get serious about saving me from this. And
that is when things began to turn around.
I have read, memorized, clung to and relied on many, many Scriptures since this
incident. And I have had hours and days when I feel 100% recovered. Praise Him!
I still am prone to slipping into old thinking habits and oops, the anxiety
starts to come back. God is re-training my mind, heart, soul and spirit. Praise
Him!
I firmly believe there is a strong spiritual component to anxiety. In the sense
that I believe the enemy can attack and bring on or strongly tempt us towards
panic, fear and anxiety. There is no way a person can have a "disease" or
"condition" that prevents them from obeying the most fundamental command of a
Christian: the fruit of the spirit, namely peace and joy.
Thank you for your work, ministry and devotion. It is a true life saver.
--
Jesus said to him, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, and with all your mind.'
- Matthew 22:37
