Breaking Anxiety's Grip with Dr. Michelle Bengston

Do you ever struggle with anxiety and thoughts that just spin out of control? Today we're going to hear from someone who is an expert in the field of anxiety and depression. Please welcome my very special guest on the podcast,  Dr. Michelle Bengston. She's a clinical  neuropsychologist, speaker, author,  coach, and she hosts her very own podcast, "Your Hope Filled Perspective." And she understands anxiety and depression from personal experience. 

Dr. Michelle - I've been a board certified clinical neuropsychologist for over 30 years now. The field has changed a lot since I got into it. But what I've had the pleasure of doing is walking alongside patients who have had any kind of brain dysfunction, whether we're talking ADHD or learning disabilities, depression, anxiety after they've had a stroke or a head injury, or even in the senior years when  there's a question of, are we dealing with dementia or  are we dealing with depression? So it's been my pleasure to evaluate patients, figure out what's going on with their brain functioning, and then get them on the path to optimal wellness. In terms of their cognitive health.  that's given me the opportunity also to speak into their lives in terms of things like stress management. Where are your thoughts and what are you focusing on and how does that impact for better or for worse your daily functioning? 

Anxiety has gotten more pervasive over time. Because 30 years ago, when we didn't have the internet, which could relay the news in a split second or be there live, we had to wait until the six o'clock or 11 o'clock news. And if we missed it, we missed what was going on in the world and we'd have to catch  it the next day in the headlines. Today is  so in our face and it's in our face when we don't get together or go to the event that all of our friends are and then they post online. And then we've got this angst about the fact that we weren't there, but we had other things that we needed to do. So, this has increased the anxiety.

Anxiety has not only increased, but it has  across the age span, whereas we didn't used to see it in the elderly, nearly as much or in our young children. Now we're diagnosing it earlier and earlier. Pseudo increased social connectedness because of social media that doesn't really build that innate longing that we have for social interaction and the older our  seniors are living, the less social  interaction they're getting. And I think that's contributing to their anxiety, the fear of loneliness, fear of how I'm going to live out my last days, fear of what diagnoses I'm going to be.

Anxiety often does run in families, just like depression does or many other mental health disorders. But it's not all because there's a genetic component. There  is a genetic component. And we can see from the  research that if you have a 1st degree family member, like a parent who has struggled with depression or anxiety, there is an increased likelihood that that you will contend with depression or anxiety, but it's not just because of the genetic link.  There's also the factor of modeling. 

Some people are more predisposed, predisposed to anxiety, to worry, to get anxious, to become fearful. But it's not a weakness. God knew that we would struggle with this because his number one command in scripture is do not worry. Do not be afraid. Be anxious for nothing. It's in the Bible over 300 times. And I thank God who created us.  So  he wasn't chastising us, but he was saying, hold on just a second, don't go down that path.

Dr. Vickie - I love the beauty of your background in neurobiology and how that has obviously impacted your faith and your faith has impacted. Your professional life with that background in neurobiology and in lifestyle medicine,  the component of gratitude, the power of that is widely recognized in people who are believers in Christianity and people who are members of other faiths. There is no question about the benefit of gratitude. 

Dr. Michelle: Anxiety rewires our brain. We can get stuck in a rut, going down a certain  path,  being a complainer, for example,  are always seeing the negative of a situation.

But when we will stop in the middle of that, And we will think, no,  can I look at this differently? And we can look at it through a lens of gratitude. It actually does rewire the brain. And the more we do  that, the more that becomes our  lifestyle and the more we reap the benefits from it. That's why scripture tells us to take every thought captive.  can't afford to just think and not pay attention to what we're thinking because scripture says that out of. The heart, the mouth speaks  and scripture also says that our  words have the power of life or death.  That's a lot of power. So we have to be observant and pay attention to what it is that we're thinking  then determine whether or not that aligns with the word of God or someplace else.  

Anxiety is really a misappropriation of our attentional resources. Now, what do I mean by that? When we become anxious, we're focusing on what we lack or our perceived lack instead of focusing on God and the fact that he promises his mercies are new every morning. He promises he will be our provider.  And when we fall into the trap of worry,  fear and anxiety, it's usually  because we're forecasting a future that doesn't have God in it. So one of the biggest things that I can recommend  trust,  specifically trusting in God. Now, what does that look like? I developed a trust acronym because it was.  At a time when I was really struggling with anxiety that I needed to get a handle on this. And as I was praying about it, I felt like God really impressed upon my  heart.  Michelle, if you don't trust me in the small things, you  don't trust me at all.  was kind of a wake up call. I'm like, but I do trust you. And he's like,  you?  if you really trusted me, you wouldn't worry. You would know that I've got this handled. So the trust acronym is

T to take God at his word. We either trust that the word of God is true, or we don't.  And if we don't, then we've got nothing to stand on  when those situations arise that tempt us to become  worried, fearful, or anxious. 

R is rest in God's presence  his promises.  has never gone back on a promise. Yet, and we can rest that his promises are yes and amen and trust that he's going to bring them about 

U -understand  that the outcome doesn't depend on  us. Those  of us who tend to be driven and somewhat type A and we like to be in control, we have the misconception that if we do everything in our power, then the outcome that we want is going to happen. When in actuality, God doesn't hold us responsible for the outcome as long as we're obedient to him. So if I will do what I know God has called me to do, then Then I can trust that the ultimate  outcome is his responsibility, and that  takes a huge weight.

S is accept that God is sovereign. Either he's in control or he's not.  if he's in control, then we don't need to worry or fear. And then the last T is turn to the testimony of previous experiences. I've gone through a lot of difficult circumstances in my life.   But when I look back, I realize   that I made it through every difficult circumstance a hundred percent of the time. So if God has been faithful through every other difficult circumstance,  would I not trust that he's going to continue to be faithful to get me through what I am or will go through?

T is taking God at his word, resting in his presence and his promises. Understanding   that the outcome doesn't depend on us except   that God is sovereign and then remember the testimony of previous experiences.  we will put that into practice,  will do so much towards lessening our worry, fear and anxiety, and we'll be more aware when that starts to crop up. So we can either decide in the moment, yeah, I'm going to go ahead and worry about that, or I'm going to trust that God's going to get me through it.  

Dr. Michelle Bengston

Website includes links to: 

Your Hope Filled Perspective Podcast

Sacred Scars

Hem of His Garment. 

Today is going to be a good day

Breaking Anxiety's Grip

Hope Prevails Book, Bible Study, and Bible Study Resources