One moment, everything seems normal.
The next, you can’t breathe, your heart is pounding, and your hands are sweaty. You don’t know what’s happening, but you do know you’re rapidly losing control.
Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever had this happen, chances are you have had an anxiety attack. There are several theories as to what may trigger one of these scary episodes. However, there is reason to believe that many anxiety attacks have spiritual causes. In these cases, in order for treatment to be effective, it must address the deeper reasons behind the experience.
The following information will be helpful for anyone looking for more effective ways to deal with anxiety. When you find the spiritual root of your panic attacks, you’ll be much closer to genuine healing.
What Most People Think About Anxiety
In psychiatric terms, anxiety is defined as “a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension.” Indeed, this is what most people think of when they hear the word. While this gives us a starting point for understanding anxiety, it only scratches the surface of what it actually is.
So before we talk about the spiritual causes of anxiety attacks, let’s go a little deeper into the science. Anxiety is used as an umbrella concept for at least seven different disorders. They include:
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Selective Mutism
- Specific Phobia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Panic Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Though panic attacks are common to all anxiety disorders, each one has its own unique triggers. There is one common thread that links them all: fear. While psychologists explain this fear as a malfunction of the “fight or flight” response, it can actually go much deeper.
Anxiety Attacks: The Spiritual Causes Most Common Today
Fear – the link between all types of anxiety – has emotional, physical, and mental manifestations, but at root, it’s spiritual. Essentially, we become afraid when we feel disconnected from the Universe. Fear is a result of the belief that we are separate from God. That belief takes us out of reach of our own intuitive knowing.
Unfortunately, today’s world doesn’t do much to alleviate fear. To the contrary, it creates and sometimes even capitalizes on it. Media and industry can cause us to constantly question our life choices and inherent worth.
Questions that aggravate the spiritual cause of anxiety attacks include many examples. Will I find the right life partner? Am I on the right career path? Am I smart enough? Will I ever be able to live my dreams, or will I die before I get the chance to realize them? What am I doing wrong in life? Why can’t I seem to get ahead?
The list could go on forever. Before long, this questioning can generate enough fear to create chronic stress, anxiety, and panic attacks.
Trade Panic Attacks for Spiritual Awakening
There are innumerable situations that can cut our connection with Source and exacerbate fear, the main spiritual reason for anxiety. Luckily, there are also ways to counteract this influence and come back into alignment with our highest selves.
When people learn the spiritual life lesson that helps them overcome separation, fear and anxiety naturally fade away. Identify how this lesson has been showing up in your life, and start a spiritual journey toward lasting inner peace.
Need some help getting started? Take our quiz to get a better idea of where your path to peace begins.