Anxiety and praying

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Greenfields

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Why is it more difficult to pray when feeling extreme anxiety?
I can say ‘Jesus I trust in You’,pray the Rosary as much as I can but become distracted by what is causing the worry,pray simple prayers but need others to help me pray.My friend also
finds this when distraught.Is it common?
What are the most direct and simple prayers you find are best if you’ve been in that situation?I
I wear St Theresa’s relic at those times too,and glance up at Jesus picture and ask his help
 
If you are trying to pray without the distraction of the anxiety, try asking Jesus to “hold” your worries and anxiety for you while you pray. This often works for me.
 
I often pray “Lord I believe, help my unbelief” when I am struggling to focus
 
Greenfields said:
Why is it more difficult to pray when feeling extreme anxiety?
I can say ‘Jesus I trust in You’,pray the Rosary as much as I can but become distracted by what is causing the worry,pray simple prayers but need others to help me pray.My friend also
finds this when distraught.Is it common?
What are the most direct and simple prayers you find are best if you’ve been in that situation?I
I wear St Theresa’s relic at those times too,and glance up at Jesus picture and ask his help
Click to expand...
Hi Greenfields,

I offer my distractions at those times, too.

I’ll also pray short prayers, like “Jesus, help me,” or “Jesus, save me,” or “Lord, have mercy on me.” I’ll pray those kinds of short, ejaculatory prayers.
 
I think the suggestions in this thread are good. I just wanted to note that for some of us, praying actually helps reduce anxiety. I am a lifelong anxiety sufferer and doing repetitive Rosary or chaplet prayers helps calm me down. Some other people I know find reading Scripture to be calming. Just find the prayer style that works for you.
 
Like others I add the quick prayers, then work at resuming my prayers. Depending on what is causing my anxiety or worry, I may then pray asking for :
  • blessings upon the person/s causing the worry.
  • the situation to be resolved.
  • forgiveness for having offered the worry and then taking “it back off the altar” before
    re-offering it.
  • protection against the enemy and everything I need to battle on.
None of the above are easy, but many Saints had similar distraction problems, so I follow their lead which is recognise that it is the enemy, not feel guilty, accept that I am so very fallible, trust in God and keep going.
 
A person can take slow deep breaths and picture their self breathing in the Light of Christ, and then breathing out His Love on everyone.
 
If there is anything in particular that is causing the anxiety cast it upon Him as a part of your prayer. Tell Him what is bothering you then let it go! If it is just a feeling of anxiety say “Jesus I trust in you” then let it go. If it is the enemy trying to make up give up your rosary or prayer then just ignore it and go on. In all relationships we have different moods we can be in. The most important thing is to be faithful no matter how we feel. We may not feel like praying our rosary and it infact might be a very dull prayer that day but you never know what that act of faith despite feelings can accomplish! Just remember the Lord loves you despite your moods and in our moods! 😉
 
When I cannot pray because of my worries and anxiety, I give up on formal prayers and just pour out my heart to God. I run through my list of worries, everything that’s circling through my head and keeping me from thinking about anything else. I cry out for help, I whine, I complain, I literally cry, I tell Him my angers and frustrations, I go on and on and on…

Honestly, prayer is placing ourselves in the presence of God – not a recitation of words that have no meaning to us in the moment. And if we are filled with anxiety, who better to seek help from than our loving Father?!

Talk with Him as a child in need of a parent’s love and attention. He’ll be there for you. ❤️
 
Gertabelle said:
When I cannot pray because of my worries and anxiety, I give up on formal prayers and just pour out my heart to God. I run through my list of worries, everything that’s circling through my head and keeping me from thinking about anything else. I cry out for help, I whine, I complain, I literally cry, I tell Him my angers and frustrations, I go on and on and on…

Honestly, prayer is placing ourselves in the presence of God – not a recitation of words that have no meaning to us in the moment. And if we are filled with anxiety, who better to seek help from than our loving Father?!

Talk with Him as a child in need of a parent’s love and attention. He’ll be there for you. ❤️
Click to expand...
I knit silently. it becomes a prayer of great need… our bodies feel the anxiety of our minds. Used to cut the lawn when things got really bad. It helped hugely.
 
I have pretty bad anxiety and praying can be really hard for me. When you are in an anxious state your “fight or flight” mode is turned on which is why concentrating is so hard. Try doing breathing exercises. Breathe in for 8 seconds hold for 4 and then breath out for 8 and then hold for 4. This is what my therapist taught me in the past. It works pretty well. Give it a few repetitions before you give up. God is patient with us. He know what we are going through. So if you can’t pray, offer up your desire to pray and your suffering, he won’t hold his graces back. He loves you so much. 😃
 
Thank you all so very much for sharing your ways of praying when you’re under duress:)
 
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