I speak to thousands of women when I’m on the road during my travel season, and so many women stop by to have me sign their book and fall apart while they share that they are currently struggling with anxiety and depression.  Are you there too? In Becoming MomStrong, I talk about how we learn to take care of ourselves, #sothat we can take care of our families well.  This story is an example of just that.

One of our Busy Mom writers, Candace Crabtree of Mercy is New is here to share the “Five things the Helped Most with Anxiety and Depression” with us today.   It’s important to share that we are not doctors, and none of these tips are a substitute for medical treatment, should you feel the need for it.  But the Lord has given us tools as well, and I think you’ll be encouraged to hear Candace’s story.  I love how her tips all work together and include time in the Word – there isn’t one miracle fix! ~ Heidi

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

Twelve years ago I had three babies three years and under and I was a wreck. I was a total wreck both physically and emotionally. And I was pretty hopeless that life would ever be any different for me.

This season of my life became what would be one of the darkest, most difficult seasons I faced. But today, 12 years later, I can proclaim with great joy the faithfulness of our God and His goodness to me. Is life perfect now? No. Will we always continue facing stressful situations while here in this broken world? Yes. But now I have tools that I have learned first hand can help keep my anxiety and depression at bay so that I can live the abundant life that Christ came to give us.

After months of struggling at my lowest point of depression, my husband and I decided that we needed to do something. We visited my family doctor who recommended counseling and a psychiatrist. We consulted with all of them and have done long term counseling at various times over the last few years. All of them recommended anti-depressants. I was in a desperate place and went on medication and would stay on several of them for nearly 8 years.

Fast forward to the end of 2014. I was 35 or so pounds heavier, I was pre-diabetic and on medication for that, I was taking prescription sleep meds or Tylenol PM every single night, yet I was tired all the time, I was not ever my chipper self like I had been years ago. So, I decided to at least try and wean off of my meds with the help of my doctor. Weaning off of the medication was a horrible experience, but I persevered and by the grace of God successfully got off my anti-depressants. I was thankful for them for that season, but it was time to try something different.

At the same time I began seeking out natural help for my emotional issues. And in 2017, God began a transformation of my life that I cry about nearly every time someone asks me. And this is probably the most asked question I receive, “what are you doing to help your anxiety and depression?”

I’m glad you asked. God has been so gracious to help me this last 15 months. And it has become my great joy and passion to help other women on this same journey to find hope again. I want to share with you the things that are having the biggest impact on my life.

The 5 Things That Have Helped Me the Most with Anxiety & Depression

1. Cultivating gratitude & a mindset change. Grateful people are happy people. I lived most of my life thinking I wasn’t capable of change. Can anyone relate? “This is just the way I am” or “I’ve always been this way” or “I’m just a negative person.” I truly believed those lies of the enemy. It wasn’t until I began acknowledging lies as lies that my mind could begin new thought patterns. How do I know those are lies? Because God’s Word is full of the word “new.” God’s Word is full of passages telling us that we are NEW in Christ. God’s Word has story after story of amazing transformation. I highly encourage you to start a gratitude journal TODAY. Write down small blessings, big blessings…even things that don’t appear at first to be blessings. Watch your life begin to look different when you look through the lens of gratitude. I also suggest memorizing Philippians 4:8 and remembering that where we focus our thoughts determines our peace. We are to think about whatever is true, noble, lovely and right. How do I know what is true? By spending time in the Word of God! Reading it, praying it, memorizing it, meditating upon it, writing it. Whatever you have to do to get the Word IN.
2. Diet changes. Food is medicine. I might have laughed if you told me that a few years ago. For one, I didn’t think I was capable of making lifelong changes in how I ate. Two, I just plain would not have believed you. But, I am a living, walking, breathing proof that anyone can change their eating habits. You know how I did it?? I did it JUST long enough to realize how GOOD I was going to feel. And once I realized how good it felt to feel good and actually have energy, THAT is what motivated to keep going! Do I eat perfectly every day? No. But, I know my limits. I know a big plate of pancakes is going to make me feel yucky the next day so I skip it. All of our bodies are so different, you truly have to become your own advocate and start some trial and error with your own body! For me personally, eliminating most grains and processed sugars has been HUGE. Not eating as much processed food is another biggie. When I learned that I could actually feel better and have energy to live out this life God has blessed me with, that was motivation enough to keep it up.
3. Exercise. The other bad word among us feeling-hopeless-to-change people. I have never ever been able to stick with any type of exercise. Until 2017. I started the year with accountability as well as meeting friends to exercise WITH our kids. So I didn’t feel guilty about taking time away, my kids could play in the gym while I walked and jogged laps. I had good friends to talk with while we walked. I also added in strength training. Did you know there are studies showing strength training to be even more powerful than anti-depressants? Wow. It has proven pretty true for me. Adding in just some simple hand weights, wall-sits, planks and a jogging/walking intervals has been life changing for me. Don’t make it hard! Just get on Pinterest and search for “strength training with hand weights,” go to the store and get you a few small hand weights. Slowly, over time, you can add more weight. God made our bodies to move and they function so much better when we do so. You have to find something that works for YOU. For me, meeting friends helped me. For you, it might mean joining a gym.
4. Essential Oils. Did you know that your sense of smell is the ONLY sense that goes straight to the part of your brain called the amygdala? Guess what happens there? It’s like the storage bank for your emotions and memory. Do you have any memories triggered by smell? Most of us do. That is how and why essential oils work! Your sense of smell combined with the God-given properties of the oils distilled from God-made plants equals an amazing tool for our emotional wellness! For me personally, frankincense and orange oil have been hugely helpful in managing day-to-day anxiety. I have orange in my diffuser nearly daily, sometimes combined with other oils. All citrus oils are so good for mood lifting! And frankincense, well, they brought it to the Baby Jesus and my hunch is they actually brought it for Mary. You know, postpartum and all. I believe that if I had had frankincense 12 years ago my journey would have looked very different. I put a drop of frankincense in my face lotion very morning and then I put a drop on my thumb and press it to the roof of my mouth daily. You can also do this as needed in times of stress. { Side note: surrounding yourself with encouragement in all of these are huge. These essential oils were a bridge to better health for me because of the team that Heidi and I are on, led by a medical doctor, who encouraged clean eating and exercise along with essential oils. It had a huge impact on my entire year of transformation! There’s more on this at the end! }
5. Ningxia Red. Go and google the benefits of the wolf berry. Go ahead. I will wait right here. You probably found lists a mile long detailing the high level of zinc, magnesium, fiber, protein..and amazing benefits like immunity booster, support for every single system in your body: respiratory, cardiovascular, central nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system…all of them! I replaced my Starbucks and fast food habit (and all that money I was spending) and am now using this fruit juice supplement from Young Living to boost my wellness and help me manage stress!

I don’t believe there is any one easy answer to dealing with anxiety and depression. I think sometimes the combination of things that helps can also be different for everyone. I can only share my experience. But in sharing my story I want you to know that you are not alone. So many of us struggle! The percentage of American women on anti-depressants is staggering. And for me, it wasn’t helping me to live my best life to stay on the medications. I was still leading an often miserable life without much energy whatsoever.

So, dig in, friends. We can do this. We were made to do hard things. God is a God of REDEMPTION, RESTORATION, RENEWAL and TRANSFORMATION. He didn’t create you to leave you as you are…but to grow you more and more into His image to live out the abundant life that He gives us through Christ. We can better serve our families if we feel good. There is no selfishness in taking care of the temple of God. He resides in us!! He is alive in us! We have the power of the Holy Spirit helping and guiding us! Let us care for this gift we’ve been given so that we can better serve and love our people.

~ Candace

I am on a team with women like Candace, led by a physician, and we’re all learning how to effectively use essential oils to care for our families together. We’re in a closed group, exclusive to people who join our oily family on our team.  Check out my page about my favorite essential oils here.

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