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When we stimulate our minds with
an incessant barrage of loud, dis–
sonant noise, and with themes that
center on violence, crime and ínter–
personal tragedy, we voluntar ily
induce stress.
An Added Dimension
These physical techniques help
ameliorate physical problems. But
to completely eliminate hyper–
stress- and the (often) resultant
alcohol and drug abuse problems
hyperstress often causes- involves
changing t he basic way human
nature functions.
The Bible, for example, provides
much advice on stress, emotional
maturity and mental health.
"Anxiety in a man's heart
weighs him down, but a good word
makes him glad" ( Prov. 12:25,
Revised Standard Yersion through–
o ut) . What makes a person
"glad"-positive, optimistic, have a
constructive frame of mind? Indul–
gence in alcohol or drugs? No!
Coping with anxiety involves
developlng a constant, positive atti–
tude and approach to life. Helping
and encouraging others by your
thoughtful words and receiving sup–
port from others are impor tant.
"A cheerful heart is a good med–
icine, but a downcast spirit dries up
the bones" (Prov. 17:22) . The med–
icine we need is not a chemical!
It
is this outgoing, optimis tic ap–
proach to life and resultant interest
in others ' needs.
"A tranquil mind gives life to
the flesh, but passion [King J ames
Yersion: envy] makes t he bones
rot" (Prov. 14:30). Do drugs really
produce this "tranqui l" state of
mind- this general, continua! atti–
tude of contentment that gives " life
to the flesh"- that promotes a suc–
cessful , happy life? Hardly. As
Proverbs 12:25 and 17:22 showed,
the Bible is not suggesting chemi–
cal solutions to human problems
and stress. The answer is in one's
basic approach to life.
The Bible reveals that pursuing
one's own desires an d c reature
comforts will not make one happy.
J esus Christ summed it up: " It is
more blessed to give than to
receive" (Acts 20:35).
There it is! Preoccupation with
se/f
only contributes to the hyper-
May
1982
s tress that has caused or com–
pounded many of this world's prob–
lems.
Ultimately resolving hyperstress
and its concomitant evils, then, is a
matter of changing one's whole
life-style from its general pattern of
taking and selfis hness to a life-style
of giving, of service, of concern for
others equal to or greater than con–
cero for self!
Dr. Selye himself, asan endocri–
nologist, has frequently expressed
that hate causes s tress and love
el iminates it. He asks, " Jf everyone
loved his neighbor as himself, how
could there be any war, cr ime,
aggression or even tension among
people?"
P sycho logist Erich Fromm
notes: "Not he who has much is
r ich, but he who gives much. The
hoarder who is anxiously worried
about losing something is, psycho–
logically speaking, the poor, impov–
eri shed man, regardless of how
much he has."
In comparing the giving, loving
person to the selfish · person, Dr.
Fromm continues: " The selfish
person is interested only in himself,
wants everything for himself, feels
no pleasure in giving, but only in
taking. The world outside is looked
at only from the standpoint of what
he can get out of it."
But what the sel fi sh person does
not realize is that his own selfish–
ness is the root of his troubles. His
selfishness "leaves him empty and
frustrated. He is necessarily unhap–
py and anxiously concerned to
snatch from life the satisfactions
whi ch he blocks h imself from
attaining. "
In short, if we give instead of take,
our own problems and tensions van–
ish. Strange? It shouldn't be.
As we live in this way of giving,
debilitating s tress
wi/1
diminish–
even disappear- from our lives.
T hen we can , as the apostle Paul
put it: " H ave no anxiety about
anything.... And the peace of
God, which passes all understand–
ing, will keep your hearts and
your minds in Christ J esus" (Phi!.
4:6-7).
o
Sonteone near you
contntitted suicide today.
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In fact, over 1,000 people commit suicide
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