“When Anxiety Strikes” – Couple set to debut book

Jason and Dena Hobbs have now been married for 24 years. They had no idea, at the start of their shared life together, that they were already on paths that would prepare them for an assignment that would manifest 22 years later and enlighten other Christians about a subject matter that often goes undiscussed, and that’s the issue of mental health.

The couple had been married less than three years when Dena had her first anxiety attack and was subsequently diagnosed with panic disorder. Jason recalled it as though it was just yesterday. “At the time, we were living in Richmond, Virginia, and we were both in graduate school,” he shared. “All of a sudden, we found ourselves rushing to the hospital. The symptoms looked a lot like a heart attack. We were both in our 20s at the time, and we were trying to figure everything out.”

Getting everything figured out turned out to be a journey in and of itself. Though Dena did the right things and took the necessary steps to recover, a reoccurrence of her experience had her living through it all over again. However, that time, the aftermath ultimately led to the divine inspiration for a book titled, “When Anxiety Strikes.”

“After the first experience, I went through therapy and psychiatric treatment and got on anti-depressants,” said Dena. “I got much better, but then I had a health issue that triggered another anxiety flare down the line. It was when I was going through that, that I woke up one morning, and found it hard just to get out of bed and start the day. I remember wishing that I had a devotional—a book to read; something encouraging that would help me get up, get going and get through all that.”

In that moment, Dena said it was as though she heard a voice speak to her and say, “You write it. You write the book.” She took her experience to her husband, and they began to talk about it. The more they talked, the more they developed a desire to do something together that would not only motivate and inspire, but also teach and enlighten.

He didn’t realize it as a graduate student, but Jason was already being prepared for his part in a book that would be written over two decades later. “At the time that she had her first episode, I was in social work school,” he recounted. “I was actually in a class where we were working on diagnostics and how you figure out if someone has a mental illness and what that mental illness and its treatments look like.”

Fast forward to seven years ago, Jason and Dena combined his education and her experiences and began brainstorming how they could incorporate both their perspectives in a book. While Dena could draw from her personal understanding, the idea surfaced to have Jason talk more about what anxiety is, and how it affects the body and the habits of the mind.

“We approached it from a ‘whole person’ perspective,” Dena explained. “You can think the most horrible thoughts over and over and let yourself get into that habit. One of the Scriptures we matched with that was the one about the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). In this book, people will have homework to do each day. Doing that homework for eight weeks will help them make a life change. This book is kind of like the Weight Watchers of anxiety. It’s not meant to be a quick fix, but a whole lifestyle change. Instead of letting yourself get into the habit of negative thoughts, you’re quoting the Scriptures to yourself every day to get your head back into that positive space. Instead of having the habit of treating your body negatively, you’re taking care of your body, which includes your mental response as well. The book addresses body, mind and soul.”

In the Christian faith, it is often frowned upon to seek professional help for one’s mental health, but Jason and Dena believe this is a flaw that needs to be addressed and corrected among believers.

“When it comes to the church, clergy has to take the lead,” Jason pointed out. “They have to talk about this in the open. Fact is, there are a lot of clergy that suffer from depression and anxiety themselves, and in a lot of ways, being open and honest about that can help lead their parishioners in that direction—to seek help, knowing that clinicians are the experts in this area. These professionals have done a lot of study, and they are there to help.”

Similarly, Dena, who is a campus minister at Mercer, added, “Speaking as someone who has been on a church staff, I would also say that it’s a part of the church’s responsibility to make it OK for their members to seek professional help. Members who come to pastors for council should be asked whether they believe they need professional help so that the members know it’s OK if they do. Our ministers do a disservice if they don’t put that on the table as an option so the people who trust them will know that there’s no sin or shame in seeking outside help from a professional.”

The initial idea of “When Anxiety Strikes” was Dena’s, but from the very beginning of pulling the information together, the duo jointly brought the vision to life.

“We co-authored this from start to finish,” Dena said. “It’s written in a day-by-day format, and each day, I start with a Scripture and a devotion, and I share some of my personal experience. Readers will have the voice of an actual anxiety survivor. And then Jason comes in with input from his science and social work background. Each day, he provides reflection questions and an exercise. I think he’s a better therapist because he’s married to someone who’s had to deal with anxiety and depression,” she added. “I think it’s made him a more compassionate, thoughtful and thorough therapist because he has seen what it’s like on this side. I joke that I’m his secret weapon to being such a good therapist.”

Speaking of how COVID-19 has intensified anxiety levels, Jason noted that, “This pandemic has sort of turned up the volume on the stress in people. Some are going to manage that. Maybe COVID has raised their stress level from a two to a four. But for those that have underlying anxiety, they may already be sitting at level five, and now that’s been ramped up to seven or eight. COVID has most certainly raised people’s level of anxiety.”

“The anxious person’s thinking is distorted,” Dena imputed. “Sometimes they realize it, and sometimes they don’t. Personally, I can tell when it’s anxiety because of the gastrointestinal problems, insomnia, muscle tightness and tightness in the chest. There are some things that can be done to relieve that. Start giving up caffeine and sugar. Take daily walks. Relaxation exercises.”

Speaking as a Houston County mental health therapist, Jason had this added advice: “I do recommend that people talk to their general physician first. If, for instance, a thyroid is underactive or overactive, it could potentially look like depression or anxiety, so see a physician to rule out other factors before assuming you’re dealing with anxiety issues.”

In reflection, Dena remarked, “You know … I think it’s funny how we started writing this book seven years ago, and that it took years before we got an agent and years before she found a publisher. And now, when the book is finally being published, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. It gives me goose bumps,” she added after a pause. “I feel that the Holy Spirit had a time for this book all along. In this crisis, it’s needed more than ever.”

The official release of “When Anxiety Strikes” is September 29. It will be available for purchase online from book sellers such as Amazon, Christian Book Distributors and Target. In middle Georgia, local bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million will carry it on their shelves as well as online.

A book signing for “When Anxiety Strikes” will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 3 at Southside Baptist Church in Warner Robins. Masks and social distancing are encouraged, and prizes and giveaways are planned for this outdoor celebration. Visit: http://jasonhobbslcsw.eventbrite.com for more scheduled functions.

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