Sadie Robertson, Lauren Daigle share tips on coping with panic attacks, fear and anxiety
Grammy Award-winning Christian musician Lauren Daigle joined Sadie Robertson Huff for a podcast episode where the duo shared advice on how they have managed panic attacks and leaned on God to battle anxiety.
In a recent episode of Robertson's "Whoa That's Me" podcast, Daigle detailed how she has struggled with anxiety throughout her life and battled panic attacks in recent years.
"To know joy is to know sorrow. And to know joy is to know pain. To know joy is to know depression because you know what God has brought you through," the singer said during the Aug. 31 podcast.
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"I only say this to say I went through a series of panic attacks — like legitimate, probably should have gone to the hospital — panic attacks, and some of them happened on airplanes," Daigle shared.
"I'm saying this to say, for anybody who's in the process of that right now ... it is real. … You feel like you're crazy. You do wonder what is going on, like, 'I feel like something else is taking over my body.' But, these are the things that I really feel like the Lord has brought me through."
The 31-year-old artist said she found solace in practicing breathing exercises, which now equip her to manage her emotions better before a panic attack sets in.
The "You Say" singer emphasized the importance of focusing on breathing patterns during panic moments despite it seeming counterintuitive. She also recites Scripture, reminding herself that God is in control.
"God created the world. It says that He 'breathed the world into existence. He breathed life.' If I am feeling like I'm dying — that's what a panic attack is; it's a fight-or-flight response — if I'm feeling like I'm dying, but I have access to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who created this world with breath, I'm going to say, 'Alright, God, I'm going to breathe. I'm going to breathe through this moment because you can give me life in this moment," Daigle said.
"But, I'm not going to just breathe. I'm going to take on the role of the Spirit and say, 'God, let Your Holy Spirit minister to me in the process of this craziness,'" she continued.
"Then I would say, 'God, make me courageous. Give me boldness. Make me courageous in the midst of my fear.' Because courage isn't just looking at fear and being like, 'I'm going to figure out the shortcut.' Courage is saying, 'Even being afraid, I'm going to continue to move forward.'"
The 26-year-old Robertson Huff of "Duck Dynasty" fame said she has also faced anxiety. The reality TV star mentioned that her 2-year-old daughter, Honey, occasionally grapples with fear. In such moments, she reinforces the comfort of God's words to her daughter.
"I'm so thankful that you share that. Truly, because I've been through that, and those tips have been so helpful," Robertson told Daigle.
"Those are the exact things I'm teaching Honey right now. She's 2 years old, but she already gets anxious. And her two Bible verses that she knows now are 'Fear not, for I'm with you,'" she continued.
"The other day [Honey] started getting scared in her room, and I heard her say, 'Fear not, for I am with you.' And she said, 'There's no monsters.' And it was so sweet. And then, she'll go, 'The joy of the Lord makes me strong.' And she does that when she's sad. … I'm already giving her those tools. … Even now, when she says that, it shifts her mind."
Daigle took a five-year hiatus from her music career to prioritize her mental health. Upon her return in 2021 to work on her new album, she initially felt anxious. However, channeling her creativity to honor God became a therapeutic process that helped mitigate her anxiety.
"[God] always talks about renewing your mind," she said. "And I realized, through the process of making this record, how vital that is. I know that anxiety attacks and panic attacks and fear are taking over mental health. We hear that talked about all the time. But, there's something that comes with renewing your mind."
"I was in a space where I really needed to finesse that in my life. … And so, I say all that to say that the process of making this record was very restorative and redeeming. I started the process of writing with so much fear, with so much intimidation, feeling like I had just experienced whiplash because my whole career just came to a screeching halt," she added.
"This record God used to rejuvenate me and to remind me of the pure things, remind me of the good things, remind me the things that actually matter, not just according to the industry, but according to the Kingdom."
Nicole Alcindor is a reporter for The Christian Post.
