Biblical Tools for Mental Health

By Dan Blair, family and marriage therapist

No one is immune to stress, anxiety, or burnout. “Popping the hood” of the mind may reveal what tools are needed for the daily battles we all face in the fight for joy. Understanding how the mind works can shed light on how we may use God-given tools.

“The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity” (2 Corinthians 10:5-6).

We all may be familiar with the fight or flight system in our brain, otherwise known as the autonomic nervous system, or sympathetic nervous system. The brain is a survival machine, a “what-if” machine, helping us prepare for threats. Emotions are meant to help us survive. Our brain can generate instant energy in 1/20^thof a second, before we can even realize it, at 1/2 of a second (Ron Potter-Efron, Healing the Angry Brain). It pre-directs our behavior, and it could be said that if we cross a threshold, we are now “adrenaline drunk.”

Different parts of the brain comprise (over-simplified):

The Brakes

• The Prefrontal Cortex is responsible for impulse control and regulation
• Brake fluid: Serotonin helps modulate the ability to inhibit impulsive emotional responses from the amygdala

The Transmission

• The Anterior Cingulate Cortex helps with “cognitive flexibility”—the ability to detect when a shift is needed (conflict/errors)
• Transmission fluid: Acetylcholine enhances attention and processing efficiency, which supports task switching

The Gas Pedal / Fuel Injection

• The Basal Ganglia/Ventral Tegmental Area is involved in action selection, habit formation, and movement
• The Fuel: Dopamine signals motivation and salience, helping initiate and sustain goal-directed behavior

Without a “tune-up,” anger and stress are related to:

• Stroke
• Cancer
• Sensitivity to pain
• Fatigue
• Low blood sugar
• Hyperthyroidism
• Other medical conditions

“So anger management is great as long as you don’t get angry.” (Bessel van der Kolk, a leading expert on trauma). Anger is a great signal, but can compromise self-control. What does the Bible say about anger? “Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26).

• “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (Proverbs 29:11).
• “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty…” (Proverbs 16:32).
  → Elevates emotional regulation above power
• “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9).
• “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath… it tends only to evil” (Psalms 37:8).
• “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29).

The “flight” side of the adrenaline overload is associated with anxiety. Your heart rate and blood pressure increases, you are in a state of hyperventilation, and there is less blood flow to the brain and the digestive system affecting clear thinking and gastrointestinal issues. Not thinking clearly leads to overthinking, and avoidance patterns. The Bible has over 365 versus about anxiety.

• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God… and the peace of God… will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).
  → One of the clearest “process verses”: replace anxiety with prayer + gratitude.
• “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
  → Emphasizes relational trust, not just cognitive reframing

Substance use is another area in which one can lose their sobriety (besides from stress hormones). While it takes awhile to calm down and metabolize stress hormones, it may take longer to metabolize substances. Problems are created that affect one’s health, relationships, jobs, and legal status. Signs of addiction include preoccupation where it becomes a way to reduce stress, compulsion where it’s hard to resist if it’s available, loss of control where you take more than you intended, tolerance where you need more than you used to, and withdrawal which affects how you feel without it. The Bible gives warning:

• “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
  → Clear contrast: substance-driven vs. Spirit-led life.
• “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).
• “Who has woe? Who has sorrow?… Those who linger long over wine…” (Proverbs 23:29–35).
  → One of the most vivid descriptions of addiction’s cycle and consequences.

Substance use can make depression worse and depression can make substance use worse. Signs of depression include commonly feeling sad or empty, sometimes without a solid reason. It can interfere with sleep, appetite, concentration and decision making, and energy. It a common feeling of agitation, self criticism and occasionally suicidal thoughts, which are more common than you think. Calling 988 for mental health support and resources, 911, or texting the word “home” to 741741 allows for instant support. God describes Himself as close to the discouraged, demoralized, and depressed.

• “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
• “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
• “I dwell… with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit…” (Isaiah 57:15).
  → God moves toward, not away from, the depressed.

Common tools to manage stresss, anger, anxiety, and depression include the following:

“ABCDE” to change your emotions

• A cceptance – being aware of your emotions and needs in the present, and not judging them
• B reathing – using your diaphragm to expel excess oxygen to reduce hyperventilation
• C alming – engaging your five senses
• D istracting – healthy versus unhealthy distraction
• E xpressing emotions auditorily, in writing, or in art. Exercise is another way to express emotion, with a byproduct of carbon dioxide.

“TRUTH” to change your thoughts. According to Philippians 4:8, meditate on what is:

• T rue
• R ight
• U ndefiled
• T asteful and timeless
• H onorable

“ACES” to change your behavior

• A ccomplishment – a sense of meaningful work
• C onnection – not feeling alone
• E njoyment – a source of energy
• S elf-Care – paying attention to feelings and needs, and sleeping, eating and exercising right

Where unruly emotions interfere the most is with relationships. Conflict is inevitable. Someone asked Susan Johnson, ground-breaking researcher and founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), if she uses all her skills she teaches to resolve conflict in her marriage. She said, “Of course we don’t. Which is why teaching people skills doesn’t work. You can only use them when you don’t need them. I want to prove him or her wrong. I want to be right. I want to be in control. I want to show the person that they can’t talk to me like that. The therapist in my head says don’t say that and I say it. Because I’m a human being with my toes over a thousand-foot drop.” Often, partners can communicate well when they feel calm, and regulated.

The Bible provides models for building relationships and addressing conflict.

• Do you fully understand? Dig deeper. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book”  (Psalms 56:8).
• Are you reactive to what the other is saying? Slow down. “You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:19). “He who answers before listening–that is his folly and his shame.” (Proverbs 18:13).
• Is the other side of an issue important? Value it. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
• Are you working together? “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8)

When partners feel well, conflict resolution is possible. Most couples have a disengagement policy, an agreed-upon sign that they need to calm down before continuing. For example, feeling defensive may a sign that an argument is about to take place. A re-engagement policy is a sign that you are both ready to continue a discussion. For instance, the ability to describe the other person’s point of view is a sign that one is ready integrate perspectives to find a solution. Since most arguments or blaming statements use the past tense or the future tense, using the present tense to resolve conflict is often more effective. One suggestion is “I am feeling . . .”, or “I am asking . . . “, or “I am thinking of these three options . . ..” A sign that you are “tuned up” would be an ability to put on the brakes when feeling overwhelmed or overthinking, seeing the impact of one’s behavior and words on others, smooth “shifting” to see options and other points of view, and full access to creative problem-solving, humor, empathy, logic and memory.

Staying present is not only effective for feeling closer to your partner, but also managing overwhelm. The guilt from the past, or the worries of the future can be mitigated by a focus on what one is feeling and needing now. We are reminded in Hebrews 4:15 that that Jesus knows what it is like to be human. Tricia Goyer says it this way, “Lord, this day is Yours. We do not offer our day because we have it all figured out. We offer it because we trust that He does. This one decision changes the way we walk through the hours. When we believe God is present, we pay better attention. Faith is like a muscle. It grows when it is practiced.”