All you can do is go with the flow and try treating the symptoms of anxiety which are many. I think the most important step is to accept it and sometimes you have more anxiety tahn other times and when you do and you can't go to church just tell yourself it is no big deal. You need to take care of your anxiety and if that means not going to church, than don;t. Jesus is right there with you and he knows what is in your heart. When you are feeling better and stronger , then you will go. For now do whatever you can to make yourself calm and happy. As you know there are times you do feel strong and confident and those are the times to nudge yourself or to challenge yourself. So do not feel guilty at this time not going is taking the best care of yourself. Do not beat yourself up. Do not think about I am too scared to go to church but just tell yourself you need get to a different place- and you are not there yet. But you will. Do things that make you feel happy and relaxed. Don't judge every action you take. For example I didn't do this, so I am a bad person, I am weak,I should be better, I should be social, I should go to church. Those are all negative and anxiety producing. Just stay in the moment and make that one moment positive.
I do this all the time and it helps me to focus. I tell myself right now I feel good from my head to my toes and I like what I am doing right now. I will go on DS becayuse that makes me relax and that is taking the best care of myself. I am good and know how to treat myself. Before you know it you in the next moment and the next and you are happy and content and the day is done.

I have the same kind of night mind racing problem. What I do is I have a fan on so it sort of drowns out my thoughts a little and keeps away bad thoughts. When you feel nervous at night just take deep breaths and try to think about something fun you've done instead of worrying about something else. For going to church I would say take it a step at a time. Don't worry about what could go wrong. Think about the friends you have there or what you like about going to church! Good luck(:

Yes my mind races at night, I could be listening to something my husband or daughter is saying then my mind starts drifting, racing.I worry about the smallest things as well as bigger issues.I think my mind sometimes is going a mile a minute while Im sleeping.It just can wear me out.

I wish you all the best and I am sorry to hear that this is happening to you. I get racing thoughts to but I have Anxiety and Bipolar Disorder. Maybe you should get checked out by your doctor it is possible that you are suffering from more than anxiety racing thoughts are also a symptom of Bipolar. I am not trying to scare you and I hope that you don't have Bipolar but if I were you I would get that checked out.

It could also be a side effect from certain medications ask your doctor about it. Some times we feel this way and it is because of a chemical imbalance in our brain it is not always something that we can just control or snap out of without the right help.

Spirituality and surrounding yourself with positive people will help to. I am glad to hear that you go to church and have a positive place to go to be around other people.

I stay up all night as well. It is 10:30 right now and it is only early for me. My mind just races about anything and everything. I also have PTSD so I think about the past a lot. I feel like I can't shut my mind off. Other people have said on here to keep busy, and I recommend that. I stay up later if I just try to lay here with my eyes closed. I usually clean or do launry or make some work to do. My psychiatrist put me on trazodone so that I can sleep. I don't like to take it every night because it makes me feel very drowsy in the morning. I hope you get something worked out for you not only for your sleep but also for your anxiety.

hi, I have anxiety and agoraphobia, too.... (the anti-crowd/noise thing you talked about). My help that I stick with is : talking with a personal therapist about what's happening in my life that's causing the stress/anxiety... taking medication to help ease the tension and pain from it physically... and then talking with people on DS about it, who actually KNOW and UNDERSTAND what it is.... it's great hearing from other people for several reasons: we're in it together, we can get through each day, we can find/get help in one form or another... and it's good to be accepted and acknowledged by others with same things.. and NOT be judged or made fun of ! THANKS!! =)