Wed Sep 18 01:07:16 UTC 2024: ## Balancing Fear and Faith: A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Navigating the High Holy Days
**Jerusalem** – As the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach, a common theme emerges for psychiatrist Dr. Jacob L. Freedman: the delicate balance between healthy fear of heaven and pathological anxiety.
For patients struggling with anxiety disorders, the traditional emphasis on “yirat shamayim” (fear of heaven) can be triggering. While a healthy fear can motivate positive change, pathological anxiety can lead to crippling fear and isolation.
Dr. Freedman, who has written a new book titled “The Things I Told My Patients,” offers three key distinctions between the two:
1. **Impact on Relationships:** Fear of heaven strengthens bonds with loved ones, while pathological anxiety creates distance and strain.
2. **Spiritual Connection:** Fear of heaven fosters a sense of wholeness and connection to spirituality, while pathological anxiety leads to emotional fragmentation and spiritual disconnect.
3. **Motivation and Wellbeing:** Fear of heaven empowers individuals to do good and contribute to their communities, while pathological anxiety weakens them and often manifests in physical symptoms like headaches and insomnia.
Dr. Freedman emphasizes the importance of culturally sensitive mental health interventions alongside spiritual guidance during the High Holy Days. This approach can help individuals navigate the emotional complexities of the season and find meaning and growth, even amidst their anxieties.
**Dr. Freedman’s book, “The Things I Told My Patients,” is available from Menucha Publishers. He can be reached via his website: drjacoblfreedman.com.**
First Piper 