It can take me all morning to get past it. Remember these remarks are just to get you started.

The first time you step into the place youve been avoiding, the first time you walk away without finishing your ritual, will be challenging. The flashes didnt frighten me as much as the noise. But stressful events can strike any of us at any time, and if there are enough of them any one of us can be vulnerable to Anxiety. I relax in a conscious way at bedtime when I turn the light off. You dont really believe it any more and you are ready to give it up. Its best if it comes naturally though, arising from the frustration you feel. This is taking it personally - like jumping to conclusions, you are just as likely to be wrong as right. This will help you to feel confident and motivated to work on your thoughts. Typical thoughts are: I wont do my exposure today because I dont feel like it. I feel useless, so that means I am useless. Jumping to conclusions This means making decisions about other people - what they meant when they said a certain thing, why they did a certain thing, what they were thinking when they glanced across at you and so on. What would I do if the worst haped? Go for a longer drive including motorway with helper driving. Id get a wonderful feeling of making progress with my recovery. Repeat the journey at a busier time. Despite this, many people feel guilty about taking care of themselves. It was like I was in a play and I had to play the part well. Very often when people are asked to listen to their anxious thoughts, they realise that the voice doesnt belong to them at all - its the voice of an adult from their childhood, one who nagged, or bullied, or put them down all the time. Take the bus two to five stops without helper following. I didnt work to stop myself, it just haped naturally. At the other end of the scale, some people live with their illness for years without having it properly diagnosed, without talking to anyone about it and without getting any help. My feeling is, if this is what Ive had, now I know how to deal with it - its simply a reaction to some stress, its not a physical illness.