If this is the case, when you meet an obstacle of any kind, the old thought-pattern will assert itself, and you will interpret this as a major set-back.

The mind is everything. Make your own list of five goals in your notebook. Id feel like I was taking a huge risk, in case I did harm someone. But why those particular messages, the ones that make your heart thump and your stomach churn? If they have a fear of doing their rituals in public, they need to cut down on their rituals. Because of my fears of contamination I wash myself several times a day all over, I clean my kitchen and bathroom every day, I wipe over all shopping that comes into the house with disinfectant and I have to decontaminate myself if Ive been out of the house. With the best will in the world, they are doing exactly the wrong things. If you are clearly in distress, and people try to help you it can add to the panic. Its not that scary to me now because I believe the doctors.I have often wondered if, because I am sensitised to anxiety, things somehow become harder than they need to be as some kind of test. We are not living in hell from choice but have an anxiety illness. Switch the light off, now put it back on. Dont worry about it, and use your new skills to tackle things one at a time. Practise it a few times and take note of how it feels and how it affects your body. Put one hand flat on your stomach, and the other on your chest, just below your neck. Travelling by bus Take the bus for one stop, at a quiet time, sitting near the door with helper beside you. They are your instant reaction to what is haping at that moment. Although the thoughts and rituals may seem quite strange, psychologists believe that they developed for good reasons - usually as ways for a child to get through a difficult situation. A cat or a dog? Explore what this might mean. Withheld feelings can be an underlying cause for all forms of Anxiety: Panic In some people panic attacks are a sign that their suppressed feelings of anger, grief or despair are trying to break through. Being away from home, which represents safety.