The problem is that these feelings are there, and they are working away inside you like an untreated infection, causing difficulties that sooner or later will come to the surface.

I nearly had a panic attack at the last parent- teacher evening but I made an excuse and left in time. Surely this racing heart, these shaking legs, this churning stomach, cant all be down to my mind playing tricks? Even going on holiday or preparing for Christmas can involve a measure of anxiety. If it were humanly possible to remove every ounce of anxiety from an individual, that person wouldnt survive for very long. My brother died three hours after our mothers funeral. Give each square a heading: Advantages of staying as I am, Disadvantages of staying as I am, Advantages of change, Disadvantages of change. Another question that is often asked is why has my Anxiety lasted so long? Some people seem to have a short sharp experience of Anxiety that they quickly overcome, and yet other people suffer for months and years before they recover. This starts in childhood and can come from: parents who are too critical significant loss (for example of a parent) during childhood physical or sexual abuse neglect rejection parents who are too protective parents who are too indulgent. ABOUT THE RECOVERY PROCESS Ive now come to realise that no magic wand or quick fix exists. Im very up and down, sometimes I feel Ill never get better. You can also rehearse it in role-playing sessions with a counsellor or helper. This is repression, where a person has lost touch with some of their emotions. My anxiety level was able to be kept under control for most of that time, and on arrival back at the hospital I was prevented from washing my hands which I feel did me some good. It can be a good idea to enlist the help of someone you trust while youre doing exposure work - the return-to-the-supermarket ladder in Chapter 23 included using a helper. If you are elated, excited or proud then just enjoy the moment. In addition to suffering from Anxiety Disorder, an individual may also have other common disorders that go hand-in-hand with it such as Depression, Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder, Agoraphobia, or any other number of Phobias that make it all the more important to seek treatment for. In the meantime, put the rest of the sleep programme in place so that you start to form good habits. Sometimes you may need to try more than one anti- depressant to find the right one for you. There is currently no agreement about whether this is a mental or physical health problem, and no universally accepted treatment, although rest during the acute phase and during any relapses seems to be crucial. There is currently no agreement about whether this is a mental or physical health problem, and no universally accepted treatment, although rest during the acute phase and during any relapses seems to be crucial. Do you have panic attacks? In addition to suffering from Anxiety Disorder, an individual may also have other common disorders that go hand-in-hand with it such as Depression, Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder, Agoraphobia, or any other number of Phobias that make it all the more important to seek treatment for. Flying insects?