Working with thoughts So keep a record for a week in your notebook - several times a day, examine your thoughts and write them down.

You can choose to hold your breath, or to pant like a dog. Working out an exposure plan Continuing our example of someone who wants to get back to work, they have already looked at what is stopping them, and they know which form their Anxiety takes, so they know where to direct their efforts. Kudos to you Kim! The person with social phobia will feel anxious if they are in a social situation. Repeat two and three several times until you feel your chest relax. Sleep: again you may be afraid of letting go, or you may be afraid of being more active. Repeat this exercise for different scenarios until you come across one, or more, where you find it difficult to imagine being happy with the situation. There is so much embarrassment surrounding Anxiety, and so many people dread humiliating themselves in public, that its worth working out what youll do if you need to get out. Similarly, you may find yourself facing great difficulties in a relationship. Or phone one of the helplines and talk it through with a volunteer. This section will concentrate on your behaviour - the things that you do because of your Anxiety. You may need to go round more than once, but you can keep coming back, and each time it will get easier. Try to build up a more balanced picture by recording your own achievements and asking those around you for honest feedback. While you are in the grip of an Anxiety disorder its easy to think that life would be wonderful and simple if only you werent so anxious. All Anxiety is driven by the thoughts that go round and round in your head, but with OCD there is an extra element because the thoughts link in to beliefs, usually about preventing harm. Get a better perspective Instead of thinking in black and white terms (failure or success, stupid or competent, great or awful) learn to value the shades of grey in-between. You need to weigh up whether they are helping against the disadvantages. In Part Two you saw how this can lead to anxious behaviours such as escape, avoidance or rituals. He will tell you what you should do and the best steps for you to take to have fulfilling life with a dash of Anxiety on the side ;-). Hold it and feel the tension in your legs and feet.