And yet these problems are extremely common, so there must be thousands of people with similar records who are now leading happy and fulfilled lives.

The important thing is that you can make your own choices about important areas in your life - this is a truly healthy state. ABOUT SELF-ESTEEM My self-esteem has certainly been low in the past - my stammer lasted till I was 25 and even now I worry on the bus about asking for the fare. My self esteem is fine.I also had very low self-esteem, and Ive had to work on that. As for self-esteem, Im told that I always doubt my ability and I dont praise myself for my achievements, even though I know Ive achieved a lot. I do put myself down, dont like myself, laugh at myself. The parent with the fear of panic might answer as follows: Are there other ways of looking at this? If you are using an exercise video or DVD, try to find one that is not too challenging. Try cutting out every other drink, or make your drinks smaller. If I take a risk, Ill fail - I can learn to take risks, step by step. In an attempt to 'self-medicate', a person experiencing this disorder will often times turn to alcohol or 'street' drugs to cope which leads to more disorders springing up. Someone with OCD is likely to attach enormous importance to thoughts of this type. This may involve developing an unused talent or skill - boredom from unused potential can be a breeding ground for Anxiety. With practice you will become quicker at spotting the negative thoughts and interrupting them. One answer is to pump adrenalin into your system - not a good idea for someone with Anxiety. You can eat the kind of food you like. You didnt deliberately make yourself ill with Anxiety. ABOUT THE BUILD-UP TO ANXIETY I had a naughty magazine which was not unreasonable for a boy of 1 However, people who were prescribed these drugs before the dangers were fully recognised are still taking them because they are afraid to stop. I am now trying to find healthier, more positive outlets. Ive always eaten well, when I was on Valium I didnt put on any weight at all, I was constantly hungry but I was underweight. More about Diet Understanding the effects of caffeine Caffeine is a mild stimulant that raises your heart rate and creates a short-lived burst of energy. If you have OCD you may well have always been a methodical, accurate and careful person. This can be very hard to accept for someone who feels anxious all the time, or whose panics seem to last for ages, but the fact is that fight-or-flight is only designed as a short-term response to deal with immediate danger. Here is an example for someone with a fear of losing control and harming another person. Changing your anxious thinking Its time to set up the next part of the recovery programme, which aims to change your anxious thinking.