Feelings of anxiety can be subtle and easily go unnoticed. You tell yourself that you don’t really want to go to that party, or you’re too tired to do the shopping tonight. The problem with avoiding events because you’re feeling anxious is that you’re subtly teaching your brain that you can avoid feeling uncomfortable by avoiding life.

Your relationships wither, you feel isolated and alone, but you feel safe. It’s not a problem until it is, and by then it feels like an insurmountable force. Suddenly, a phone call feels like you’re being chased by a lion, a social event becomes a fight for your life. What started as stress has grown to become panic about social situations or getting stuck in unhelpful thinking cycles like catastrophising. It doesn’t have to be this way.

I’ve helped countless people who were paralysed by anxiety to face their fears and go on to lead fulfilling, joyful and peaceful lives. It might feel impossible right now, but you can feel capable of facing situations that give you that white-hot-cold-sweat-heart-racing-fear which is holding you back from living your best life.