I’m trying to combat my anxiety.
Apparently exposure should work and I think it does to some extent but then after a while my anxiety level goes up again.
For example - using public transport.
At first I’m terrified and I’m trying to be prepared for every possible situation which makes me super stressed about every detail (what bus/train to take, from where, how to buy a ticket, what to say, how much it costs, where to get out and so on).
If I manage to do it I’ve got horrible headache afterwards and I’m so exhausted that all I want to do is to go home and lay down.
But to get used to doing it I need more exposure.
So I’m forcing myself to do something even though it continues to be anxiety provoking.
But then there are two problems.
First-even through taking train/bus from A to B might be less stressful than it was at the beginning, taking train/bus from C to D is almost as stressful as the journey form A to B was at the beginning.
Second-I noticed that after a while I’m getting more and more stressed and anxious going from A to B. I don’t want to do it anymore and I feel sick thinking about having to do it again.
And I should be fine, shouldn’t I?
Because exposure should work for anxiety.
I would like to be able to go somewhere by myself, without the help of my family.
I must be doing something wrong but what?
