Hi everyone! In answer to your question busgirl I haven't really fared that great. I mean I know all the theory as I'm sure we all do after spending long periods of our life suffering but I struggle to put it into practice when it counts. Shamefully my coping mechanism has been withdrawal and avoidancefrom 'normal' life as much as I could. Accepting I can't have relationships or a fulfilling social life or doing the things I really want to do in life. It helped initially but I can't help feeling the life I'm creating for myself is far worse than the original anxiety I was running from. I think my experiences are the same as yours busgirl. I've lost a lot of friendships or drifted away from others through a lack of understanding and admittedly me not forcing myself out more when asked. I'm even reluctant to start new friendships for this reason. I'm not anti social I just find the usual places people socialise incredibly traumatic most of the time
