[*freak*]

So I'm gonna share something too.

2 days ago I called my credit card company, something I had been putting off for months. It's kind of a big deal for me because I have phone phobia and I'm great at avoiding unpleasnt things

But I did it, yay

to all here and I'm looking forward to seeing your success story too

[carrie_ann]

well done @ making the phone call!

my only recent success is now being able to walk into the hypermarket down the road for a coffee in their in-house diner daily ... i'm terrified of strangers/crowds/public places and was full-blown agoraphobic for 10 yrs at one point.

again, kudos for making the phone call

[*freak*]

Wow, your success is amazing too!! I still have trouble eating/drinking in public places, so I know how hard it can get. Thank you for sharing

Hugs & congrats to you too

[kristimo]

I have that same issue. I feel so silly after I force myself to make the call everything is okay. I have less stress cause I am not worrying about it. I may be nobody but cheers to your effort.

[avlady]

I hate making phone calls, as I usually stumble over all my words and the people on the other end tend to get frustrated over understanding me. I even have to ask for help from my husband if its a long conversation or just something that requires alot of thought. I go to the doctors and get confused as I,m talking to the lady behind the desk and i can feel her anxiety as i try to explain things to her. I was getting good at it but the other day i tripped up again on my words and felt awful when i left. I'll have to give myself another chance as I have to go to a new dentist monday, and with the inssurance and all that I'll have all my info ready to avoid it again.

[winter4me]

I still struggle with phone calls, except at work where I refuse to think about it because I have no choice when I have to make them. My anxiety comes and goes.
I sometimes get things about certain foods too---
When my kids were young I would gauge my anxiety by the food thing---(HIGH anxiety=Throw it out not worth it MODERATE: eat what i feed the kids so if i poison them I poison me too AVG: feed them and don't be stupid silly.
In nursing school, I can recall standing on line for lunch and (afterwards)finding it hysterically funny that I began thinking I wouldn't get anything from a can since I was worrying about botulism and not being able to tell the difference between poison and panic, then deciding I would also skip milk products since I had heard something about milk contamination recently, then excluding fresh salad stuff since it might have been touched by so many hands, on and on till I ended up walking out with a glass of water and an orange to peel. This doesn't happen much anymore, this particular anxiety.
One day, I called to be picked up early (was married with one vehicle at the time) because I thought I was having the mother of all panic attacks and it was the umpteenth day in a row and I couldn't stand it, only to get home and find out I had a temp of 103 and a---here it comes ohno intestinal illness. I was so DAMN glad to be actually physically ill...
Anyway, the success comes in the form of finishing school despite my near daily terror, going to stores despite them triggering attacks etc---It is like a switch. Years I have no problem in those places/doing certain things/ others, the switch is open and ....well.

[Fuzzybear]

Well I guess, my success story, so far is I'm still here..

I still strive to love and respect papa bear and all those who "deserve" or have not "betrayed" my respect.

Anxiety, sucks