Thanks everyone! You are all so supportive!!!!!!!
Good points, Davit. I will make sure to guzzle some OJ when I take them.
Oh, and Sunny...no, the exposure didn't go well because I didn't even try and drive. I went for an ultrasound today and my mom took me (she is sooooooo understanding). I was going to try, but I was so worried about the test, that I didn't want to add to it. The good news is that I did manage to get through it all with no anxiety at all....even when waiting in the waiting room.
I remember sitting in waiting rooms would send me over the top (I'm sure some of you can connect to this): I'd feel light-headed as the anxiety crept in. Then I'd be all "OH, no....don't faint in here in front of all these people". I'd start breathing shallow and then I'd increasingly feel worse. Then it'd get to that point where I had to get out of there. Better to faint somewhere where there wasn't all the people. If I ever did leave/escape, I'd try and go back in and would feel better after a while, but what a struggle.
Now, if I have any feelings associated with anxiety/panic in a waiting room, they are a slight flutter of a thought and I can say, "Nah, I'm fine. Never mind that." and then I distract myself with something positive (e.g. watching out the window, reading a magazine). One other thing that helps me and might help some of you is to look around the room for something that reminds you of home while doing the deep breathing (e.g. having the same blinds, same carpeting, same light switches. etc.) I even sometimes just stare at the plugs in the wall because it reminds me of home! LOL I then feel cozy and like I'm in familiar territory.
