3. Then, Deidre needs to take appropriate action. If she simply remains in her head, her fears will grow. So, she needs to go visit a place where she feels safe and secure (i.e. a place of worship, a therapist, a natural world sanctuary (the beach, a favorite park). Or, call upon a supportive person. (If she’s not in panic mode, others will give her a more helpful response than just “calm down”.) Or, act on a well-thought out option.

A few final thoughts:

Fear grows in isolation. So, talk to someone about your fears – someone who will listen to you without judging you.

Fear grows in darkness. Shed light on your fears by learning what triggers them.

Invest in your personal growth. You’ll know it has paid off when you can say with pride, “Yes, I can handle those types of situations!”

©2012 Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice who specializes in helping individuals and families overcome self-defeating patterns of behavior.

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