I was afraid to take medication. I didn't want to become dependent on a medication for the rest of my life. I worried about addiction, withdrawal, and the unpleasant side effects.

In my heart I believed I was alone and completely different from everyone else in the world. Secretly, I even wondered if I might be "losing my mind.

Common Personality Traits:

• Emotionally sensitive, especially to criticism
• Tendency to overreact, easily irritated
• Obsessive thinking
• Intelligent, creative, and imaginative
• Extremely analytical
• Perfectionist
• Worrier
• Guilt ridden
• High expectations of self and other's
• Need/desire to appear in control at all times

I know that sounds strange, but it's true. I hit rock bottom during one of my many sleepless nights. I can remember it clearly. I was sitting on the sofa, my head in my hands, wishing for something to calm the steady stream of scary thoughts racing through my mind. My heart was pounding. I was anxious, overwhelmed, and scared to death that night. I wasn't LIVING, and I was tired of feeling so emotionally sick and physically exhausted. So, I did what a lot of people do when they hit bottom. I prayed.

My anxiety was diagnosed by watching the "Today Show"
I prayed to God to help me. I pleaded with Him to show me ONE person who had survived these feelings. I promised I would serve Him the rest of my life if I could only discover why I felt so terrified, bewildered and depressed.

The next morning I was getting ready for work and had turned the television on. I wasn't really watching, but I soon began to tune in. There was a woman on the Today Show talking about agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression. She described the personality characteristics: negative, analytical thinkers, perfectionist, chronic-obsessive worriers and emotionally sensitive.