FREE-FALL! You're walking down the road thinking about something OTHER than your problem and feeling ok.

Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a reminder of the worst aspects of your problem bursts onto your conscious mind. It's like a voice in the back of your mind has just asked, "IS THIS PARTICULAR INFORMATION (regarding your problem) STILL A THREAT TO YOU?!"

Your immediate mental reply to this question is "Yes! It really is!"

You then experience a sinking feeling. This sinking feeling occurs as blood is re-directed away from your stomach and sent to your muscles. This happens to help you to TAKE FLIGHT from the "perceived" danger that your problem represents, yet again.

To compensate for this sinking feeling you begin to take slightly deeper breaths and your face adopts an anxious expression.

That "voice" in the back of your mind then probes you again and basically asks:

"IS THERE ANY HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION (about your problem) IS NOT A THREAT?"

Your growing distress tells it: "THERE IS NO HOPE WHAT-SO-EVER!"

It is at this point that your "FIGHT OR FLIGHT" response is fully activated and your body is flooded with anxiety causing adrenaline. You're in "FREE-FALL!" regarding your problem, yet again.

Without on-the-spot prevention of the above spiralling process, it can continue to re-occur for months or years. This is the only reason you continue to feel anxious or panicked about a particular issue or situation for months or years.