Hi Tazza
I remember when I went off to university; some 1400 miles from home. We didn't call it anxiety back then, it was just being overly nervous and scared of moving out into the unknown.
The internet didn't exist yet, so there was no way of familiarizing myself with anything about university, the campus, the town, or anything. I didn't know anyone, and it was certain that I'd be all alone. As the day came closer, I played the "what if" game in my head so much that I thought for certain if I got on that bus: I'd likely miss its departure from a meal stop, then never make it to college, and end up dying somewhere all alone.
After buying some false reassurances from my family, I got on that bus. I was so scared that I skipped the first couple of meal stops as I didn't want to get left behind. I had to get something to each by the third stop as we'd not get there for at least another day, and that is a long time to go hungry.
When I got there I was lost. I could not find the dorm (it was the building behind me). And when I stopped to look around, I found that there were a few thousand other kids just like me. All lost, no friends, no knowledge of what was where, and all playing the "what if" game in their heads.
Now days, whenever I venture out into the unknown, before I go I always put together a contingency plan for how to get back to where I feel safe. Knowing that I have an escape route back to my place of safety, enables me to step out and experience something new. And yes, many of time I have used by escape back to safety... only to find that I really didn't need to; but it's good to know that its there and that it works.
My best tip for dealing with anxiety is to have some form of safety line available to us. Whether that be a contingency or escape plan, or someone to call upon should the need arise, or BB on the speed dial, it's good to know that there is always someone (or some thing) to save us from our fears.
