A helpful way to understand distress is to treat it not as a personal failing, but as a sequence: a chain reaction you can learn to recognise earlier, rather than only making sense of it all afterwards - once you can see the sequence, you can start noticing where you are in it and how to potentially intervene.

Avoiding phone calls will impact your personal and professional opportunities. Whether it's arranging an appointment, handling work-related

10 Ways to Reduce Social and Performance Anxiety

Intrusive thoughts, which often underlie anxiety, have a historical purpose. In the early days of human evolution, these thoughts served as a protective mechanism, keeping individuals safe from harm.