The security guard advised the father-daughter duo that not only would Safeway be pressing charges, but that little Savannah would have to sign a form acknowledging that she is no longer permitted to shop at any Safeway grocery store.

Compared to Black Friday, everyday shopping doesn’t seem nearly as frightening. No crazy crowds, no fear of being trampled, and no fighting. Can watching Black Friday videos help us panickers to see an average trip to the store as no big deal?

It wore me down. All of it. The dismal cubical, the endless phone calls from angry customers, and the road rage. The poor office morale, the traffic congestion, and the constant uncertainty looming over my and my co-workers’ heads about layoffs. I began that job as a whole person. And I left as an empty, shaky, panic-prone shell.

My point is this: you’re never alone. Never, ever, ever, ever. Us panic-types might be hard to identify in real life, but telephone and internet support groups are an amazing way to meet and interact with those in like mind.

How many milligrams of caffeine do you consume on a daily basis? What about on the days when you enjoy that extra latte or pop two Excedrin for a headache? Think it’s doing anything to compound your anxiety?

Join me on Sunday, November 13th at 6 p.m. EST on a conference call for the Anxiety, Panic, & Phobia Support group. I’ll be discussing my experience with panic disorder and leading a few activities. Here’s how to join: call 1-559-546-1700 and enter 640024# as your access code.

When practical, I prefer listening to my body (by napping) over fighting against my body (by stuffing it with caffeine until I feel energized again).

Sure, vomiting is unpleasant. I don’t know a single soul who looks forward to getting the stomach virus, but most of my friends and family members can puke, if needed, with a staggeringly positive attitude and a calm demeanor. Why can’t I? Why am I so afraid of it?

Our fast-paced daytime lifestyle often bleeds over into the evening hours without our consent or mindful attention. Once you become aware of how you stimulate your body and mind before bed, you can take conscious steps to reduce that behavior.

I didn’t want to avoid grocery stores forever, but I also didn’t want to cruelly subject myself to a guaranteed panic attack at the helm of a shopping cart every week. I needed to re-frame the grocery shopping experience into a game.