What has anxiety prevented me from doing?

I was talking to someone last night who has what many hypothesize to be Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or at least shows OCD-type tendencies. She  acknowledges her behaviours and rituals as being debilitating but has failed to seek help as she has “learnt to live with it”. I too did this for quite some time with my own anxiety (note I did not have OCD). Even though i seem to function somewhat “normally” there have been a variety of things that my anxiety has prevented me from doing at some time in my life. So here’s my list of anxiety-provoking situations/what anxiety has prevented me from doing at one stage or another:
– travelling
– meeting new people
– letting other people drive me places (this is still a major one)
– taking classes at my gym
– Bikram yoga (tried it once, failed miserably and vowed never to do it again)
– experiencing new places 
– going to uni 
– finding a new job
– going to work 

At the time you deal with the situation/s as best you can and sometimes “the best you can” means avoiding it or running away. I’ve done this multiple times. My theory has always been to at least give it shot. I know I don’t always follow this theory but I do try. Anything new or anything that you think will make you feel anxious, probably will because you work yourself up and that makes you feel more anxious. As I have mentioned before the cycle is illogical and i think many people with anxiety who really sit down and think about it realise that. It’s good to expose yourself to the situations that make you anxious because most often than not you’ll get through it. I know that the more you stay in and avoid these situations the more you reinforce your illogical fear. 

It’s tough. Challenging anything that gives you anxiety will always be tough. It raises the question is the anxiety worth it? Is it worth challenging yourself by going out with friends and being ridden by anxiety for a little while? Yes, challenging your thoughts and your feelings will improve your quality of life. It will let you do the things that you never wanted to because you’re scared of feeling anxious or having a panic attack. The more you expose yourself to these anxiety-provoking situations the more you anxiety will deplete in the long run.

It does get better.  

I’d love you hear your thoughts. How do you deal with your anxiety, what helps you, what are your experiences?