The anxiety got so bad I found myself not wanting to go out with my friends; I couldn’t go out shopping on my own. I would make any excuse under the sun to not go. I was losing my life and my independence. My world was becoming smaller. After the heart racing, I began to breakout in a sweat and I would wake up every hour of the night. My mind would constantly be running, every hour different thoughts and feelings.

I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. One morning, I remember waking up and just feeling as if I was not there. I was constantly so spaced out; I couldn’t make sense of anything. This is what scared me the most, not knowing what was really happening and why I didn’t feel a connection to anything, let alone myself. I tried to carry on with my life as normally as I possibly could. Going to work everyday became a real struggle, doing the everyday jobs was so exhausting and it made me feel dreadful. It got worse and I woke up every morning feeling as if I was not there and nothing that I was doing felt even remotely real.

I went to see my GP who told me that I have anxiety, I didn’t understand how anyone could feel like this and it was only anxiety. He referred me to a therapist and reassured me that talking would help. I did this for months on end; I would pour my heart out trying to find some answer to why I was suffering so much. Why was I feeling like this? Yet, the sensations and symptoms only got worse over time. I became dizzy all the time; I would have panic attacks in the middle of nowhere.

It got to the point doctors suggested I needed medication to control my anxiety. Medication wasn’t something I really wanted to do but I felt so awful I didn’t know what else I could do. After a while of being on the medication, nothing changed and I was told that I need to learn to live with my anxiety, to control it as best as I could. When I heard that all I remember thinking is that I must be really ill, going mad or even worse, I thought I could be dying.

I had spent so long trying to cope that I psychically couldn’t do it anymore. One Sunday evening I sat down with my husband and son, in complete desperation trying to find something on the Internet. Searching ‘can you cure anxiety?’ ‘Will I have to live with anxiety forever?’ That’s when I found The Linden Method.

My husband and I went to the Retreat together, he came with me for support but as soon as I arrived, I was in tears. I felt so out of my depth but I also felt relief in just being there, knowing this could be the end to my anxiety. Charles, Beth and the team at the Retreat put me at ease instantly. The whole experience from start to end was so incredible, learning all about my anxiety and finally seeing a way to get rid of it.

Leaving the Retreat after the four days was possibly one of the most terrifying and daunting days of my life but I was adamant that I had to take this journey and I had to keep working until I knew it had finally gone. I followed The Method to the tee and I began to live again. I began drawing, making jewelry and fell madly in love with ballroom and Latin dancing.

After leaving The Retreat and following the programme, I could feel my anxiety disappearing. TLM had worked and it had changed my life! Since leaving the Retreat and being fully rid of my anxieties, I dance twice a week and have entered many dancing competitions. I have even been lucky enough to dance at the Blackpool Winter Gardens the last two years. I could never in my wildest dreams, have imagined that this could be possible when I was riddled with anxiety and feeling so very ill.My life now revolves around dancing, I think of new music everyday that I can use for my next routine. The Linden Method gave me my life back and made it better. I’m more social, I go on holiday, I do so much more than I ever did before and during my time with anxiety.