Firstly, I am a sufferer of 13 years, albeit on the mend now. I have endured everything from panic attacks to real head on the floor depression, all of which can be frightening, really frightening.

This story I hope will make a very good, and important, point. It takes a slightly humourous approach to something which is far from humourous, but I am sure the reader will forgive the latitude I take here. It is an honest attempt to get over something very important.

The story is about a man who trips and falls into a large hole. He is a panic attack sufferer, and starts shouting for help as the hole is too large for him to get out of on his own.

A rich man walking past hears him and drops in some money, saying "there you go, I am sure that will help", to which the sufferer replies that is no good to him, and asks how can that money get him out of the hole. But the rich man takes no heed, or maybe did not hear him, and walks away.

A priest then walks past, hears his cries for help and drops in a bible telling him that will help, but the sufferer replies that surely will not get him out of his hole either. The clergyman walks on however, believing he has done his act of kindness for the day

Some passing good Samaritan then calls for a therapist to come and help him. He is consequently approached by a counsellor who drops in a leaflet and tells him that he should come and visit him immediately he gets out of the hole. He goes on to explain that it will only cost him so much per visit, with his fees and contact details all on the leaflet.

The man replies, with most of his response not able to be printed here, that this will not get him out of the hole, so the counsellor sends for a doctor.

The good doctor drops in some medication to which the man shouts that there is no way this is going to get him out of the huge hole.

The man in the hole suddenly finds he now has a companion alongside him, as someone jumps into the hole. The sufferer is perplexed and asks his companion why they did such an apparently stupid thing, as they are now both trapped.

However, the person who jumped into the hole tells him not to worry, help is at hand as he has been a fellow sufferer himself and knows how to get out of the hole.

I think the moral of this tale is now very clear.

People of course want to help, but they most times are totally unaware of exactly how the anxiety disorder sufferer is feeling. And more to the point, they generally do not know how to help. The cured ex-sufferer knows both of those things.

It was to such a source that I went, and where I found my way out of the hole I had fallen into. It took me a long time to do it, as I had kept going to the wrong people for help, just as in this story.

I listened to the people who had gone to the same source, read their own heartfelt testimonials and decided this was for me.

Do not make my mistake and talk to all and sundry thinking they can help. You will find your way out, just make sure you go the right source to find it. Doing that will surely hasten your permanent cure.