So, here's a scenario I've been thinking about in my head.

Say that I accept that all my health symptoms are anxiety. A doctor has told me that my physical symptoms without anxiety, are just stress. 

Now, everything I've read has said that exposure is ultimately the way to rewire your brain in to realising that there is no danger.

So, I decide I'm going to face my fear. I'm going to walk five miles from home and back, or I'm going to drive 100 miles, or I'm going to sit in a restaurant for two hours or whatever your worst fear could be.

Now, the day arrives and I say, I'm going to walk five miles away from home and back. I've got water, I've eaten enough, I've brought a glucose drink, I've covered all the bases. Before I leave, I feel like I'm going to be sick, shit myself, pass out, I'm shaking, I can barely stand.

Am I seriously meant to believe, that I am meant to walk through that, or drive through that, or sit on a restaurant looking physically unwell. Because I've done this exposure shit for months, and nothing improves, the symptoms are still there every, single, time. No matter how much I "prove" to myself and my brain that there is no danger, it believes I'm on danger. I actually tried the walking thing, and this is kinda funny, but I actually shit myself due to anxiety when I was a few miles from home.

What, the, fuck. How do you overcome this type of anxiety?!

My friend explained that they went through a bad stint of anxiety for a month of going to public places. They did the exact same thing I did, and within a month they were totally cured of this anxiety. I do not understand how this works?!