I was able to give up my day job as an advertising copywriter thanks to an advance I was given to start my next book. ‘My third novel had been very successful and thrust me into a different league as a writer. 'For people with an anxiety problem, the worry becomes all consuming - they're constantly on edge' says Nigel Campbell of Rethink Mental Illness (Picture posed by models) My brain was exhausted with the effort of trying to manage the constant inner chatter of “What ifs?” I couldn’t make decisions and meeting up with friends felt too much to handle. Normal tasks such as driving became overwhelming. ‘Then, two years ago, anxiety took a stranglehold on my life. The novelist, who lives in Brighton and is married to Tom, 51, a chef, says: ‘In the past I have felt fearful - for instance, I’d get anxious when negotiating a book deal, but I found it always passed. This was the case for Sarah Rayner, 51, who still can’t pinpoint exactly why she started to suffer anxiety attacks but puts it partially down to the onset of menopause.Įxperts say that fluctuating oestrogen levels play an important role in managing the chemical activities in your brain, and as levels drop, low mood and anxiety can set in. ‘For people with an anxiety problem, the worry becomes all consuming - they’re constantly on edge - and intense attacks can have no apparent trigger.’ It fills your body with adrenaline and stimulates fight-or-flight responses. Nigel Campbell, of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, says: ‘Anxiety is a natural response to certain stimuli - perhaps an impending exam, public speaking or financial difficulty. Symptoms of anxiety include a dry mouth, shaking, nausea, an increased heart rate and hyperventilating

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