My childhood was exactly what was described in the book. My parents were divorced when I was 3 and I can see the patterns described all throughout my life. When it comes to girls, i've often developed unrealistic crushes, when I get affection and validation from them, I feel ecstatic, then if I perceive her as not paying attention to me or ignoring me il spiral down into a feeling of anxiety. I can conceal these feelings from them, but obviously they can be sensed leading me to never have success with girls since im needy.

I've never experienced a relationship because I could probably never handle one. Ive currently been obsessed with a co worker. It's the same thing, I would talk to her, she would give me positive attention and id feel great, then 20 minutes later if she walks past me without acknowledging me i'd sink into anxiety, I think it's referred to as "memory fear". I have far bigger problems than girls though. Im 25 and have no direction in life. I have a lot of anxiety problems, though i've been able to overcome and handle them somewhat well luckily. I also drink too much, most nights if I stay home il drink some beer and watch movies. I do have friends in my life who genuinely care about me though, and I do have a lot of healthy habits, such as regular exercise and meditation. Im not socially inept by any means and I do actually possess a lot of confidence.

How does one break all of these bad patterns i've been doing for my whole life? I know the book offers steps and courses of action but it's a lot to digest all at once and I'm experiencing something of a breakdown this morning with regard to my life direction. Any tips, insight, help would be greatly appreciated.