How do you cope with being forced to face your triggers?

As a result of my current theme, I'd put off a completing a really important task. I was worried that completing it would set off a chain reaction that would ruin my life. Recently, I learned that I can't postpone it any longer, and I don't know how to cope.

I wasn't coping well before, but I think I managed well enough. My panic slowly dissipated. I stopped reacting to the sights and sounds that would usually make my heart race. I stopped checking so much. I had normal dreams.

Now I feel like a mess. Since learning I must complete this task, I've been spending all day thinking about how everything will fall apart once I do. I've been wasting hours checking again.

I used to worry about dying in my sleep. I'd force myself to stay up all night. I would try to sleep upright because I thought that would make a differences. I even started avoiding my own bed. Eventually, I started going to bed with this thought in my head that if I was going to die in my sleep, I'd have no control over it. If I die, I die. The thoughts turned to dust. That tactic isn't working here and I don't know what to do.

Put them off to the last moment, then steel myself and dive in. Make myself face them, if there's no way out.