Customer Reviews

Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
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I have had a copy for many years and have given copies to a grandchild and one child, since anxiety can be inherited (my father had it, and we also have hypoglycemia). I have also given the order forms in the back to friends. I first became aware of panic attacks as an eight year old, but I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my forties, and only after many counseling sessions for panic which didn't help. I found this book and it meant the end of Xanax for me. One doesn't have to read it all at once. The first things to learn are distraction and breathing exercises. Then move on to magnification and other thought control processes.

I have just started using this book and it is such a relief. It is immensely practical and effective.

This is a newer edition; for more rave reviews from people who have been through the whole program, check out the older edition:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0446670537/

(The link will be slow because it has to rebuild "your" view, but just give it time).

If you really want to get better, if you're ready to do whatever it takes (because it does take hard work!), then this book can really help you take those steps. It's one of the few that are genuinely about "self-help" - how to gain internal strength and heal yourself. Good luck!

I first read this book in New Zealand.. and soon became hooked. Mainly as I suffer from anxiety and depression. I found it insiteful and cathartic. It helped me to understand more fully my idiosyncracies and attitudes, and gave me more peace of mind. It offers good advice on how to help combat these debilitating conditions and gain your life back. I would highly recommend it to anyone who suffers from these conditions, or lives with anyone who has them, to better understand what feelings are involved, and that no one ever chooses to suffer; for many reasons, it is simply how our brain reacts to difficult situations, and no one is to blame. An empathetic, yet highly practical book.

very easy to understand the causes of panic and aniexity, creates easy to understand solutions for people suffering from long term panic, GAD, etc..

I have used this book to supplement the work I'm doing with a good therapist. I learn something important about myself every time I read it, and I feel like I am reading a book that is written about me. It has been so valuable in my work towards treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and depression. For me, this is the most valuable book I have read in my entire life. For the first time, I have hope that I can overcome the debilitating anxiety I have lived with for years. I am learning skills that will help me from relapsing into old ineffective behaviors. I will reference this book for years to come.

This is the most complete, easiest to read and comprehensive book I have read on the subject. Chock full of information that will help therapists and clients deal with whatever comes their way via anxiety. A winner.Reading Thomas Merton: A Guide to His Life and Work

I've used this book for anxiety. I don't know if I was using it wrong (or maybe didn't put enough effort in) but my anxiety would sometimes come back. Why have I given it five stars then? Because all the ideas to overcome anxiety are actually there. Anxiety stems largely from irrational thinking and beliefs and this book makes this clear. However I found that using this book I was only getting superficial results because I wasn't looking for my deep, underlying beliefs but for superficial ones. I find this because often the book uses these kinds of examples of irrational beliefs. For example, in discussing "should/must thinking" (probably the most irrational type of thinking we do) the author gives the example of a patient that had the personal rule "I must be on time." and if she challenges that rule she will no longer get anxious about being late. This is true. However if you think about it the reason she is probably anxious about being on time is because she is probably somewhat of a perfectionist ("I must be perfect.") or she has a great need for approval ("I must not do anything to make people disapprove of me.") So using this book you can definetly calm down your anxiety because it is fairly easy to figure out these sorts of surface "I must be on time." fears. If you want to really really overcome your anxiety you need to find and challenge the really basic irrational beliefs such as "I must never fail." or "It is absolutely awful if I fail." I believe that you can use this book to uncover such irrational beliefs, but for whatever reasons I didn't really.

Until...I read the author's preface, saw that he got most of his ideas from Albert Ellis' REBT and ordered a copy of "A Guide to Rational Living" by Albert Ellis and Robert Harper (make sure you get the latest, third edition). This is an excellent book that deals with these sorts of more basic deep irrational beliefs. I have learned more about myself and my thinking with this book. Personally I would suggest working through Mr. Peurifoy's book while at the same time having a read of "A Guide to Rational Living" because it might help you uncover the deeper underlying irrational belief(s) you hold and Mr. Peurifoy's book will help you challenge them.

Just remember that most "overcoming anxiety" books use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, taken from Rational Behavioural Emotive Therapy developed by Albert Ellis. This type of therapy has been proven to work to overcome anxiety so most anti-anxiety books will probably be quite similar. Find one that you like the style of to work through and read the original man, Albert Ellis, himself.

I suffered with paralyzing anxiety, ocd, depression, phobias, and heart-stopping panic attacks that would wake me out of my sleep. With years of meds and therapy I was just barely functioning. I bought this book and worked on it with a self help anxiety group sponsored by the mental health association. After just a few months I began to come out of a fog that I thought I was doomed to be in for the rest of my life. I practiced over and over the techniques given, and really spent a lot of time and thought while working in the book. For years, I carried it with me everywhere - just in case I needed it. Don't rush through it - it's going to take some time and hard work to feel sane again. But I assure you that you will get there! This book, along with a lot of support from others, made me feel whole again. You don't have to suffer anymore!

Book is excellent for anyone who suffers from Anxiety or Panic disorders or who has family members who do. Easy to read and very helpful, the techniques in this book are very effective. I highly recommend it.

This book is a great self help book. Take your time and go through the book as it sugguests. Very helpful with self-realization.