15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's a keeper, June 14, 2006
This review is from: Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)
Many people will find Carolyn Chambers Clark's book to be an indispensable support. If you've been accumulating a shelf of books on the subject, Living Well with Anxiety is the keeper; it's a comprehensive guide to every angle of approach.
The book is in part a tool for exploring cause and effect; Clark writes that some lucky individuals, for instance, may find their symptoms alleviated by addressing environmental factors that may not have occurred to them (such as indoor pollutants) or even by changing a prescription they've taken for granted (perhaps an oral contraceptive).
For some, her pg. 87, #5 strategy for quitting smoking alone will be worth the cover price!
For those tormented by more complex issues, Clark discusses the connection between muscle tension and heartbeat, adrenaline and exercise, relaxation and breathing. She cautions against looking for a miracle in a pill bottle, but holds out the hope that it is possible to discover the source of any condition and, armed with that knowledge, to create a treatment program based on what the sufferer knows, or comes to know, to be true about himself.
Self-healers will find a plethora of practical anxiety-reducing measures with which to experiment.
There are also valuable sections on psychiatric drugs and on the variety of professional practitioners and treatments available.
The advice here will be perfect for those who already have a good support system of family and friends, a good job, and decent health care; these people will gather confidence from the author's firsthand knowledge as a professional in the field who has herself struggled to overcome the paralyzing symptoms of anxiety. They can easily apply everything they learn to their own situations.
Those in less favorable circumstances may be put off by some of the suggestions involving, for instance, time management skills, and calling meetings. But, skipping those items, they will find much of substance remains.
Likewise the references to a "Higher Power (or God)" and a "life's purpose" will annoy many people; but the chapter which covers the benefits and dangers of spiritual belief also contains much food for thought about interpersonal relationships, including strategies for dealing with the sorts of people whose attitudes cause stress in their associates.
The author's voice will please most of her readers; in every authoritative statement there is also a sense of empathetic camaraderie.
Whether you're reading on your own account, or on someone else's behalf, you'll find Clark's optimism contagious, because it's genuine--the author, with full knowledge of the realities involved, promises that in time you CAN learn to control your anxiety; you can even make your sensitivity work FOR you. With fifteen pages of further resources at the back of the book, this is the volume to get you started, keep you motivated, and help you get there.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Information, April 17, 2006
This review is from: Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)
Dr. (EDD) Clark gives a nice overview for those who want to know a little bit more about living with chronic anxiety. She brings a helpful holistic point of view and advice to those who might be suffering and need information. Some of this is very basic and some more sophisticated with new or different material, such as on unusual herbs or color therapy. This is definitely a useful book and I'd suggest it for those who are unsure what to do about chronic anxiety. Everyone dealing with anxiety will get some ideas here. G. Miki Hayden, author of *Writing the Mystery*
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
medication is not your only treatment option, January 23, 2008
This review is from: Living Well with Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... That You Need to Know (Living Well (Collins)) (Paperback)
When I was diagnosed with anxiety, the psychiatrist led me to believe that my only treatment options were medication and therapy. For various reasons, I was strongly opposed to the idea of medication so before taking his advice, I decided to get on amazon and find some books that might offer some other alternatives.
This book has definitely been the MOST HELPFUL for me. The book is divided into chapters based on different approaches - such as Nutrition, Herbs, Alternative treatments. What I really like is the fact that the author provides dozens of different treatment options and explains them in a way that you can kind of pick and choose what you think will work best for you.
When I got this book I was almost entirely overwhelmed by anxiety and depression. I dreaded leaving my apartment or making phone calls, and I often spent days on the couch, drinking virtually every night. My school work severely suffered, and I felt like a complete failure at life. After a couple months of suffering, I ended up starting acupuncture treatment (one of the methods suggested in this book), and I have made an amazing recovery. As well, I have been taking several supplements, and I have been working to improve my sleeping and eating habits. But the best part is that I have been able to gain control over my anxiety WITHOUT the use of prescription drugs!
If you are feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, I would STRONGLY recommend this book.
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