Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself: The 6-Week Mind-Body Program to Ease Your Chronic Symptoms [Hardcover]

Arthur J. Barsky (Author), Emily C. Deans (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060766131 | ISBN-13: 978-0060766139 | Publication Date: May 30, 2006 | Edition: 1

Nearly 20 per cent of people in the UK suffer from chronic debilitating symptoms that respond only partially to conventional medical treatment. Discomforts such as fatigue, insomnia, headaches, weak muscles, acid indigestion, and bloating cost the nation hundreds of pounds in health care expenses and lost productivity. Until now, no other book has relied on scientific evidence to provide a mind-body treatment specifically proven to ease the pain and distress of any chronic symptom. Based on over 20 years of clinical experience, scientifically tested at Harvard Medical School, and studied via a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the authors have developed a set of essential skills for overcoming the symptoms of chronic illnesses of every kind. The treatment is unique, powerful, and simple to learn. Readers are taught to stop worrying about being sick, and to start thinking about living well. This involves mastering the five psychological factors that make chronic symptoms persist. In a few short weeks, symptoms that have plagued so many for so long can be significantly relieved.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Arthur Barsky, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Psychiatric Research at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is the author of WORRIED SICK and is a widely recognized authority in his filed. Emily Deans, M.D. is chief resident in psychiatry at the Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program and a clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Deans is highly experienced with chronic symptoms sufferers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060766131
• ISBN-13: 978-0060766139
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #540,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Chronic Pain

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A practical and helpful addition to the literature on chronic illness and anxiety, June 11, 2006

By 

Gen of North Coast Gardening (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself: The 6-Week Mind-Body Program to Ease Your Chronic Symptoms (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful addition to the literature on anxiety and chronic illness. The wisdom here is invaluable, and it is expressed in such a way that I think people with these kinds of chronic symptoms can't help but recognize their own thought patterns here.

I loved all of the experiences of real people that are included, and the author's writing style is accessible as she talks about what we can learn from each experience of chronic symptoms or anxiety, and how to change.

I have two close friends who I will be recommending the book to, as I see so many of their experiences reflected here, and the author shows wonderful common sense and understanding towards the people suffering with these problems.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed my life, May 27, 2010

By 

Barbara Ballard (Lawrence, KS, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself: The 6-Week Mind-Body Program to Ease Your Chronic Symptoms (Hardcover)

I read this book two and a half years ago, suffering from chronic Lyme or some other chronic illness. I had got to the point of thinking my life might be irrevocably changed. Friends made me work through the six week program in this book and it really changed my life. I don't say that lightly.

The book presents a six week program for reducing your obsession with your negative feelings, including tricks like "worry time," meditation, and my favorite: limit health research on the Internet to a specific, limited time per week.

Each week builds on the week before, and provides over a dozen activities and approaches to try. There is no need to try each, but only a handful. This feature means that you can complete the full program no matter your current state, and that if you do the program again you will get new insights and improvements out of it.

I have been actively recommending this book to several people over the years, and I really think their lives would be better for reading it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help for hypochondria, July 5, 2011

By 

Evan Gillespie (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself: The 6-Week Mind-Body Program to Ease Your Chronic Symptoms (Hardcover)

This is an excellent self-help book for those suffering with hypochondria, health anxiety and health related depression. I've had health related anxiety sporadically throughout my life and as I read this book it felt like it was written for me.