An eBook written by a psychotherapist to help individuals deal with anxiety and excessive worry. There are tools and useful tips to help deal with various anxieties.
Excerpt:
The goal of this eBook is to provide a basic understanding of what anxiety is, as well imparting knowledge of the resources available to help you, the anxiety sufferer, to know that you are NOT alone and that there are many places to turn for help.
I will try to provide as many suggestions as possible to help you find what will work best for you. Th e information I provide will be in large part based on my own clinical practice and the experiences I have had in specializing in and treating anxiety.
If you are currently struggling with anxiety, with fears, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder or panic, I highly recommend that in addition to any information given here or on my blog, you find a therapist you trust. Hope-fully the information provided here will help you to make an informed choice. Th at is one of my goals. It may take time to find the right person; but knowing how to find, as well as actually finding the right therapist, can make a tremendous difference.
Further, I would strongly recommend a complete physical exam to rule out any physical factors, such as thyroid problems or vitamin deficiencies that could be exacerbating, contributing to, or causing your anxiety. Most commonly, I see people in perfect physical health who are plagued by a relentless fear that something is wrong with them physically. Hopefully, an exam can provide reassurance in this area so that you can begin to deal with the anxiety itself rather than to continue to focus on health issues.
Anxiety can be so painful, so debilitating, so just plain horrible, that I hope to write this eBook with the same care, sympathy, understanding and compassion as if writing for a dear friend or family member to tell them what to do and how to cope.
People with anxiety are too oft en misunderstood, or mocked, even by loved ones or family members. Oft en such people tell them, “just get over it,” or “calm down,” or “just relax,” the very same people from whom one most wants and needs understanding.
Such lack of empathy oft en only serves to increase anxiety. While the loved one, or friend, or professional who says these things may mean well and think that the best thing they can do is get someone to ‘toughen up,’ usually their lack of empathy and validation does more harm than good. Surprisingly, many therapists are not adequately skilled in helping with anxiety, and they, as well, are less than helpful or even harmful in their approach. I have included in this booklet the best resources for finding therapists trained in the area of anxiety.
