Reddit reviews The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition

Hi there! I have been living with anxiety and OCD for as long as I can remember, and in more recent years depression has come onto the scene as well. It's hard to give situation-specific advice since you didn't provide information about your particular brand of anxiety (like triggers, frequency of panic attacks, etc.), but I can break down what I have found works for me. I hope my experience with combating anxiety will be useful to you!

• Tip No. 1: If your anxiety is severe enough to affect or impair your daily functioning (for example, your ability to work or school, have healthy relationships, and basically make it through the day in a bearable way), get help. There is assistance available even for those who are uninsured or financially strapped, especially in metropolitan areas.
  
  
• Tip No. 2: Therapy has honestly been the most beneficial and effective part of my treatment. I would even go so far as to recommend it without reservation to anyone suffering from anxiety, especially if their symptoms are on the milder end of the spectrum. I strongly believe that therapy should be the primary line of defense in combating anxiety. That's right, I said it, not medication. Of course there are exceptions to this rule of mine, such as in crisis situations (following a suicide attempt, hospitalization for a severe panic attack, etc.), but in my opinion, many people tend to jump straight to medication before exploring other options and then find themselves disappointed with often lackluster results. As a bit of a caveat, sometimes it does take time to find a skilled therapist that you can trust and connect with. This may be especially difficult with social anxiety or if you have had a bad experience with therapy in the past. Keep at it. It'll more than likely be worth it in the end.
  
  
• Tip No. 3: If therapy alone is not enough, medication prescribed by a mental healthcare professional is a valid option. In my experience with friends and such who received psychiatric medications from their primary care physicians, the results were often mixed or negative. The simple fact is that while PCPs are great for lots of other health concerns, the mind is not their area of expertise. A psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or psychologist (in states where they can prescribe) is much better equipped to recommend, adjust, and switch medications when necessary than your average general practitioner of medicine. And just like finding the right therapist, finding the right medication often takes patience and persistence. If you have specific questions about medications (I have been on several SSRIs and mood stabilizers in the past), feel free to ask away. And finally, don't expect medication to fix everything. It won't. I know that might seem obvious, but I've seen a lot of people stop taking medication when they shouldn't have just because their life wasn't immediately fixed. At their best, meds just make life easier to confront, not easier to live.
  
  
• Tip No. 4: Something that has been unexpectedly helpful in combating my own anxiety is doing lots of research about literally everything that scares or concerns me. It started when I was first prescribed medication and I was afraid of side effects, so I went online and started reading up on them. Yes, there were horror stories, but the majority of people don't spontaneously combust on antidepressants, and that made me feel better. From there, I started researching my phobias, like flying. Just knowing the mechanics and realistic risks of things that cause you anxiety is often enough to put mild anxiety to rest.
  
  
• Tip No. 5: Books like this can sometimes be useful for learning techniques to quell anxiety, such as thought stopping (a personal favorite of mine) and other relaxation techniques. They're especially great in times when you can't see a professional for whatever reason, because they're designed to model therapeutic techniques.
  
  Sorry for writing you a bit of a novel, but I wanted to make sure that I covered everything and explained myself well. Also, please note that I left off a lot of other techniques that are highly effective for many people (such as mediation/prayer) because I personally have not had success with them. That obviously doesn't mean you shouldn't explore them, in fact, I encourage you to. Everyone is different. I hope that what I have learned thus far in working through anxiety is useful to you.

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook was great for me when I was dealing with PTSD as a teenager (and getting flash backs), my friend with anxiety post a brain injury also found it helpful.

If a work book alone isn't enough to help. And if you try all those other great tips in the thread. Have a look at Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and maybe eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy.

CBT should be easy to find via a free anxiety support group or a sliding scale therapist. The EMRD is really only a suggestion if you have some sort of extended benefits that cover insurance (since last I heard it cost something like 1500 dollars for seven hours of treatment).

Your complaint is common with people who are more introverted and have a bit of anxiety. When one feels internal conflict, "should I say this or should I say that? What does this person want from me? What do I say?" this produces a feeling of anxiety and then the need to shut down. Introverts get drained of energy when confronted with interpersonal conflict. Extroverts often feel energized when interacting with others. This difference in energy, speed of response and emotional reactivity can lead to shut down. I recommend two books: The Introvert Advantage, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0761123695/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=2955432445&ref=pd_sl_46kzt5sadt_e, and The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia-Workbook-Fourth/dp/1572244135. Both books will help you appreciate your different communication style, deal with the discomfort, and respond more effectively. Good luck.

I'm not sure what your last sentence is referring to - are you saying it's why you don't want to get professional help?

If you don't want to see a therapist, start with the Anxiety Phobia workbook and do some exploring on your own.

For me, there's often something going on that triggers my anxiety, but I don't realize what it is. It pretty much always feels like it came out of nowhere and I have to do a lot of self reflecting to figure it out.

I see a therapist every other week. I'm on Celexa and actually currently coming off Lamictal (with side-effects even though I carefully planned how to come off of it with my therapist). I've learned all sorts of techniques for dealing with my anxiety and hoping I can eventually come off the Celexa. One big thing is learning the signs that an attack is coming, and that addressing it by thinking, breathing, relaxation, taking a walk, etc. I've tried many different meds and combinations, different therapists, etc. (over the past 13 years) Finally found a therapist that really helps me and a med that works pretty well (still takes lots of effort on my part). I also eat right and exercise at least five days a week, which has been incredibly helpful with my anxiety.

I have panic and anxiety disorder, too. Cognitive behavioral therapy has done wonders for me. No meds. No doctors. There's a book that was particularly helpful for me called "The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook". You can get it online and in most bookstores for under $20.

Sure man... there's some great TED talks out there:

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

Jane McGonigal: The game that can give you 10 extra years of life

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

And if you change your mind about the books:

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook

The Highly Sensitive Person

It just takes time, a lot of support, someone to talk to, and cognitive therapy to get out of that sort of thinking. I also recommend this book for its great strategies: Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, if you don't necessarily want to see a psychologist yet, it still really helps if you do though.

This is good advice. Also, read this.