Anxiety Free

by LEAHY, ROBERT L. PHD

• ISBN13: 9781401921637
• ISBN10: 1401921639
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-04-15
• Publisher: Hay House Inc.

Summary

We live in the Age of Anxiety. In any given year, about 18 percent of Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder, and over the course of a lifetime, this number rises to nearly 30 percent. The rates of overall anxiety have increased dramatically during the last 50 years. In fact, the average child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s. Thanks to advances in modern psychology, we know much more about anxiety than we once did-where it comes from, how it operates on the mind, and the behavior it generates.Understandinganxiety is the key toovercomingit. InAnxiety Free,Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D.,best-selling author ofThe Worry Cure,looks at the origin of anxiety and teaches us how to outsmart our fears for a less stressful life. Anxiety is part of our biological heritage. Our ancestors lived in a world filled with life-threatening dangers, and it was in the face of these dangers that the human psyche evolved. Fear was protective, and to survive, our ancestorsrs" minds were programmed with rules of how to react to their environment. These preprogrammed rules of reaction were passed through the generations and now keep us in the grip of anxiety. We no longer live in the primitive world that created our fears, but we operate as if wers"re still running from tigers, fighting starvation, and risking incurable disease. To break free from the tyranny of anxiety, we need to rewrite these preprogrammed rules. InAnxiety Free,Leahy addresses the six recognized anxiety disorders-specific phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder-explaining what each is and which outmoded rules it follows. He then offers simple, step-by-step techniques for confronting and overcoming our specific anxieties. Using Leahyrs"s methods, which are based on the best psychological treatments available, we can work toward a life free from the apprehension, tension, and avoidance associated with anxiety.

Author Biography

Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D., is recognized worldwide as one of the most respected writers and speakers on cognitive therapy. He holds a number of high-ranking positions in his field, including director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, president of the International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy, and president of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, as well as editor of Cognitive Behavior Therapy Book Reviews. He is the author and editor of 15 books, including the bestseller The Worry Cure, and has been featured in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek, Psychology Today, Washington Post, Redbook, Shape, First for Women, Women's Health, Self Magazine, and USA Today Magazine. He has also appeared on national and local radio and television, including 20/20, Good Morning America, and The Early Show.  

Table of Contents

Understanding Anxiety	p. 1
Anxiety as Adaptation	p. 13
The Anxiety Rule Book	p. 29
"That's Dangerous!": Specific Phobia	p. 57
"I'm Losing Control": Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia	p. 87
"Never Enough": Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder	p. 117
"Yeah, but What If...?": Generalized Anxiety Disorder	p. 153
"I'm So Embarrassed!": Social Anxiety Disorder	p. 185
"It's Happening Again": Post-traumatic Stress Disorder	p. 219
Final Thoughts	p. 251
Appendices
Relaxation	p. 256
Insomnia	p. 259
Diet and Exercise	p. 265
Medications	p. 271
Mindfulness	p. 278
Depression and Suicide	p. 282
Diagnostic Tests	p. 289
How to Identify Your Anxious Thinking	p. 301
Use Your Emotional Intelligence	p. 305
How to Deal with Your Anxious Thoughts	p. 311
Acknowledgments	p. 319
References	p. 321
Index	p. 337
About the Author	p. 347
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