Mental Health and Wellness

Some twenty percent of us are afflicted with common anxiety and depressive disorders - not just brief bouts of nervousness or sorrow, but painful dysfunctions without obvious benefit. Why do so many people suffer from angst? In this path-breaking volume, engagingly written for the general public, psychiatrist Jeffrey Kahn reveals that angst ultimately results from our transformation, over tens of thousands of years, from biologically shaped, almost herd-like prehistoric tribes, to rational and independent individuals inmodern civilization. Kahn looks at five basic types of modern-day angst - Panic Anxiety, Social Anxiety, OCD, Atypical Depression, and Melancholic Depression - and shows how each derives from primeval social instincts that once helped our ancestors survive. For instance, the "panic disorder" whichprevents some people from flying may have originally evolved to keep our tribal ancestors from traveling dangerously far from home. Likewise, the increased emotional sensitivity to social rejection that now triggers episodes of "atypical depression" may have helped maintain polite behavior andsocial harmony in our ancestors. Our distinctly human civilization and rational consciousness lets us defy these social instincts. But those over-ridden instincts can resurface as stressful emotional disorders. Kahn notes that some of us painfully tackle this distress head-on, in ways that can advance intellectual creativity,social performance and productivity. He also describes the interplay of instinct with the advance of civilization, and on how evolutionary perspective explains why modern treatments work. Ranging from Darwin and Freud to the most cutting-edge medical and scientific findings - drawing from ancient writings, modern humor and popular lyrics, and with many amusing cartoons - Angst offers us an exciting new slant on some of the most pervasive mental health issues of our time.

The persistent burden of anxiety, stress, and depression is debilitating and often feels unavoidable. However, armed with the right tools you can identify the sources of your anxiety and take a proactive, step-by-step approach to find relief. Arlin Cuncic, longtime mental health writer and social anxiety expert, whose blog Healthline named one of the 'Best Anxiety Blogs of the Year' provides a step-by-step, 7-week program to take control of anxiety. The Anxiety Workbook is an anxiety workbook filled with practical advice and in-depth strategies proven to conquer everyday anxiety. An actionable plan to defeat anxiety, The Anxiety Workbook includes: A 7-Week Program for overcoming anxiety, reducing worry, and ending panic Helpful Tools including checklists, guidelines, and activities to help you understand your anxiety and set action-oriented goals to address it An Essential Overview covering the basics of anxiety and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches it.

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook has been the unparalleled, essential resource for people struggling with anxiety and phobias for almost thirty years. Living with anxiety, panic disorders, or phobias can make you feel like you aren't in control of your life. If you're ready to tackle the fears that hold you back, this book is your go-to guide. Packed with the most effective skills for assessing and treating anxiety, this evidence-based workbook contains the latest clinical research. You'll develop a full arsenal of skills for quieting fears and taking charge of your anxious thoughts, including: Relaxation and breathing techniques Ending negative self-talk and mistaken beliefs Imagery and real-life desensitization Lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise changes Written by a leading expert in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a classic in its field, this fully revised edition offers powerful, step-by-step treatment strategies for panic disorders, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), worry, and fear. You will also find updated information compatible with the DSM-V, as well as current information on medications and treatment, nutrition, mindfulness training, exposure therapy, and the latest research in neurobiology. Whether you suffer from anxiety and phobias yourself, or are a professional working with this population, this book will provide the latest treatment solutions for overcoming the fears that stand in the way of living a full, happy life. This workbook can be used on its own or as a supplement to therapy.

Whatever your fear, here is your chance to push through it once and for all. In this enduring guide to self-empowerment, Dr. Susan Jeffers inspires us with dynamic techniques and profound concepts that have helped countless people grab hold of their fears and move forward with their lives.

This book develops acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a revolutionary and exciting new direction in psychotherapy, into step-by-step exercises readers can use to get relief from emotional pain. Written by ACT's founding theorist, the book offers a self-help program proven to be effective for coping with a range of problems, from anxiety to depression, eating disorders to poor self-esteem.

Do you ever have butterflies before giving a speech or feel uncomfortable entering a room full of strangers? Everyone has at least a brush with social or performance anxiety. But for more than 20 million Americans -- men, women, and children from all walks of life -- these problems are an everyday occurrence, often depriving them of success and happiness. Using dozens of cases like these, Drs. Schneier and Welkowitz illustrate the many puzzling forms of social anxiety and the experiences that trigger it. In addition they offer several simple "self-tests" to help you measure your own level of social anxiety -- and provide an easy-to-follow self-help program that will enable you to overcome it at a speed and in a manner comfortable for you. The book also includes information on state-of-the-art psychotherapy and medical treatments and where to find them, as well as guidance for parents of shy children.

Don't panic! Managing Anxiety with Mindfulness For Dummies is a practical guide to overcoming your worries and minimising anxiety using mindfulness techniques. The National Health Service and the National Institute for Care and Excellence recommend mindfulness as a legitimate treatment for anxiety, and its also been proven to alleviate stress, depression, low self-esteem, and insomnia. This book explains the benefits of mindfulness, and how it can help you face your fears and defeat persistent, irrational worries. Learn how to break the anxiety cycle with an optimistic approach, live in the present moment, and manage your thoughts using the fundamental techniques of mindfulness therapy. This friendly guide will accompany you every step of the way as you understand your anxiety, identify solutions to your problem, maintain your gains, and avoid relapse. Over three million people in the UK suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder, with millions more experiencing phobias, OCD, and panic disorders. Anxiety is potentially debilitating, but many people are daunted by navigating the health system and thus fail to seek treatment. This book provides a way for you to begin managing your symptoms at home, using simple techniques that can help change the way you think, feel, and act. Understand what anxiety is, and the common causes Employ mindful self-compassion to alleviate symptoms Discover mindful attitudes and practise mindful mediation Transform unhealthy habits into anxiety-busting self-care Mindfulness can help you break free of the downward spiral of negative thought and action, and make positive choices that support your wellbeing. If you're tired of being anxious and long for a brighter outlook, Managing Anxiety with Mindfulness For Dummies provides a wide range of effective techniques to help you enjoy a calmer and happier life.

Discover simple yet powerful steps you can take to overcome emotional distress--and feel happier, calmer, and more confident. . Revised and expanded to reflect significant scientific developments of the past 20 years, the second edition contains numerous new features: expanded content on anxiety; chapters on setting personal goals and maintaining progress; happiness rating scales; gratitude journals; innovative exercises focused on mindfulness, acceptance, and forgiveness; 25 new worksheets; and much more.   Mind Over Mood will help you: *Learn proven, powerful, practical strategies to transform your life. *Follow step-by-step plans to overcome depression, anxiety, anger, guilt, and shame. *Set doable personal goals and track your progress (you can photocopy the worksheets from the book or download and print additional copies). *Practice your new skills until they become second nature.

Clearly defines and clarifies the common forms of anxiety, panic, and depression. The book also presents an overview of all the main approaches to these problems and how they have succeeded.

The simple, untold truth about anxiety and depression is that they are habits of insecurity--and, like all habits, they can be broken. In this new edition of the highly successful Self-Coaching, Dr. Joseph Luciani shows you how to change your way of thinking and develop a healthy, adaptive way of living through his proven Self-Talk strategy for coaching yourself back to health.

In The ABCS of Coping with Anxiety: Using CBT to Manage Stress and Anxiety, James Cowart offers a concise collection of tried-and-tested strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and makes them accessible to people who are learning to cope with their anxiety on a day-to-day basis. .

This new mood management toolbox brings together the powers of mindfulness, CBT, and positive psychology for teens to take control of their distressing thoughts and over-the-top emotions. With over 30 years of clinical experience, Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein shares high-impact tools for teens' biggest demands -- school, social connections, body-image, and family dynamics. Inside you'll find 150 downloadable activities and worksheets to take control of: -Confidence and self-esteem -Overwhelming assignments -Schedule demands -Friend drama and pressure -Body-image struggles -Test anxiety -Self-sabotaging behaviors -Family frustration and conflicts