Overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques


In this guide, we will discuss the topic “overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques”.

Overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques

Overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques is a book considered “The classic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy guide to managing anxiety.”

According to goodreads.com “The accessible and straightforward books in the Overcoming Series treat disorders by changing unhelpful patterns of behavior and thought. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is internationally favored as a practical means of overcoming longstanding and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. The books in the series outline affordable and easy-to-follow treatment plans and have provided tens of thousands of readers with the help they need to lead happier lives. This positive, pragmatic approach is popular with therapists and patients alike.”

It has also been described as the ever-popular guide that offers a self-help program, written by one of the UK’s leading authorities on anxiety and based on CBT, for those suffering from anxiety problems. 

Research even suggests that therapist supplemented bibliotherapy could provide an efficacious treatment option for families isolated from traditional treatment services. Here, we have listed some of the best CBT books you can use to improve anxiety.

In families, dealing with anxiety can be difficult, check out the best anxiety books for parents and teens.

A whole range of anxieties and fears are explained, from panic attacks and phobias to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety.

It includes an introduction to the nature of anxiety and stress and a complete self-help program with monitoring sheets based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (hachette.com.au).

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are very common topics of discussion, and the most common disorders worldwide.

We all live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with stressful situations, how we deal with them will make the difference between experiencing anxiety at times or all the time, letting it control our lives and affecting our normal functioning. 

By taking the first step and recognizing anxiety has become bigger than us can help us follow the path to overcome it and live a better life.

It is not easy and sometimes not even self-help books can help us overcome the anxiety that easy but most of them will give us an understanding of what is happening and guide us to seek professional help. 

Moreover, we have included some recommended websites listed in the recommended links section. 

Background on the author

According to readingagency.org.uk “Dr. Kennerley is the author of Overcoming Anxiety, the Overcoming Anxiety Self-Help Course and Overcoming Childhood Trauma. She qualified in Clinical Psychology at Oxford, where she also trained to become a cognitive therapist. She is one of the founder members of the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre (OCTC). Currently, she works as a consultant within OCTC, where she is the lead clinician of a specialist clinic in cognitive therapy. Helen has presented many workshops in her area of expertise both nationally and internationally. In 2002 she was shortlisted by the British Association for Behaviour and Cognitive Psychotherapies for the award for the most influential female cognitive therapists in Britain.”

Reviews from Amazon readers

Here are some comments and reviews from Amazon readers so you can have an idea of the content of the book and recommendations.

Additionally, you can decide if this is a book you could be interested in reading or not. 

“Having suffered from serious anxiety and having had professional advice before, it was my counselor who suggested this book. The idea is to read and apply the book. This way you learn your own problems and that starts the ball rolling to how to handle them and re-educate yourself. I have read many books but I particularly like the way this is structured. It’s not as hard as it sounds once you get the hang of catching thoughts and noting them down, then you can look at what kind of thoughts they are how to deal with them. Well worth reading!” (Irish Buyer)

“This is a great book. I will say it tries to cover all kinds of anxiety so may be unfocused for someone looking for help with specific anxiety.” (Cj)

“This was the best and most informative book that I have read dealing with Anxiety.

The book covers all aspects of Anxiety, Depression, and Phobias.

I would recommend this book to anyone who suffers from anxiety, depression, phobias, and stress.” (Gerald O’Sullivan)

“The grammar, spelling and cover blurbs were great; however the main content of the book was nothing new. In fact, a ten to twenty-minute search on the internet would get you just about all the information found in this book.

I have read many other titles within the `Overcoming’ range and found that all that I have read to be interesting, informative and inspirational. This book, in my opinion, was different. It lacked much of what the others provide, which is a shame as I am sure a lot of people could benefit if this book was rewritten and republished.

I really wanted to have got something out of this book, but I simply did not. And in fairness, I can only give this book 2 stars.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie”

“This book was fantastic offering a guide chapter by chapter on how to overcome the problem of anxiety. I felt at the end like a weight had been lifted off my back. I know recognize triggers, have strategies that work on overcoming them. I am managing sleep problems better because of it and my life is much smoother because of this book. Get it, you won’t regret it and the Worry Cure is another extremely helpful book.”

“Bought this for a friend at university who was struggling with severe anxiety, it was so bad that she physically couldn’t speak in front of strangers. Within days she read the book from cover to cover and thanked me profusely for it. She said it really helped her to identify the unhelpful cycles and thought patterns going on in her head. It’s not an overnight fix, but it gives you important insight on what’s causing your anxiety and gives you some great techniques to help overcome it (as the name suggests)

After a few weeks of implementing these new techniques, my friend was visibly getting more confident, to the point where eventually she even offered to stand up in front of people and speak during our group presentation project! We were all so proud of the progress she’d made, she really worked hard to improve herself and it showed. This book was a big help.”

“I am only half way through the first past of this book but am already finding it very helpful. I am able to relate to several of the scenarios it describes and am able to identify my patterns and cycles of anxiety and am hoping the second part of the book will then help me to start addressing these issues. Best thing I’ve done for my mental health, has given me exactly what I’ve been looking for that the therapists couldn’t give me, understand but also techniques to move forwards. Definitely recommend.”

Why is this blog about overcoming anxiety: a self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques, important?

There are plenty of self-help books on anxiety out there but some of them are not quite what we expect of what we are looking for.

However, this is a recommended book by many users and experts in the field, especially due to the background and authority the author has when talking about anxiety and how to overcome it.

It provides a lot of help and advice on the matter but certainly is not everyone’s cup of tea. 

By reading it and trying yourself, if you have already tried other great self-help books, you can actually decide if it is worth reading or not. 

Please feel free to comment in the comments section below.

Side Note: I have tried and tested various products and services to help with my anxiety and depression. See my top recommendations here, as well as a full list of all products and services our team has tested for various mental health conditions and general wellness.

What we recommend for curbing Anxiety

Below are some of the services and products we recommend for anxiety

Online Therapy

  • Online therapy is another thing we should all try. We highly recommend Online therapy with a provider who not only provides therapy but a complete mental health toolbox to help your wellness.

Anxiety Weighted Blankets

  • Anxiety Weighted Blankets are by far the number 1 thing every person who suffers from anxiety should at least try. Anxiety Blankets may improve your sleep, allow you to fall asleep faster and you can even carry them around when chilling at home.

Light Therapy

Amber light therapy from Amber lights could increase the melatonin production in your body and help you sleep better at night.  An Amber light lamp helps reduce the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep and increases overall sleep quality.

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