Phobias and How to Overcome Them: Understanding and Beating Your Fears

By James Gardner

Book Overview

A handbook for sufferers, those who treat them, and those who love them.

What distinguishes a fear from a phobia? How do I know if I have one? What treatments for phobias have proven most effective? These and many other questions are addressed in this guide to the complex issue of phobias--which come in many forms and many degrees of severity. Based on scientific and clinical research as well as patients' experiences, Phobias and How to Overcome Them delves into topics including: Recognizing the symptoms of phobias Stories of successful treatments Specific phobias both common and uncommon Medical evaluation and treatment of phobias The roles of counseling, psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therap Other anxiety disorders and mood disorders that may underlie phobias Resources for additional help
In addition, Dr. Gardner provides an Anxiety Toolkit that can be used to combat and conquer phobias--offering new techniques and new hope for people who experience these debilitating fears that can not only affect physical health but also interfere with full and joyful participation in life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1564147665
• ISBN13: 9781564147660
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

this book is broader than just phobias

As a psychologist specializing in fear and phobias, I found this book very helpful. It gives a lot of great advice about phobias. It is written in everyday language and is very easy to understand i.e. avoids academic jargon. My only complaint, and some may not see this as a negative, is the title is mis-leading as it doesn't just concentrate on phobias. I'd estimate that about half is on phobias and the other half covers more general anxiety. Now it could be argued, which the authors do, that general anxiety fuels phobias. I'd say they are probably right. However, if you are after a book to quickly treat your phobia then this might not be the best choice. If on the other hand you are after a book that offers a lot of life skills for managing phobias and long term stress and anxiety, then this book is gold. It has some great advice such as the list of 40 simple things to reduce anxiety (all covered on 1 page), tips on different forms of therapies e.g massage, acupuncture, exercise, diet and medication etc. I believe that the more information you can find out about anxiety and phobias, the better a position you'll be in to manage it. This book is well worth a read. Anthony Gunn, psychologist and author of Fear Is Power: Turn Your Fears Into Success