Product Description
This comprehensive text covers all the anxiety disorders found in the latest DSM and ICD classifications.Written by two internationally recognized authorities in the field, it provides detailed information about seven principal disorders, including anxiety in the medically ill.For each disorder, the book covers diagnostic criteria, epidemiology, etiology and pathogenesis, clinical features, natural history, and differential diagnosis; and describes treatment approaches, both psychological and pharmacological.The authors have thoroughly surveyed the scientific literature of the past two decades, and have added insights from history, philosophy, and the arts.At once scholarly and clinically relevant, this is a definitive reference for psychiatrists at all levels.It will also be of interest to other mental health professionals, and to many physicians in other specialties. ... Read more

Product Description
Despite the high prevalence (as many as one in four) andsevere impairment often associated with anxiety disorders, people whosuffer are often undiagnosed, and may fail to receive appropriatetreatment. The purpose of this volume is to provide a single resourcethat contains information on almost all of the measures that havedemonstrated usefulness in measuring the presence and severity ofanxiety and related disorders.This remarkable compendium includesreviews of more than 200 instruments for measuring anxiety-relatedconstructs in adults. These measures are summarized in `quick viewgrids' which clinicians will find invaluable. Seventy-five of the mostpopular instruments are reprinted and a glossary of frequently usedterms is provided.This and the companion volumes in the series arewritten for practitioners who wish to make their assessment practicesmore systematic, want to have assessment devices readily available,and want to expand their assessment practices with the most up-to-dateapproaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice collection of instruments
I am always seeking books that include a wide range of psychometric instruments that can be used to instruct students regarding concepts such as reliability and validity. In addition, I prefer to use psychometric instruments that appear to have some practical application for our graduates.

THE PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE TO EMPIRICALLY BASED MEASURES OF ANXIETY includes a description of the psychometric qualities of 354 anxiety scales.These 354 scales fit into one of seven categories that include:

Measures for anxiety and related constructs
Measures for panic disorders and agoraphobic
Measures for specific phobia
Measures for social phobia
Measures for generalized anxiety disorder
Measures for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Measures for acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder

The wide variety of methods for assessing the degree of anxiety is nothing less than overwhelming. To describe about HALF of the measurements, authors use the following outline:

Original Citation
Purpose
Description
Background
Administration
Scoring
Interpretation
Psychometric Properties (Norms, Reliability, and Validity)
Clinical Utility
Research Applicability
Source
Cost
Alternative Forms

The consistency of this outline is quite helpful in reviewing these instruments when students are first learning about test construction.

The other HALF are described in a machine gun manner with one citation.These short descriptions offer little assistance. For example, I read brief description of the Student Worry Scale on page 209. I wanted to learn more about it and started searching for the citation.The search proved to be too much trouble for my purposes, so I gave up.

Most importantly, the authors have included reprints of 80 instruments that are divided into the following categories:

Measures for anxiety and related constructs
Measures for panic disorders and agoraphobic
Measures for specific phobia
Measures for social phobia
Measures for generalized anxiety disorder
Measures for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Measures for acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder

These reproductions are extremely helpful for students who are first learning about test construction.

In addition to being a wonderful tool to learn the basic of instrument construction, THE PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE TO EMPIRICALLY BASED MEASURES OF ANXIETY is an equally beneficial tool for the practitioner and the researcher.In fact, I suspect that the author's primary intended audience is practitioners. Regardless, this is a wonderful volume that will be a great benefit to many.

As a side note, the publisher Kluwer Academic/Plenum has produced a similar book entitled, THE PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE TO EMPIRICALLY BASED MEASURES OF DEPRESSION.It too, is an excellent volume. ... Read more

Product Description
It is widely recognized that chronic anxiety plays a central role in a broad variety of psychological and psychiatric disorders. Yet, despite its significance, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)--an official psychiatric diagnosis that is akin to chronic anxiety--is one of the newest, least studied, and most misunderstood of the anxiety disorders. Bringing together leading researchers who discuss the nature and treatment of GAD, this is the first book to focus specifically on the topic. In addition, the volume examines the overlap of GAD and depressive disorders, presenting important new information on mixed-anxiety depression (MAD).

Providing a well-rounded approach, chapters in the first half of the volume address theoretical considerations while those in the second cover clinical issues. The book opens with a description of the general nature of anxiety and its relation to depression and stress that places GAD into the broad context of emotional disorders. As the primary characteristic of both chronic anxiety and GAD, the cognitive process of worry is discussed in detail. Remaining chapters describe the nature, etiology and treatment of the broad psychological construct of chronic anxiety and the specific psychiatric diagnosis of GAD.Biological and psychological factors are considered, as are issues of comorbidity.

Clinical chapters commence with a discussion of the diagnosis of GAD and its revisions for DSM-IV.Recognizing that many individuals complain of equal mixtures of low levels of anxiety and depressed mood, particularly in primary care settings, the DSM-IV Task Force is considering the inclusion of mixed anxiety-depression (MAD) as a possible category. One chapter provides an overview of ongoing conceptual and empirical work on this topic. Other topics include pharmacotherapy and psychosocial treatments for GAD. Throughout, chapters are based on DSM-IV considerations.

Providing readers with both a fundamental understanding of the topic and a detailed examination of clinical issues, CHRONIC ANXIETY will be valued by researchers in the area of psychiatric and emotional disorders as well as by clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and general practitioners. The work also serves as a text for graduate courses on anxiety disorders, emotional disorders, psychopathology, and therapy.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

not enough
This book didn't really tell me as much about chronic anxiety as I'd hoped.I got excited by the subtitle (Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Mixed Anxiety-Depression) because the anxiety-depression connectionreceives too little attention in the literature, but I was disappointedthat there wasn't more here.

When I see a chapter titled "TheBiology of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Chronic Anxiety", I expect... well, whole books could be written on that.Maybe the problem is inthe title.The articles skim the surface and leave me frustrated.Of whatgood, really, is it to know only that"neurotransmitters of potentialsignificance in anxiety disorders include ... (NMDA) receptors and ...(CRF).Selective antagonists of the excitatory NMDA receptors have beenshown in animal models to have antiepileptic, muscle relasxant, andanxiolytic properties [reference given]" (p. 65).And then, aftersome detail on CRF, the chapter leaves off neurotransmitters and moves onto metabolism.The fact that it said neurotransmitters of interest*include* these two implies there are others.WHAT ARE THEY?And the single sentence covering NMDA is too little when a book is writtennarrative-style like this.Either leave it out or give me a little moresubstance.As it is, the chapter reads like it can't decide whether to bea narrative or a list of things to memorize for an exam.

I found similardifficulties with other chapters.

I don't mean that there's nothing ofvalue here, just that you'll wind up needing to go to other books andarticles anyway, so...?You'd probably run into, for instance, the work onNMDA elsewhere if you just did the literature review yourself.This bookdoesn't add anything to that. ... Read more

Product Description
SELF HELP: The Book introduces you to Mary Ellen Popkin and her vivid account of her first terrifying anxiety attack during her college years. She recounts how anxiety became a daily reality until it eventually left her homebound for 7 months. Diagnosed with Separation Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia she worked her way back to the "outside world". Inch by inch, she reached her goal of having a career and traveling again.

This book is filled with practical survival tips for someone with anxiety disorder. It is set up in 20 sections filled with lessons that are easy to follow. The reader can study and practice these tips at his/her own pace. It details way to handle the stress of being alone to anxiety while driving. Also included are tips on how to create your own "anxiety safety kit".

Giving the reader hope, she states that "There is no such thing as a set-back without growth spurts." Read this powerful personal story and lessons that follow. This book is recommended reading for someone wanting to help him/herself--or friend or family member--even a child--with this debilitating disorder.

These are surely anxious, high-stress times we live in--and many millions of Americans suffer from Anxiety Disorder and Panic Syndrome. You may be one of them. You certainly know one of them, and perhaps your pre-teen or teenager is dealing with anxiety and panic for the first time. Much of this interited disorder can be dealt with and eased significantly with at-home relaxation lessons and exercises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Love the tips from someone who actually lived it
Found this book to be easy to follow and gives the reader practical tips.I especially loved the tips on riding/driving in the car and being alone.These are 2 areas I really struggled with being agrophobic.
Also gained a lot of insight on how to lessen those pesty obsessive scary thoughts.
Like to idea of hearing things from someone who actually had anxiety disorder instead of some shrink who just studied about it in school.

I also like Claire Weeks books and she too had agrophobia.

So if you are looking to hear from someone who has been there this book is worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (ADIS-IV) is a structured interview designed to assess for current episodes of anxiety disorders, and to permit differential diagnosis among the anxiety disorders according to DSM-IV criteria.The ADIS-IV also provides sufficient information to permit functional analysis of the anxiety disorders.In addition, sections to assess current mood, somatoform, and substance use disorders are included because of their high comorbitidy rate with anxiety disorder and because the presenting symtomatology of these disorders is often quite similar to that of the anxiety disorders.The ADIS-IV also contains screening questions for psychotic and conversion symptoms and familial psychiatric history.A more detailed section is included to ascertain the patient's medical and psychiatric treatment history.Finally, with the exception of Axis II disorders, the ADIS-IV permits the use of the DSM-IV multiaxial system.

The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV: Lifetime Version (ADIS-IV-L) contains all of the sections included in the ADIS-IV.However, unlike the ADIS-IV, the ADIS-IV-L has been designed to establish past (lifetime) diagnoses as well.The ADIS-IV-L also contains a Diagnostic Timeline to assist in the determination of the onset, remission, and temporal sequence of disorders.

This item is a specimen set that includes one Clinician's Manual and One Client Interview Schedule. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must have for anyone working in the area of anxiety
I'm a psychologist specializing in the area of anxiety and phobias, and this interview template is a must for anyone working in the area of anxiety. It is made up of different sections depending on the anxiety disorder, e.g. panic, agoraphobia, PTSD, etc. So you don't have to give the whole interview assessment if you just want to focus on one type of anxiety disorder like panic attacks. It walks you through the whole process easily, so you just read it out to your patient, and tick and flick the questionnaire. I was amazed at the things it uncovered, which would have gone unnoticed if it weren't for the questionnaire. As far as psychological assessments go, its very cheap and very effective. A must have item.

Anthony Gunn, author of Fear is Power
Fear Is Power: Turn Your Fears Into Success ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Review
Book was in the condition stated. Great packaging and timely delivery. I can't complain. Perfecto!

Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression
I cannot say enough good things about Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression.I saw many psychiatrists, psychologists and over 35 years in January 2009 I discovered Metacognitive Therapy and three months later I've reduced my anxiety to normal levels.It's not a miracle, it's a direct benefit of putting together the knowledge from this book and practicing the techniques described.I've contacted my friends with anxiety and/or depression as this is the best resource I've seen to overcome anxious and depressive conditions.

I was intrigued with the book from page one, "Thoughts don't matter, but your response to them does: as everyone has negative thoughts but not everyone believes their negative thoughts and develops anxiety."I've read the book three times and I've phoned all my friends and family members with anxiety and/or depression to please read this book.

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) does not question the reality of a person's individual thoughts and beliefs; it focuses on how to change a person's response to the thought.It cuts to the chase of the how to overcome anxious thinking and provides the tools to disengage from intrusive thoughts (called mental events) while providing a step by step method of how to reduce anxiety to normal levels.

Before reading this book, I thought that my worry kept me safe, protected me from danger and I firmly believed it was impossible for me to stop worrying.I worried all day, everyday and half the night.I was existing, not living.Thanks to MCT I now experience anxious thoughts in metacognitive mode and view the thought as an event in the mind and as such, I do not have to pay attention to it resulting in no more worry!I cannot recommend this book highly enough.I hope that MCT becomes better known in the US (the author is from England) as it has the potential to help millions.

an essential resource
Anyone who theorizes needs to have a reliable method for remaining grounded firmly in reality. When minds threaten to detach from their moorings here in the real world, it is essential to have a method ready to restabilize things. This book provides a number of techniques one can use to reorient one's thinking to basic reality.

The solution to the problem of too much theorizing cannot be more theorizing. The solution is to stop theorizing, at least temporarily.

This book can help one do just that.

very good book
The book suggests a newer way of dealing with abnormal behaviour rather than the traditional CBT as it frees the client from critisizing his way of thinking; although this therapy was offered some years ago, but it is still newer than the CBT and must be taken seriously. It mainly wants to help the sufferers of the different anxiety states and the depressionmood disorder. I recommend this book, as it crosses the boarders of older therapies but still, it lacks some CBT's techniques which are necessary and that is the try to change the incorrect cognition of the client to a more healthy way of thinking and by that, his behaviour changes in return. It rather concentrates on the inner behaviour (cognition) of the clients. In general, a very good book for someone who wants to have a direction as to kinds of therapies are there to be in the future. ... Read more

Product Description
Mood and anxiety disorders in women represent an increasingly important area of research and treatment development. The authors take a broad biopsychosocial and developmental approach to the issues, beginning with anxiety disorders in adolescence and progressing through the life phases of women to menopause and old age. All the disorders are covered, from anxiety and borderline personality disorder to stress and late-life depression. Particular attention is paid to questions of vulnerability; epidemiological and clinical evidence showing gender differences in such disorders; aetiological explanations in terms of biological (including hormonal) as well as psychosocial parameters, and treatment implications. ... Read more

Product Description
FEARS. BOOKS ARE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM, AND MOVIES ARE BASED ON THEM. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR.

Devotions for those with Anxiety Disorders is an easy-to-read devotional. The mind, body, and spirit are the core of the human being. When one is affected the other two can also be affected. Healing can take place in all three areas. Traditionally, therapy has only focused on the mind in treating disorders. In the 1990's, we focused heavily on the affects long term stress can have on the body.

Today, we have begun to focus on the spiritual side of a person's life in the treatment of disorders. This book takes it one step further and focuses on not just the spiritual side, but the religious side. It is based on a Christian concept and it will help to alleviate symptoms while working with the mind and body through the reading of the devotions. Along with the scriptures, practical advice about living with anxiety and living life fully with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, and depression is included.

Whether a therapist, family member, or a person with an anxiety disorder, the devotions contained in Devotions for those with Anxiety Disorders will provide a welcome relief from daily struggles. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Alcohol Research & Health, published by U.S. Government Printing Office on March 22, 2002. The length of the article is 5146 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Social anxiety disorder and alcohol use.
Author: Sarah W. Book
Publication: Alcohol Research & Health (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2002
Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office
Volume: 26Issue: 2Page: 130(6)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

a comprehensive review on anxiety disorders
This is a well-written book on theories about anxiety disorders.It includes comprehensive review of current biological and cognitive theories of anxiety.Special section on panic disorder, particularly the nocturnalpanic problem, deserves great attention for researchers and mental healthprofessions working with panic patients. ... Read more

Product Description
Social anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent and disabling of all psychiatric disorders. Fortunately, there have been significant advances in our understanding and treatment of this condition. Written by preeminent scientists in the field, this reference provides an authoritative and up-to-date account of current knowledge on social anxiety disorder (SAD)—providing state-of-the-art reviews and analyses of the psychopathology, pathogenesis, and management of this condition. ... Read more

Product Description
"Dear Social Anxiety Sufferers (Your Friends and Family),

Everyone has experienced fleeting anxiety in social situations.But perhaps your self-consciousness intensely insinuates itself intoone or more important aspects of your everyday life. If so, you likelysuffer from the agonizing pangs of social fear. Perhaps you dreadmeeting people, giving a speech, using a public restroom, eating inpublic, talking to your boss, or having your social skills or workobserved or your competence assessed.Or perhaps you feel threatenedin new social situations where you don't know the rules, avoid suchsituations altogether, or just want to escape. We all experiencesocial anxiety a little differently yet we're all riding the sameskittish horse.

When our social fears are intense and persistent, we have socialanxiety disorder/social phobia (SA/SP - "sasp" for short). This meansevery day we're forced to confront the pain of being in the spotlight,evaluated, or being embarrassed by the very social situations we longto embrace. Socially we find ourselves on the periphery of life'sdance, trying to follow the choreographed patterns and rhythm, butusually seeming to be one beat out of synch, zigging when we shouldzag. Often feeling like the butt of a cosmic joke, we see ourselves asthe ball in a pinball machine, bouncing from bumper to bumper, missingtargets, and always on the verge of "tilt."This is beingdiagonally-parked in a parallel universe.

Clinically too, having SA/SP puts us in another dimension.Eventhough SA/SP is the most common anxiety disorder and the third mostcommon psychiatric disorder after depression and alcoholism, it's theleast-diagnosed, least-widely understood, and most under-treated.Fewmental health professionals are well-versed in the condition or itstreatment even as the number of sufferers continues to increase.

Making our situation worse, most of us with SA/SP don't know wehave a treatable disorder, that we're not "just shy," and that we canand need to get help. But even when we understand this, we're oftenreluctant to seek professional help because we're ashamed of the fearand worried that our complaints won't be taken seriously. Then, whenwe finally do muster the courage to do it, we're often hobbled by thevery anxiety for which we seek help: Talking with and being evaluatedby others. Together, these factors help keep this major health problemnearly invisible.

This comprehensive book was written to show you how you can:

*Significantly and effectively alleviate your SA/SP pain;
*Significantly improve your daily functioning; and
* Effectively work toward your potential.

You benefit from the uniqueness of my perspective.I'm both asocial psychologist working in the areas of social and personaleffectiveness, interpersonal and presentation skills, and anxietymanagement and someone who has struggled for 22 years to successfullyovercome SA/SP. (I used to worry endlessly about what others mightthink about me and my not meeting their expectations.) As a result, Iunderstand how it feels to be living- and working through thisoften-incapacitating disorder and where we SA/SPers need tospecifically concentrate our efforts to improve our lives.

You benefit from my knowledge of SA/SPers' concerns, issues, anddesires - the result of my two years of talking with and listening toSA/SPers online via lists, news groups, and chats.You benefit frommy research, teaching, consulting, training, and coaching experience,as well as my association with professionals in the SA/SP trenches.

To make your SA/SP more understandable and amenable to change, thisbook provides you with not only the theories and salient research onits origin, triggers, and maintaining mechanisms, but also a broadrange of standard and alternative clinical approaches, lifestrategies, motivational exercises, and empathy. And because I knowfrom extensive experience that your having exercises just thrown atyou isn't likely to help you empower yourself and succeed, this booktakes you back to square-one.It gives you the psychologicalpreparation you need to jump-start, enable, and maintain your recoveryprocess.

Because we SA/SPers tend to have difficulties with clinicians, thisbook takes the mystery and risk out of locating and talking to themand guides you through the process: From initiating your search tosurviving your first appointment.It tells you what to expect and howto prepare for it. Because we SA/SPers struggle with presentingourselves socially (whether communicating, socializing, dating, orfinding a job), this book addresses each significant life activity,breaks it down into sequential, digestible chunks so you can absorb,assimilate, and achieve it.And, because the Internet has greatimportance and value for SA/SPers as one of the few means ofestablishing relationships and comfortable communication we have, thebook pinpoints the services and resources available for those withSA/SP.

Since how you think, feel, and behave determines how you interactwith your environment (and conversely), this book focuses on yourperceptions, emotions, beliefs, and self-presentation. Using real-lifestories, typical problems, and their solutions, the user-friendlyformat takes you logically, incrementally, step-by-baby-step throughthe multiple-level processes of your recovery.Through conciseexplanations, thought questions, self-quizzes, and exercises, yousystematically develop and apply your cognitive and behavioralstrategies to achieve your recovery goals.

In this process you'll assess your social anxiety, determine whereyou're headed, how to get there, and how you'll know when you'vearrived.You'll act as a scientist doing experiments.You'll learn,practice, and apply new skills that will constructively change the wayyou think about and cope with not only your SA/SP but also the worldoutside yourself.You'll see yourself make positive changes.

Using this book's clinically-proven methods, you can reduce your:

* anxiety and fear
* depression
* negative thinking
* anger
* loneliness
* procrastination
* shame and embarrassment

and increase your:

* motivation to make change
* confidence and self-esteem
* ability to handle stress
* initiating and maintaining conversations
* problem solving
* decision making
* expressing yourself appropriately
* patience
* listening to others
* social effectiveness
* dealing with criticism
* dating
* networking
* creating your own job and career opportunities
* understanding of social anxiety, yourself, and others.

However, just reading this book isn't likely to ameliorate yourSA/SP any more than just watching others exercise will cause you tolose weight and tone your body (although awareness may provideimportant identification, hints, and hope).

The book's recovery program is action-oriented, requiring youractive, committed, persistent participation in order for you to alterall those factors contributing to your SA/SP: Your automatic feararousal, negative thoughts, mistaken beliefs and assumptions,unrealistic expectations, and counter-productive behaviors.

Note: As much as we all may wish it to be true, there is nofinger-snapping, lamp-rubbing, "Shazaam!" magical solution to SA/SP.It took many factors interacting over many years to bring you to yourpresent state.So recovery will not be instantaneous.But if youtake the time to make the necessary structured effort toward recovery(whether that includes therapy, medication, or both), you will quicklybegin to experience small but significant changes in your thoughts,feelings, and behavior - glimpsing what it'll be like "without SA/SP." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (176)

fake 5 star reviews
book was ok. more of a general survey. and somewhat helpful.dont know where all these 5 stars came from. somethingfishy

174 Reviews Were For 1st Edition of DPPU, Not This 2nd Edition.
This is the New & Improved Second Edition of "Diagonally-Parked in a Parallel Universe: Working Through Social Anxiety" (published 2010 - 1st. Ed. was published in 2000 with a different cover). I'm writing to let potential buyers of this the 2nd Ed. know that the 174 Reviews which are listed here are from the 1st Ed. of the book. New reviews would have a 2010 starting date on them.

The reason I mention this is that the rewriting for the 2nd Ed. has taken any criticism of the 1st. Ed. to heart and revised the book to be very readible, user-friendly, and on-point. There are many more targeted exercises, assignments, important information, and tips. Anything that might not have been on-target-helpful to the reader's understanding or their following the step-by-step approach to social anxiety recovery has been removed. Up-to-the-minute, relevant information has been added with respect to medications, therapy, resources, and life strategies.

This book has been reviewed and acclaimed by clinical researchers in the field of social anxiety/social phobia. I feel confident you will find it even more helpful than the 1st Ed. If you would like to comment to me personally on the 2nd Ed.'s usefulness to you, I would welcome hearing from you. Much success on your being "parallel parked in a parallel universe" soon!

- Dr. Signe, author and publisher

PLEASE NOTE: The "Change" example used by Nick in his August 29, 2009, review of the 1st Ed. of the book may appear to represent what was actually written in the book. It does not. No Mayans, symbols on bamboo, or a synopsis of the 14 challenging theories etc.

Extremely Frustrating Read: Very Tangential
I am almost half-way through this book, and so far whatever help it offers is either never going to reveal itself, or I've lost my patience to discover it, because the author's writing style is amazingly tangential.This is more of a psych. textbook than a self-help book.He has managed to summarize every theory of social psychology and define every word he has typed thus far, but I still don't know how to be less socially anxious.

Imagine every sentence you read went something like this:

To change, we need to challenge our irrational beliefs.

Change

There are various theories on how one changes.Miller and Prochastka cite 4 critical stages of change:

1. Precontemplation
2. Contemplation
3. Action
4. Maintanence

Need

When we need something, it is more than just wanting something to happen.The ancient Mayas expressed needs by carving symbols of their needs into bamboo.Many people believe a bamboo is a plant, but is actually a type of grass. Bernstein & Miller polled 7,000 college students between the ages of 18-21 and asked them if bamboo is a plant or a grass and only 37% answered correctly.

Challenge

There are 14 leading theories on how we challenge something.Here is a quick synopsis of all 14:



This is an exaggeration obviously, but I swear, this is how the book reads, and it's maddening.He never gets to the point. It's just explanations of explanations.Plus, there are glaring spelling errors and other typos.Chapter 14 is titled, "Overcoming Sweating, Blushing and BB" and then on every page in that chapter, the title header mispells 'blushing' as 'blusing.' 'Blusing' wouldn't even make it through a spell-check, but somehow it made it to be printed on the header of every page of the chapter?

Any helpful info. one could distill from this bear of a book is lost by its expansiveness.After 137 difficult pages, I am overwhelmed with the 'why' and 'how' of my condition (and a lot of other useless information) but am so drained, if there is a 'so then...' I've lost the patience to read further to find it, AND I'm convinced that the 'so then' will be so wordy and convoluted, I won't know how to do it anyway.

Plus this beast was expensive!I want my money back.

Beware...Another book with fake 5-star reviews
Yes, this book is very well reviwed...But take a closer look at those reviews.
The 5 star reviews are mostly by people who strangely only reviewed this book.

Others authors have used the same technique to trick people like us (Breaking the chain of low self esteem; Discipline...)


Don't be fooled.

Frustrating to Read, but Informative
DIAGONALLY-PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE... by Signe A. Dayhoff is an informative book that explains social anxiety/social phobia (SA/SP) rather well. However, the haphazard way the book was put together keeps it from being any better than 3-stars.

First, the Bad--

***Continuous errors such as missing words, misspellings etc. which happen every two/three pages and you start to wonder about the author's credibility. Didn't this book have a proof-reader?

***The structure is questionable. The first half of the book is devoted to explaining SA/SP, relaxation techniques, cognitive behavior techniques and medication. Suddenly, the book shifts to dating, finding a job, marketing yourself and networking, which is fine. But then it goes on into chapters dealing with the physical symptoms of SA/SP, finding a doctor and what to expect when getting help. Again, these chapters are fine but when you're reading along and go from medication to dating, it's confusing. I was left thinking-shouldn't I at least have this problem under control before I start dating and networking?

The following are also problems with the bookin my opinion:

***Image--there's a segment on physical appearance and the author states that people with SA/SP should keep their image up by not wearing "flamboyant clothes, have piercings, or oddly colored hair because this detracts from our positive image..." Excuse me, but positive image according to who? Society? The author's? Shouldn't we be more accepting of ourselves, whatever that may be, rather than trying to conform to some subjective idea of "normal?"

***Anger Management--BIG FAUX PAS--in this section the author suggests that when you get angry "you should take a time out and cool down" and one of the ways to calm down is driving somewhere. WRONG! Even the DMV handbook says you should not drive a car when you are upset or angry. It's even on the DMV test.

***Reward and Punishment--the author suggests to make lists and goals like reading this book in 2 weeks. Sounds reasonable, but in the previous chapter she writes that people with SA/SP have all or nothing thinking, which means that if you don't finish the book in 2 weeks you'll just abandon it altogether. But you make these lists, and if you complete the task you get a reward. If you don't, you have to punish yourself in some way. Dayhoff didn't go into what constitutes punishment, but I think people with this disorder have been punishing themselves long enough.

Now the Good---

***Good Descriptions--Plenty of examples and descriptions of what SA/SP is and uses stories from different people who suffer from it to illustrate the many forms the disorder can take.

***Terms for Negative Self-talk--provides terms and definitions of maladaptive thought patterns like "mental filter" that help you understand what is going on as soon as the thought pops into your head.

***Fear Assessment Exercise--this helps challenge irrational thoughts by questioning them on paper.

***Relaxation Techniques--Dayhoff gives different relaxation techniques for dealing with physical stress brought on by anxiety.

***Drug Info--Provides descriptions of the various drugs used to treat SA/SP, the side effects, and how they're supposed to help.

***Resource Guide--since this book was published in 2000, I'm not sure if most of the websites listed in the resource guide are still active but it's good that the author included them.

Anyway, the book is informative...but a chore to read. ... Read more

Product Description

Extensive studies have shown cognitive-behavioral therapy to be highly effective in treating anxiety disorders, improving patients’ social functioning, job performance, and quality of life. Yet every CBT clinician faces some amount of client resistance, whether in the form of “This won’t work”, “I’m too depressed”, or even “You can’t make me!” Avoiding Treatment Failures in the Anxiety Disorders analyzes the challenges presented by non-compliance, and provides disorder- and population-specific guidance in addressing the impasses and removing the obstacles that derail therapy. Making use of extensive clinical expertise and current empirical findings, expert contributors offer cutting-edge understanding of the causes of treatment complications—and innovative strategies for their resolution—in key areas, including:

• The therapeutic alliance
• The full range of anxiety disorders (i.e., panic, PTSD, GAD)
• Comorbidity issues (i.e., depression, personality disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and chronic medical illness)
• Combined CBT/pharmacological treatment
• Ethnic, cultural, and religious factors
• Issues specific to children and adolescents.

Both comprehensive, and accessible, Avoiding Treatment Failures in the Anxiety Disorders will be welcomed by new and seasoned clinicians alike. The window it opens onto this class of disorders, plus the insights into how and why this treatment works, will also be of interest to those involved in clinical research.

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Sexual Aversion, Sexual Phobias And Panic Disorders
Sexual avoidance disorders are the primary complaint of many patients seeking help for sexual dificulties and have been recommended as a new diagnostic entity in DSM-III-R under the category Disorders of Sexual Desire.

Now, Helen Singer Kaplan, author of the widely used volumes, The New Sex Therapy and Disorders of Sexual Desire has written a pioneering book that provides the first integration of brief psychodynamic therapy with antipanic medication. She demonstraties that both psychotherapy and medication have valuable but entirely distinct functions in the treatment of these sexual disorders and both are needed to help patients with drug-responsive sexual anxiety.

Sexual Aversion, Sexual Phobias And Panic Disorders provides a detaied guide to the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. It first describes the clinical features of the sexual avoidance syndromes and panic disorder. Then a pluralistic concept of the etiology of sexual phobias is presented, stressing the interplay between the patients biological vulnerability and the efects of cultural, neurotic, and relationship stresses.

Following is an unusually valuable chapter on Sexual Disorders and Medication written by Donald F. Klein, M.D., one of the country's foremost experts in psychopharmacology. He discusses the appropriate prescription of medication following the careful differential diagnosis of anxious and depressive states in patients complaining of sexual disorders.

Succeeding chapters cover an integrated approach to treatment that combines medication with brief psychodynamic therapy; conjoint sex therapy with couples who have problems related to their separation anxiety and rejection sensitvity; and some hypotheses about drugs and the psychodynamic process.

Throughout the volume, detailed cse studies make clear the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sexual avoidance syndromes.

Sexual Aversion, Sexual Phobias And Panic Disorders is an indispensible volume for all physicians and couples, and familes with sexual problems.
--- from book's dustjacket ... Read more

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Aaron T. Beck: Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Nursing Centers Consortium!

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Triumph Over Shyness is full of practical tips, helpful techniques, and more to help manage anxious thoughts and physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Using humor, warmth, and language that is easy to understand, authors Murray Stein, MD, MPH, and John Walker, PhD, explain what causes social anxiety disorder, how it impacts social and romantic relationships, and what treatments work. Whether you are concerned about yourself, your child, a friend, or a relative, Triumph Over Shyness will help you understand the nature of the problem and what you can do about it."This is an indispensable, authoritative, and compassionate guide for anybody desiring to overcome or learn more about social anxiety disorder. Backed by the authors' extensive clinical and research experience, it provides hope and encouragement with a dash of humor." - Jonathan Davidson, MD, Emeritus Professor, Duke University Medical Center"The authors' years of experience in treating social anxiety shine through, as does their sense of humor. This book presents practical strategies for overcoming social anxiety. I highly recommend it!" - Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, Author, Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook and 10 Simple Solutions to Shyness"This book offers insights and outstanding tips from two of the world's leading experts on social anxiety; it's a great resource for anyone trying to tame social anxiety." - Franklin R. Schneier, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute"Social anxiety and shyness can become disabling and paralyzing. This book is a must-read for anybody who wants to understand and overcome this debilitating problem." - Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Boston University ... Read more

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A fascinating and worthy text that presents new insights into a hugely important area of mental health. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) impairment is a core domain of prevalent mental disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective, mood and anxiety disorders. The authors present a new conceptual framework for this field by explaining how HRQL impairment arises from interactions between various multidimensional factors. They suggest several ways in which further research could enhance our understanding of HRQL impairment, its biological basis, and its relevance to psychopathology.

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This outstanding text is a complete reference guide for the treatment of anxiety, integrating psychological theories with biological bases and research findings.After summarizing all important variables, such as genetic, functional, and neurochemical factors, the author concludes each chapter with a concise treatment guide based on biopsychosocial principles.Usefull as a textbook, reference resource, or as a means to better understand anxiety, this book provides the very latest in research and theory within the field of clinical anxiety. ... Read more

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flippin' sweet
this book was flippin' sweet. i read it cover to cover in just a few weeks, and it wasn't boring at all. The illustrations are top notch ... Read more

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In recent years, researchers and psychiatrists have come to know more about anxiety disorders, their causes and possible methods of treatment. In fact, the medical literature fairly overflows with data on these conditions. In this text, the author distills that knowledge into an easy to use reference. A variety of different diagnoses, classifications and treatments are explored, with a particular focus on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The text not only profiles GAD completely, but it also discusses GAD in relationship to other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatrists and pharmacologists can benefit from this resource, as can trainees. ... Read more