From Publishers Weekly
Anxiety is the single largest mental health problem in the U.S., according to recent studies. Researchers have found that 30% to 40% of the general population suffers from excessive anxiety. Psychologists Bob Montgomery and Laurel Morris (coauthors, Surviving: Coping with a Life Crisis) argue, in Living with Anxiety: A Clinically Tested Step-by-Step Plan for Drug-Free Management, that it is possible and even preferable for the anxious to cope without drugs, and the book guides readers through a self-help process. While Montgomery and Morris responsibly advise readers to seek counseling from a trained clinical psychologist if the advice in their book doesn't work, they believe that dealing with anxiety without a therapist has self-esteem benefits. They also note, rightly, that psychotherapy is too expensive for many people, and many insurance plans don't cover it; for that very reason, this book is likely to find a wide audience.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
According to a 1999 Surgeon General's report, "Anxiety disorders are the most common, or frequently occurring, mental disorders." Too often overworked doctors prescribe drugs to manage the condition for a short-term cure and send the patient on his way quickly. Psychologists Bob Montgomery and Laurel Morris strongly disagree with treating anxiety disorders with drugs. Their timely book provides a step-by-step plan to help anxious people learn to cope without resorting to medication, even for severe manifestations of anxiety such as obsessive-compulsive disorders and panic attacks.In easy-to-understand terms, Montgomery and Morris define anxiety, describe the different forms it takes, and show how to manage anxiety in everyday life. They discuss general anxiety, agoraphobia, phobias in general, social phobias, and social anxiety, among other types.Living with Anxiety discusses how and why to stop taking anxiety drugs and when drugs can help; it also recommends when to seek out a psychologist. It offers readers practical exercises and specific strategies for dealing with feelings, thoughts, and physical symptoms associated with anxiety attacks, and methods for strengthening social, sexual, and interpersonal skills that can be the source of anxiety.
About the Author
Bob Montgomery, Ph.D., a psychologist and professor, has written more than a dozen self-help titles. He lives in Australia. Laurel Morris, Ph.D., has been in private practice for eighteen years and written ten other books. She lives in Australia.
