Master Your Panic and Take Back Your Life: Twelve Treatment Sessions to Conquer Panic, Anxiety and Agoraphobia

If you're in the middle of a panic attack, you don't want to have to wade through a lot of psych theory to explore the underlying causes of your fears and vulnerabilities. You want fast relief. The beauty of this book is, you can use it like a first aid manual to get a grip immediately. Later, when you're calmer, you can go back and work through its very practical exercises to help you better understand the nature of your attacks and what you can do next time to halt them.Forget standard psychobabble; Beckfield uses her in-depth understanding of important emotional themes underlying panic to help you figure out your own, unique sensitivities. You're encouraged to look at aspects like genetics, personality traits, and early experiences that may have lowered your anxiety threshold, as well as touchy issues like loss and anger that feed into panic attacks. Eye-opening quizzes and exercises are a big help here -- you'll learn a lot about your feelings and thought patterns that cause physical reactions like shaking, palpitations, dizziness, chills, nausea, chest pain, and that horrible sensation of losing control or "going crazy." Using simple techniques like the controlled breathing exercise to help you chill out quickly during anxious times, you'll realize the scary sensations not only do pass; in time, you can make them disappear completely. Beckfield advocates keeping a journal to note panic episodes, record your feelings at the time, and also chart positive actions and successes. It really personalizes this conscious, ongoing process of creating your own "comfort zone." The book also includes an up-to-date discussion of the latest medications used to control panic attacks, as well as a section on mindful meditation. Even if you don't suffer from full-blown panic attacks, but have near-panic episodes, anxiety in specific situations, or chronic low-level anxiety, you'll find useful ways of taking charge and staying calm.

I've read darn near every book there is on panic and anxiety. This is by far the best book I've read on the subject. The author discusses the possible reasons behind having panic attacks, and I'm a poster child for most of them! To some, knowing the "whys" isn't as important as knowing how to stop them, but to some people like me, knowing why validates it and makes me realize that there are outside forces involved. Definitely worth checking out and following.

After being diagnosed with Panic Disorder and informing my psychotherapist that I DID NOT want medicine to deal with it, I set out to educate myself as much as I could. There are many books out there on the subject and I looked at so many that were filled with hard-to-understand language and information about the different medications used to treat Panic Disorder. Luckily, I happened upon this book! From the moment I began reading it, I knew I could deal with the anxiety attacks on my own. It offers valuable and simple techniques for both getting rid of the anxiety when it chooses to set in and for overcoming the agoraphobia that often accompanies panic disorder. Before I had this book, I was afraid to leave my house for fear I would die somewhere out in the street or in my car. While reading this book, I was empowered with techniques to live more confidently and not be so afraid of the uncomfortable feelings of anxiety. I am happy to say that I rarely, if ever, get panic attacks anymore and I credit this book 100% with helping me to overcome them.

The techniques in the book help me overcome panic attacks that had become overwhelming and kept me from doing many of the things I most enjoyed. If you have panic attacks and want to learn how to deal with them and overcome them, please read this book. I know it can work for you too.

Psychologist Denise F. Beckfield specializes in treating panic and anxiety. She has maintained a clinical practice for more than fifteen years, as well as written and lectured extensively about panic and anxiety. The second edition of Master Your Panic And Take Back Your Life: Twelve Treatment Sessions To Overcome High Anxiety updates research used in the popular first edition. It includes new information on how family backgrounds can contribute to anxiety disorders, an update on medications, and easier-to-use forms.Dr. Beckfield set up the book "in twelve step-by-step 'sessions' that parallel those of an in-person treatment program." Each session includes exercises that "will help you tailor the lessons to your own unique circumstances." Most chapters also include "Special Help" summaries that provide additional information for specific situations.The first few chapters discuss exactly what panic and anxiety are, and how they develop in various individuals. Dr. Beckfield then explains why panic and anxiety attacks happen in some circumstances and not in others that may seem similar. She then describes the "triggers" and teaches readers how to stop a developing attack. One chapter discusses the various medications available, and how each one works. Dr. Beckfield says that the decision as to whether or not to take medication is an individual one, but emphasizes that it's important to work on overcoming anxiety by other means even when taking medications. That's because most medications are effective only in the short term and can't be relied upon for long-term relief.She includes appendices on relaxation and breathing techniques, what to do when nothing seems to be working, and record-keeping forms that can be duplicated.Dr. Beckfield says that people who suffer from panic or anxiety have had "your freedom taken away; your freedom to go where you wish, when you wish with whom you wish; your freedom to make choices in life without always having to consider your panic." Master Your Panic And Take Back Your Life will help readers take back their lives and regain that lost freedom. It's a must for anyone whose joy in life has been curtailed by any form of panic or anxiety.Sandra I. Smith Reviewer