Laurie-Ann O'Connor

Do you know what really triggers panic attacks? Are you aware of what thinking patterns create anxiety? Are you a chronic worrier? Have you ever self-medicated with alcohol or tranquilizers?

According to mental health professionals, anxiety disorders have emerged as the common cold of mental illness. Every family is touched in some way or another by anxiety issues and, with ever-increasing frequency, diagnosable anxiety disorders.

In Take Control of Your Anxiety—an easy-to-read, self-help book for the layperson—Drs. Cortman, Shinitzky, and O’Connor present the current understanding of anxiety: its genesis in the brain, its functions and contributions to human survival and growth, and its progression to pathology. Each of the five major anxiety disorders is featured in a chapter that explores its etiology, practical steps and exercises for successful resolution, and real-life case studies of patients who have overcome the disorder. The authors use some levity to teach their concepts, including Dr. Seuss-like poems, popular music parodies, and other easy-to-remember aids. A tool box of simple resources and self-help techniques is also included. Most importantly, the authors emphasize a non-pharmaceutical, evidence-based approach to mastering anxiety issues and living a productive, well-balanced life.