Panic attacks. Phobias. Obsessive-compulsive behaviour. Six million Canadians cope with some form of anxiety – from mild to severe – everyday. The Anti-Anxiety Workbook, a new book co-authored by Ryerson University psychology professor Dr. Martin Antony and Dr. Peter Norton, director of the University of Houston Anxiety Disorder Clinic, suggests practical ways to overcome these often debilitating health conditions.
“The book is very timely,” says Dr. Antony, who is also Ryerson’s psychology graduate program director and director of research at St. Joseph’s Healthcare’s Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre in Hamilton. He is also president-elect of the Canadian Psychological Association.
“These days, people have a lot on their minds. With the economic downturn, they are stressed about jobs and money. Plus, in recent years, there have been growing concerns about personal safety – for example, the threat of terrorism, SARS and avian flu.”
According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue in the country. Anxiety can have a significant impact on quality of life, negatively influencing relationships, social interactions, school or work.
The workbook helps readers pinpoint their anxiety triggers, change beliefs and behaviours that make symptoms worse, and develop a safe, gradual plan for confronting fears. Established relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, are also covered.
“Fortunately, anxiety disorders are highly treatable,” says Dr. Antony. One such treatment, which plays a major role in this self-help manual, is cognitive behavioural therapy. Patients, under the supervision of their therapist, can use this treatment to identify, and then challenge their anxiety-inducing thoughts.
“Our goal is to help people become better informed about their particular type of anxiety,” Dr. Antony says. “For some people, the book alone might prove useful. Other might use it as a springboard to seek formal treatment.”
Dr. Antony has published more than 25 books on anxiety disorders and related topics, including When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism (New Harbinger Publications) and several self-help manuals such as 10 Simple Solutions to Panic, and The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook. The Anti-Anxiety Workbook was published in February 2009 by Guilford Press.
Read an excerpt from The Anti-Anxiety-Workbook: guilford.com/excerpts/antony3.pdf
