Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies, Second edition

340 Pages·2010·3.81 MB·english

by  Charles H. Elliott PhD

Making Everything Easier!™ 2nd Edition

O v e r c o ming

A n x i e t y

Learn to:

(cid:129) Get fear, worry, and panic under control

(cid:129) Identify your anxiety triggers

(cid:129) Cope with situations that cause anxiety
(cid:129) Take advantage of the latest
treatments and medications

Charles H. Elliott, PhD

Laura L. Smith, PhD

Authors of Depression For Dummies

and Anxiety & Depression Workbook

For Dummies
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®

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Overcoming
Anxiety
FOR
DUMmIES
‰
2
ND EDITION
by Charles H. Elliott, PhD, and
Laura L. Smith, PhD
Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2010924567
ISBN: 978-0-470-57441-6
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
Charles H. Elliott, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and a
Founding Fellow in the Academy of Cognitive Therapy.
He is also a member of the faculty at Fielding Graduate
University. He specializes in the treatment of children,
adolescents, and adults with obsessive-compulsive dis-
order, anxiety, anger, depression, and personality disor-
ders. Dr. Elliott has authored many professional articles
and book chapters in the area of cognitive behavior
therapies. He presents nationally and internationally
on new developments in the assessment and therapy of
emotional disorders.
Laura L. Smith, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and adjunct faculty member at
Fielding Graduate University. She specializes in the assessment and treatment
of adults and children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as personal-
ity disorders, depression, anxiety, attention-defi cit hyperactivity disorder, and
learning disorders. She often provides consultations to attorneys, school dis-
tricts, and governmental agencies. She presents workshops on cognitive ther-
apy and mental-health issues to national and international audiences. Dr. Smith
is a widely published author of popular and professional articles and books.
Together, Drs. Elliott and Smith have written Borderline Personality Disorder
For Dummies, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies, Seasonal Affective
Disorder For Dummies, Anxiety and Depression Workbook For Dummies,
Depression For Dummies, Hollow Kids: Recapturing the Soul of a Generation
Lost to the Self-Esteem Myth, and Why Can’t I Be the Parent I Want to Be? They
are members of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Psychological
Association and affi liated training faculty at the Cognitive Behavioral Institute
of Albuquerque. Their work has been featured in various periodicals, includ-
ing Family Circle, Parents, Child, and Better Homes and Gardens, as well as
popular publications like the New York Post, The Washington Times, the Daily
Telegraph (London), and The Christian Science Monitor.
They have been speakers at numerous conferences, including those of the
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Association for Behavioral
and Cognitive Therapies, the International Association for Cognitive
Psychotherapy, and the National Association of School Psychologists. They
have appeared on TV networks such as CNN and Canada AM, and, in radio,
they’re often featured as experts on various NPR programs, as well as You:
The Owner’s Manual Radio Show, Doctor Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio, the
Frankie Boyer Radio Show, and The Four Seasons Radio Show. They’ve com-
mitted their professional lives to making the science of psychology relevant
and accessible to the public. Drs. Smith and Elliott are available for speaking
engagements, expert interviews, and workshops. You can visit their Web site
at www.psychology4people.com or their blog, “Anxiety & OCD Exposed,”
at http://blogs.psychcentral.com/anxiety.

Dedication
We dedicate this book to our growing, changing families — Brian, Alli, Sara,
and Trevor. And of course to our grandchildren: Cade, Carter, Alaina, and
Lauren. Thanks for the excitement — of course, enough is enough sometimes!
Authors’ Acknowledgments
We’d like to thank our excellent editors at Wiley: Project Editor extraordi-
naire Vicki Adang, Acquisitions Editor Michael Lewis, and masterful Copy
Editor Christy Pingleton, as well as our agents Elizabeth and Ed Knappman.
We are also grateful to Dr. Scott Bea from the Cleveland Clinic for reviewing
our work and making insightful suggestions.
We also wish to thank our publicity and marketing team, which includes David
Hobson and Adrienne Fontaine at Wiley. Thanks also to Alan Rubin, MD, and all
the other Dummies authors for a great conference and inspiration.
Thanks to Bob Elliott for all the savvy advice and Mathew Raikes at www.
darn-computer.com for his expertise on computers and Web site support.
Thanks to Trevor Wolfe and Kate Guerin for keeping us up on pop culture,
social media, blogging, and tweeting on Twitter.
We want to thank Deborah Wearn, Pamela Hargrove, Tracie Antonuk, and
Geoff Smith for their continued interest. Thanks to Matt Lewis for keeping our
view great. And a special thanks to Sadie and Murphy for taking us on much-
needed walks.
To Drs. Brad Richards and Jeanne Czajka from the Cognitive Behavioral
Institute of Albuquerque, thanks for including us on your affi liated training
faculty. To Dr. Brenda Wolfe and her husband, Ken, thanks for including us in
your voyage. We’re still eager to see your next book.
Finally, we are especially grateful to our many clients we’ve seen, both those
with anxiety disorders and those without. They helped us understand psy-
chological issues in general, as well as anxiety. They also taught us about
courage and persistence.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com.
For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974,
outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Composition Services
Development
Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond
Project Editor: Victoria M. Adang
Layout and Graphics: Ashley Chamberlain,
(Previous Edition: Norm Crampton)
Joyce Haughey, Christine Williams
Acquisitions Editor: Michael Lewis
Proofreaders: Laura Albert, Evelyn C. Gibson
(Previous Edition: Natasha Graf)
Indexer: Steve Rath
Copy Editor: Christine Pingleton
(Previous Edition: Esmerelda St. Clair)
Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney
Senior Editorial Assistant: David Lutton
Technical Editor: Scott M. Bea, PsyD
Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker
Editorial Assistant: Jennette ElNaggar
Cover Photos: iStock
Cartoons: Rich Tennant
(www.the5thwave.com)
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Contents at a Glance
Introduction ............................................................... 1
Part I: Detecting and Exposing Anxiety .......................... 7
Chapter 1: Analyzing and Attacking Anxiety ..................................................................9
Chapter 2: Examining Anxiety: What’s Normal, What’s Not .......................................21
Chapter 3: Sorting Through the Brain and Biology .....................................................37
Chapter 4: Clearing the Roadblocks to Change ...........................................................47
Part II: Battling Anxiety ............................................ 63
Chapter 5: Becoming a Thought Detective ...................................................................65
Chapter 6: Watching Out for Worry Words ..................................................................89
Chapter 7: Busting Up Your Agitating Assumptions .................................................101
Chapter 8: Facing Fear One Step at a Time .................................................................123
Chapter 9: Considering Medications and Other Physical Treatment Options ......145
Part III: Letting Go of the Battle .............................. 165
Chapter 10: Looking at Lifestyle ..................................................................................167
Chapter 11: Relaxation: The Five-Minute Solution ....................................................181
Chapter 12: Creating Calm in Your Imagination ........................................................193
Chapter 13: Mindful Acceptance ..................................................................................203
Part IV: Zeroing in on Specific Worries ...................... 219
Chapter 14: Facing a Career Crisis and Financial Woes ............................................221
Chapter 15: Keeping Steady When the World Is Shaking..........................................231
Chapter 16: Staying Healthy .........................................................................................243
Chapter 17: Keeping Out of Danger .............................................................................253
Part V: Helping Others with Anxiety .......................... 263
Chapter 18: When a Family Member or Friend Suffers from Anxiety .....................265
Chapter 19: Recognizing Anxiety in Kids ....................................................................279
Chapter 20: Helping Kids Conquer Anxiety ................................................................287
Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................... 303
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Stop Anxiety Quickly .........................................................305
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Deal with Relapse ...............................................................309
Chapter 23: Ten Signs That You Need Professional Help .........................................313
Appendix: Resources for You ..................................... 319
Index ...................................................................... 323