The Anxiety And Phobia Workbook (Edmund J. Bourne)

1. Panic Disorder:

-> Characteristic: Recurrent sudden attacks of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, sweating and shaking.
-> Frequency: They may appear unexpectedly and for no apparent reason.

2. Agoraphobia:

-> Characteristic: Fear of situations or places that could cause a panic attack or feeling helpless. Often leads to avoidance of places such as shops, public transport or open spaces.

3. Social Phobia:

-> Characteristic: Strong fear of other people’s judgments, which can lead to avoidance of social situations. Involves fear of performing, meeting strangers, or participating in social events.

4. Specific Phobias:

-> Characteristic: An intense fear of a certain object, situation or activity. This may include phobias of animals, heights, flying, blood or injections.

5. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

-> Characteristic: Excessive worry and tension regarding various daily situations. The person may experience chronic anxiety, difficulty concentrating and muscle tension.

6. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

-> Characteristic: Repetitive obsessions (unpleasant thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive actions) performed in response to the obsessions. The person may experience a strong urge to perform rituals to reduce anxiety.

7. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

-> Characteristic: Emergence of anxiety symptoms after exposure to a serious traumatic event. Symptoms include recurring memories, nightmares, and avoidance of memories of the traumatic event.

Heredity and biological factors are among the causes of anxiety disorders, as genetic predisposition and abnormalities in the brain can play a role. Family circumstances and upbringing, conditioning, recent stressors, our self-talk, and personal beliefs are also key elements.

Short-term, triggering causes such as severe personal loss, major life changes, stimulants and recreational drugs, and maintenance causes including avoidance of phobic situations, anxious self-talk, false beliefs, repressed emotions, insufficient assertiveness, and other dietary factors also influence anxiety.

A holistic approach to treatment is important, involving seven different levels: body, emotions, behavior, mind, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, existentialism and spirituality.

Necessary factors for recovery are: taking responsibility, motivation, commitment to oneself, willingness to take risks, definition and visualization of goals. Methods for achieving a state of deep relaxation, such as diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and other techniques, also help.

SELF-HELP FOR SLEEP DISORDERS

Sleep disorders often accompany anxiety. Sleep disorders can take many forms, such as insomnia, trouble sleeping, restless legs, waking up at night, oversleeping, etc. Here are some self-help tips for sleep disorders:

Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed at the same time every day and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. This helps balance the biological clock.

Let’s create a comfortable environment for sleeping: The bedroom should be dark, quiet and cool. Let’s use curtains that prevent the entry of light and avoid noise.

Limit stimulants: Avoid caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants, especially in the evening.

Limit activities before sleep: Avoid intense physical exercise, excessive emotional discussions or stimulating activities before sleep.

Let’s develop relaxation techniques: Let’s try relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, meditation or listening to calm music before bed.

Let’s keep the daily routine: Take care of regular meals, physical activity and avoid long sleeps during the day.

HELP FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Support from family and friends is crucial when dealing with anxiety. Here are some ways family and friends can help:

Listen without judgment. Emotional support can be very important. Understanding that anxiety is not something an individual can control easily and that it takes time to overcome challenges. Encourage the individual to seek professional help if needed. You can help find a therapist or other resources. Try to create an environment that promotes positive experiences and reduces stress factors. Encourage healthy lifestyle habits such as regular physical activity, good sleep and a healthy diet.

PROFESSIONAL HELP

Professional help can be crucial in managing anxiety. Some options for professional help include:

-> Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a commonly used form of therapy to treat anxiety. The therapist helps the individual understand and change negative patterns of thinking and behavior.

-> Medications: In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medications, such as antidepressants or tranquilizers, to help manage anxiety symptoms.

-> Group therapy: Participating in group therapy can allow an individual to share experiences and gain support from others who are facing the same problems.

ASSERTIVENESS:

Assertiveness is the expression of feelings, desires.

Assertiveness contributes to self-respect and the respect of others.

Learning assertiveness includes developing non-verbal assertive behavior, recognizing and asserting basic rights, being aware of one’s own feelings and developing an assertive response.

SELF-RESPECT:

Self-esteem is accepting yourself, respecting, trusting and believing in yourself. Self-care is key to self-esteem. Childhood patterns affect self-esteem.

FOOD:

Nutrition directly affects the physiology and biochemistry of the body. Certain foods and substances can cause or reduce anxiety.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND ANXIETY:

Various medical conditions such as adrenal exhaustion, thyroid dysfunction, candidiasis, body toxicity, PMS, menopause, insomnia can contribute to anxiety.

DRUGS AND ANXIETY:

Medications can help, but long-term dependence on sedatives should be avoided.

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy:

Anxiety cannot be overcome by resistance or avoidance, but by acceptance. ACT includes three key steps: acceptance, choice of life values, and action to achieve goals. In ACT, it is important to recognize the dysfunctional thoughts that contribute to the problems and to change the attitude towards them.

The author further discusses the concept of connection and disconnection of thoughts, where connection is the state when we are connected to our thoughts, while disconnection allows distance and the freedom to choose constructive thoughts. Unlocking techniques such as observation, writing down thoughts, and surrounding thoughts with the sentence “The thought occurred to me that…”,  can also help.

Spirituality can help overcome anxiety, not only in relation to religion, but as a sense of higher meaning and power. Developing a relationship with a higher power can bring inner peace, self-confidence, the ability to give and receive love, and guidance in decision-making.

The two supplements in the book focus on managing obsessive thoughts and using affirmations to overcome anxiety. Obsessive thoughts are described as a negative spiral that requires conscious effort to stop. Affirmations are presented as a means of changing the basic view of fear and overcoming anxiety.

In addition, the book Anxiety And Phobia Workbook emphasizes the importance of personal goals in overcoming anxiety. It mentions that life goals can be a source of meaning and fulfillment.