[TheGal]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new here and this is my first post.

I suffer from extreme anxiety, depression, as well as some OCD.

It's really difficult.

The anxiety can be so bad ...(Both general and social anxiety)

Do you have any great books on the subject to recommend ..

I'm looking to help myself get through extremely stressful times...

I'm also not working due to my state.. and I'm struggling financially which has made things worse. I get books from the library and they'll also buy books based on recommendations from members.

Thank you for your suggestions...

[Yaowen]

So sorry you are burdened with extreme anxiety, depression and OCD. I suffer bouts of depression, anxiety and panic attacks.

A book that helped and helps me is "The Worry Cure" by Robert L Leahy.

Another book by the same author proves very helpful to me and it was written by the same author. It is called "Cognitive Therapy Techniques: a Practitioners Guide." Although it was written for psychotherapists but I have always found it helpful to me as a sufferer, helpful as a self-help book. And it also helps me a lot with my depression.

I hope you get many responses to your post by the members here so you can get a good library of books. Anxiety can be so brutal. There really are no words for the depth of pain it causes. My heart goes out to you!

[TheGal]

Thank you so much, Yaowen!

I really appreciate your suggestions and kind words. It means a great deal to me ... I will look for the books ..

I find the anxiety can get so bad and, in my case, can actually be worse than the depression...

Lately, my anxiety has been off the charts... so, having the books to study will give me some sense of control over it and my life. Being as proactive as possible, under very poor circumstances, will hopefully provide some relief.

Sending you very good wishes for peace and comfort...

Thanks so much again!

[AzulOscuro]

I didn’t read any specific book for anxiety. I followed in therapy some techniques so I unluckily I can’t recommend a book. But there are must be lots of about these techniques, that are: Progressive Social Therapy Exposure together with questioning your thoughts and also relaxation techniques. There must be even workbooks about it.

I have remember that I have here on my i-books something about anxiety if I don’t recall well. I’m gonna give it a look.

On another side, there’s a book that helped me a lot
“ Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life“ by Steven C. Hayes. He’s a psychologist and works at Nevada’s University. It’s a pretty practical book with exercises so you can experience in situ what he says. It’s more about knowing how your mind works and how to win the battle putting yourself at easy. Visualisation exercises based on Mindfulness.

Wish you very luck in your way to self-recovering.

[AzulOscuro]

I got it.
Hope I can stick it here

These are some workbooks about social anxiety

The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for ... - Martin M. Antony, Richard P. Swinson - Google Libros

[TheGal]

@AzulOscuro

Thank you so much! I will look into your recommendations.

Having a workbook with exercises will be helpful. I practice guided meditation through InsightTimer, so the mindfulness interests me as well.

And thank you for the link.

I am curious, have you ever heard about Gestalt therapy? It's something that I want to try.

Thank you so much once again! sending you many good wishes for peace and comfort...

[AzulOscuro]

I heard mentioned Gestalt therapy but I don’t know anything about it.
I’m now intrigued.

[AzulOscuro]

Yesterday, I was reading about Gestalt therapy. My first impression is on one side is that there are some good points as to what self-knowledge regards and how to take the best of a person’s potentials (kind of a meeting with oneself, overcoming many of the ideas, roles or demands from the outside learnt since we we were kids.
The negative points, from what I’ve read so far are: A well-trained professional is needed and there are differences between countries in this sense. The other negative factor is that few empirical knowledge is known to assume the therapy is effective in anxiety.

But, what I wanted to say today is that today I came across an interesting article called “The truth about anxiety”. There are even techniques to put into practise, the best therapies.
I got the article in the PsychCentral Newsletter I received today in my e-mail account.
I subscribed it since I joined the forum but I’m not sure whether this possibility is still available for the new users.
I hope that I’m not doing anything wrong if I paste here the link. If I do. My apologises to the mods and admis.

The Truth About Anxiety | Psych Central

[TheGal]

Thanks for the article, @AzulOscuro!

I read it; however, it doesn't make the distinction between anxiety and fear, and seems a little too reductionist, imo.

As for Gestalt, I only know it from a book called Born to Win which I read years ago before my mental issues became extreme. I don't think there are any practitioners where I am, but I'm interested in trying the 'empty chair technique'.

[AzulOscuro]

It’s pretty much a summary, nonetheless I scroll down up to the end and there are links to different kind of therapies and also techniques to apply when you feel anxiety.

It seems you have already experience in trying and knowing about the topic, and I thought you are a beginners. Clearly, I was wrong 😀

As much as we can have the same problem or similar, there’re therapies that works with me that it maybe not works for you.

Why not Gestalt therapy is gonna work with.
Personally, I think there are many different tools and therapies that can help, the key is to take the most of them at each moment and apply what works better for you.

[TheGal]

@AzulOscuro

I'm not new to mental difficulties, but I am new to wanting to be very proactive about my own care. So that is why I've asked for suggestions because it is a way to know about other peoples' experiences with self-help books. This will help me and anyone else who reads this thread and is interested ...

Thank you so much for helping! It is much appreciated...

I am very much in need of help, as I've not been very well at all... I am really struggling... as of these last 2 months, especially. My situation is horrible... On a positive note, this year I've been able to read books again which I haven't done since my 2014 breakdown

Possible trigger:

where I almost lost my life to suicide.

[AzulOscuro]

So good that you overcame that horrible moment. I was also there and I know how it is.

I do believe that reading stuff about techniques, also sharing with people who are living or went through more or less the same will very likely make a difference.

I still haven’t said it. Welcome to the forum and welcome to life.

[TheGal]

Originally Posted by AzulOscuro

So good that you overcame that horrible moment. I was also there and I know how it is.

I do believe that reading stuff about techniques, also sharing with people who are living or went through more or less the same will very likely make a difference.

I still haven’t said it. Welcome to the forum and welcome to life.

Oh my, @AzulOscuro... my heart goes out to you...

You know about the reality of "that horrible moment". It is so difficult ... there are no words...

Thank you for sharing with me...

And I thank you so much for your welcome and your kind words... I appreciate it so much...

Sending you wishes for peace ...

I struggle with understanding loads of information when it's writ down, one series of books that I do find helpful are the For Dummies series

This is the anxiety book: (I hope putting the link is allowed )

Amazon.co.uk

[TheGal]

I think that's a wonderful suggestion, @willowtigger!! Thank you!! )

I will check with the local library first, if not I'll look for it on a used book site called abebooks.com

Originally Posted by TheGal

I think that's a wonderful suggestion, @willowtigger!! Thank you!! )

I will check with the local library first, if not I'll look for it on a used book site called abebooks.com

I put the UK version of it but there is a american version as well, unsure if your in america or UK

i just feel i need to make it clear i not intending to advertise the book with the link, i just have a copy of the book which is why i said it

[downandlonely]

I am listening to an audiobook called Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety by Dr. Chloe Carmichael. My library had it as an audiobook, so I could get it to my phone. The book is geared towards people who are "high functioning" (able to work full time and hide their anxiety for the most part).

[TheGal]

Originally Posted by downandlonely

I am listening to an audiobook called Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety by Dr. Chloe Carmichael. My library had it as an audiobook, so I could get it to my phone. The book is geared towards people who are "high functioning" (able to work full time and hide their anxiety for the most part).

Interesting... I'll definitely look for it, d&l. thanks so much!

[TheGal]

Originally Posted by willowtigger

i just feel i need to make it clear i not intending to advertise the book with the link, i just have a copy of the book which is why i said it

Oh yes, I think I understood, willowtigger...

Happily abebooks has booksellers from all over the world..!!

If I can't get it at the library, I will try there or Amazon...

Thank you so much for your help! It is much appreciated!!