Freaking Out: Real-life Stories About Anxiety

by Polly Wells, Peter Mitchell (Illustrations)

That sweaty, gut-clenching, suffocating, racing-heart feeling … … That dull, never-ending sense that something’s wrong. What is it? Anxiety. And it affects millions of young North Americans today. When anxiety has you in its grip, it can seem impossible to rationalize your way out of it. From phobias to compulsiveness to post traumatic stress disorder, Freaking Out chronicles the many guises of excessive anxiety in teens’ lives and the havoc it can wreak.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness, Memoir, Anthologies

136 pages, Hardcover

First published July 23, 2013

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repetitive and full of triggers. Not helpful at all. Dangerous, in fact, for youth experiencing anxiety because it provokes anxious responses. Stay away unless you don't experience anxiety and are seeking info about the experience of anxiety. My son and I both abandonned this book because it is too much. It didn't touch on anything either of us experienced, (we both have C-PTSD,) but it was damaging nonetheless.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Freaking Out is a book of real life stories from young people, all centred around the theme of anxiety. Starting with a short introduction to what anxiety is and how it may present itself, the main part of the book contains thirteen different stories based on real life experiences. Each of the stories is accompanied by illustrations and is set out in an easy to read, simple format.

The last book I read based on the same subject was Anxiety 101 (Dr. Eudene Harry) which looks closely at the scientific side of anxiety so it was interesting to read a completely different perspective on the issue. Freaking Out definitely seems to be aimed more towards the teenage market however would also be suitable for anyone outside of that age range.

Of course the general message of the book is a positive one, focusing on how things changed for the better in these thirteen cases when the teens learnt different ways to manage their anxiety. The overall message to take away from this read is that ‘things will get better’.

*Review copy c/o Netgalley

[Regan Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this in the YA section of the library while I waited for my niece to pick out a book. I thought it would be good for her to read but holy crap, I kind of wish someone had given a copy to teenage me. It would have helped me so much.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When anxiety is part of your daily existence, it starts to feel normal."

[WARNING:This isn't a real review. It's just my thoughts so it's only going to be a paragraph or two.]

Don't you just love it when you pick up a book and it just speaks to you? And I mean literally. It just tells you your life story, the way you feel all the time and the way you react to certain things, reminding you that you're not alone and you never were in the first place? Because I do. I love when that happens and with this book, with the thirteen little, empowering stories, that's what I got.

Although I could only really relate to four stories, I really enjoyed all thirteen of them. Ten stories would have been too little and twenty would have been too many for me. The stories that I could really connect with were Ben's, Caroline's, Steven's, and Stacey's. I could easily relate to Ben because I isolate myself the same way he does by making plans with friends and then just as quickly freaking out over nothing and cancelling them for absolutely no reason. I can relate to Caroline because in the past and even to this day, I find horrid ways/ideas to focus on so that I can stop thinking about my problems. With Steven, it's the same as Caroline except different because I don't use drugs a lot. But like him, I do feel like the world is out to get me. Living in a huge city like Toronto, it's easy to let your anxiety get the best of you and I feel like I'm constantly paranoid over things that I shouldn't be. And finally, Stacey, she has a huge problem with people finding any faults with her. Same as I. I used to love meeting new people and stuff like that but when my anxiety went through the roof, I stopped talking to people. I can't bring myself to talk to new people because I feel like they'll hate me or dislike me and I just cannot deal with something like that.

Freaking Out by Polly Wells and Peter Mitchell is a great novel for everyone. Not just for teens but for anyone who has anxiety or knows someone who does. These thirteen stories can help spot the signs and could potentially save someone's life because mental illness is as real as any other illness. Everyone should read this book, the stories are short and straight to the point. I think everyone will be able to relate to at least one of them and remember that they are not alone and never were in the first place.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to read for anxiety sufferers young and old alike. For teens especially, though, it shows that they are not alone, it is not "just you" and there is hope and understanding that it can get better.

I did not know that it could get better...not as a preteen, teen, in my twenties ...in fact it wasn't until my mid-thirties that things started to turn around for me. I stumbled across answers, that, had I continued to seek help, I might have found years before. I deal with IBS, which is nervewracking in itself, but not until age 35 or so did I realize the anxiety triggered the illness and not the other way around. A vicious, horrible cycle of: will I get sick today? I'm afraid I'll get sick...then getting sick due to the anxiety and stress, then being upset and stressed that I had got sick...validating my anxiety. Round and round we went, swirling the drain. It was so horrible at one point I was nearly a shut in. I tried diets and the doctors ran tests and we came up empty. I refused to see a therapist after a couple bad experiences - I thought they would all be like this or force me to get sick as exposure therapy.

It doesn't work that way. The recommendation for cognative behavorial therapy is worth its weight in gold and those principals are some of the ones that finally started to help me (along with dietary changes, cutting out all caffeine, and lots of exercise to keep the edge off!).

Now, three years later, I'm writing this in a hotel room 8 hours from home, with another 8 hours to drive today. My stomach and nerves are not great, but I can deal with it and reshape my thinking to a more positive perspective. If someone had suggested this trip 3 years ago, I would have felt sick just at the idea, and my follow up thought would have been "no way..."


The stories in the book are not only educational for the understanding that anxiety comes in many different shapes, but each person describes their process in what helped them recover.

Recommended for anxiety sufferers of most ages - parents might find it useful as a teaching tool for a younger child & tell them some of the less difficult stories (like the boy with the fear of dogs) to show them that it doesn't always just get worse and worse...

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, I used to read nothing but nonfiction, and memoirs were my absolute favorite. These days, I don't read much nonfiction anymore, but when I saw Freaking Out on NetGalley, I knew it was a book I needed to read. Anxiety has been a recurring theme in my life over the past several years, and one thing that always makes me feel better is reading about how other people deal with things I've struggling with.

I wish I had had a book like Freaking Out when I was a teenager. I would have eaten it up greedily, rereading it whenever I needed to feel less alone. The thirteen stories contained in this book provide a great solace for anyone dealing with anxiety, whether it be their own or a loved one's. This book covers a wide variety of people, situations, causes for anxiety, and methods for dealing with it, which I found to be both eye-opening and helpful.

This is a relatively short read, but I think it works very well this way. Each chapter focuses on a different teenager facing different problems, all illustrated with an interesting style, and told in a familiar and somewhat confessional manner. I like this, because hearing stories that come straight from someone else's experiences (as opposed to being turned into a clinical essay) really make the subject matter hit home.

It's rare for me to do this, but I liked Freaking Out so much that as soon as I finished reading the eARC, I went out and bought the book online. Sure, I'm 31 years old -- far from being a teenager -- but the stories of these teens still resonated with me in a powerful way. This is a book I want to keep on my shelves, because I know it will be a nice thing for me to go back to, and also a good book to share with my husband, my sister, and anyone else in my life who might be dealing with anxiety.

[Caitlyn Kesler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted Freaking out to help me find solutions to help my anxiety. I believe this book did help me because I know how to control/help my anxiety. With it focusing on many different people, it gave me many different ways to help me. It did really good with having enough stories and different solutions to where the reader has so many different techniques: by writing in a journal, talking to a therapist, or even meditating. Even with the chapters/stories lacking detail, I still found the chapters/stories very helpful. I use Celia’s’ technique almost every day by writing in a journal or even in my notes on my phone. The strategies I learned from this book has helped me in my everyday life. Whenever I present or get called up to the front of the class to type on the teacher’s computer in my English class, I feel more relaxed-- even though my heart Is in my stomach. Another reviewer on good reads wrote:
"Don't you just love it when you pick up a book and it just speaks to you? And I mean literally. It just tells you your life story, the way you feel all the time and the way you react to certain things, reminding you that you're not alone and you never were in the first place? Because I do. I love when that happens and with this book, with the thirteen little, empowering stories, that's what I got."
The way this reviewer felt while reading this book is how I felt after I read it. This book really did speak to me. When you read Polly Wells book, you learn you’re not the only one Freaking Out.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every story conveniently had a Plan B to hand and options such as switching schools or hiring a therapist appeared to be readily available in each example and not considered as a major life change; at the snap of a finger it appeared as though every problem could be fixed. The struggle was not real for the people in this book and therefore I couldn’t relate or take the suggestions seriously. Sometimes there are no answers! Only once or twice was prescription medication even mentioned and it was glossed over so quickly it was as though this option is dismissed or frowned upon for the intended audience (U.S. specific helplines notes at the end of the book) 1.5/5

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had found a book like this when I was a teen struggling with anxiety. I believe it’s important to talk about your problems/struggles so you can help someone else. As the saying goes, “your story may be someone else’s survival guide.” I’m in awe of these brave teens who opened their hearts and shared their stories.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional, painful, and enlightening true-life stories of anxiety and trying to overcome the effects. I think each person who contributed their honest recollection of his or her journey through the pain.

[Kadee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me good ways to change my thinking. As someone who deals with anxiety it helps me knowing I’m not the only one going through and experiencing this.

[Mutated Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads Synopsis: That sweaty, gut-clenching, suffocating, racing-heart feeling... that dull, never-ending sense that something's wrong. What is it? Anxiety, which together with its associated disorders affects millions of young North Americans today.

The 13 true stories in this collection span the anxiety spectrum, from heightened adolescent angst to full-blown disorders, exploring anxiety's power to run amok and take over your thoughts. The triggers for the teens in this book range from the stress of getting into college, to the loss of a parent, to day-to-day social encounters. Their stories explore the different ways they each learn to unshackle themselves from the weight of overwhelming worry.

Freaking Out offers teens a vivid understanding of what anxiety feels like, positive tools to minimize its effects, and the reassurance that they can live a full and rewarding life, even if they find themselves in its grip.

My Review: Everyone faces some kind of anxiety throughout their lifetime. Some might have particularly strong fits of anxiety, while others might have milder cases. Everyone has it, and that's what makes me feel better about my own anxiety. This book is all about anxiety, and people's personal stories with it. They all have happy endings, and that's what helped me a lot while reading this book. I really connected with most of the stories, especially 'Stuck', 'Applause', 'Changing course', 'Nowhere to Hide', and 'Obsessions'. Those are the stories I connected to the most, and I also felt connected to the authors of those stories because of their own anxiety. I learned new things about anxiety while I was reading this book, and learned that some of the things I do are because of anxiety. I didn't know that, like routine's and list making. It happens. I also really liked the story 'The Bathroom Chronicles', the author had similar anxiety to mine when I was younger, though I don't have the disease they suffer from. There's something for everyone's anxiety in this book, and you can learn tons of ways to deal with your own form of it. The book was a quick read, perfect to finish up while I'm waiting for my kobo and phone to charge, since I do most of my reading on those devices, the stories are good and they kept me interested with their real-life scenarios. Connecting with the authors of the stories helped me feel better about my own anxiety, like I'm not the only one anymore who feels like this. I really liked that at the end of the book, it told you where you could find help for your own anxiety. Overall, this was a great read, and I highly recommend it to other people who suffer from anxiety. Even just people who know someone who suffers from it. It helps and it makes you learn about it, and feel better about it at the same time. I definitely think more people should read this book. (':

Thanks for reading! Here's a link to my blog, where this and other reviews will be posted.

radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to thank NetGalley, Annick Press Ltd. and the authors for allowing me to review an eBook of "Freaking Out."

"Freaking Out: Real-life Stories About Anxiety" is about the many ways that young adults are facing extreme Anxiety, how Anxiety affected their lives and how they managed to work through their issues. Featuring 13 stories from every-day teens experiencing horrible Anxiety brought on by trigger events, such as College, Bullying, Shyness, etc.

Anxiety is not a new concept, but in recent years has become more prevalent through media and health experts. Surprisingly, with all this attention to how important this issue is, people are still ignorant to the cause and many still believe that being around someone with a mental disorder is a bad/fearful thing.

Someone with Anxiety (like myself) will relate to the stories in "Freaking Out." Some stories will touch home. Some stories will not be relatable in your own life, but will give you valuable information and insights into Anxious situations and how these people overcame it.

Personally I did not like the illustrations. I wished that they were drawn by a professional artist. An illustration is a focal point and having a lousy sketch may detract people from reading.

The stories were well written and I could feel the sadness and hope that radiated from the pages. Personally I would have liked to see a "Blank Years Later" at the end of each story, to see how each person has coped over the years.

"Freaking Out" is a good novel and everyone, young and old can read this. You may even find yourself relating to some of the stories and you did not know that this was Anxiety that was plaguing you. I can only hope that someone that is uncertain about the stress that they feel, will read this book and discover that getting help is a logical option.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally discovered this book through NetGalley and was approved for an eARC of it but I was unable to download and read it due to compatibility issues with Kindle (which is how I read all e-books).

What I appreciated most about this book was the variety of stories presented. Anxiety comes in different forms and the ways people deal with anxiety are all different as well. This book is a good resource for someone suffering from anxiety to know they aren't alone. It gives further resources at the back of the book for both teens and their parents. It might also be a good resource for teens to read and see what their fellow peers are struggling with.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any young person with anxiety issues, or any parents of children with anxiety issues, should grab this title.

I thought this book was really well done. I myself occasionally deal with anxiety, but who I really wish would read this book is my son. He's 11 and has Asperger's, and along with that, quite a bit of anxiety.

I really liked how the book was separated into different chapters for each person, and how each chapter/person was quite different from the next. It was enlightening to see how anxiety manifests in different ways, and how each person dealt with their anxiety. Some developed substance abuse problems, or harmful practices like cutting, that seemed to mask the anxiety, at least initially. As a parent, I feel I am more aware of what to watch for now.

This book wasn't preachy in any way, which I really appreciated. It was basically each person telling their story, and showing individually how they came to accept their issues and work through them. There was a little bit at the end about treatment for anxiety, and that is where I felt more could be added. Still a worthy read!

[Melissa Herston · Rating 4 out of 5]

In compliance with FTC guidelines; I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

This was a quick read with meaningful stories.

I was touched by the stories that each of these individuals shared.

Each story had a unique premise dealing with anxiety in the teen years revolving around things many people have had to deal with when they were teens bringing the stories close to home and to heart.

The stories are written in a straight forward manner and the language is easy to read.

I am not sure it is a helpful book as it does not offer any real solutions to anxiety. It does offer a list of websites and books at the end that could further a persons understandings of anxiety. Perhaps it could be helpful to young teens who may think they are the only ones who are suffering from anxiety or OCD.

[Diah Didi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me quite long enough to finish the book when it's not that thick. Somehow, maybe because I myself have the symptoms of this anxiety disorder, I'm able to relate with those stories, and sometimes I need to stop for a moment to deal with my own anxiety while reading this. :D So one story at a time.
Anyway, what I learned from this book is that in the end, these teenagers/young adults were finally able to manage/reduce their anxiety. Mostly it's after they talked to someone to counsel and after they accepted things as the way it is.

It's a simple-easy-to-read book and yet powerful and inspiring enough. Definitely a keeper. I guess I'd re-read it sometimes whenever I need support/inspirations to remind me that I CAN do this.

Recommended for teenagers or parents or teachers or anyone who have to deal with anxiety.

Thanks to Annick Press Ltd. for providing the ARC via Net Galley.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction book contains sections that focus on one person per chapter. The people featured have all suffered or continue to suffer from anxiety. The writing takes us into their childhood, adolescence, and even into adulthood since some of them are in college.

There’s a full spectrum of anxiety disorders and related issues in the chapters. There’s OCD, sexuality, bullying, physical symptoms, and so much more. The personal stories are gripping since they detail all the hard times these young people have went through.

I would have loved reading this as a teenager, and this is a great resource book for present day youth. I’m sure that teens who read this will realize that they’re not alone, their condition has a name, and they can receive help for it. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book for teens and adults alike. Anxiety is something that so many people suffer from and do not always know how to deal with.

The most important message from this book: you are not alone. You are not weird, a freak, or any other names you may call yourself inside your head.

I loved that this was from so many different perspectives. There is a lot of range, therefore teens are likely to connect with at least one of the stories.

I only wish I had a book like this 15 years ago.


I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This in no way influenced my review.

[Tina Jameson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop Freaking Out – you are not alone!

Everyone feels a little anxious sometimes, but for many that anxiety, often coupled with depression or other intense emotion, can be crippling. This book shares real experiences of a wide range of young people. It is both moving in its honesty, and hopeful in the way that it shows how these sufferers survive, come to terms with, and learn to understand their psychological and emotional needs.

This book would be a valuable asset in any library which aims to support its young adult clientele.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that this book is probably better for middle school students than older students. The writing is simplistic, because most of the stories are told by teens. The stories are short, and stand on their own. This is good for kids that may not have a long attention span. They can read as many stories as they would like at one sitting. I was a little disappointed that all of the stories seemed to make the process easy. Maybe this was just because of the length of the stories. I think that kids might have problems accepting the stories when they are in the midst of their own issues.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see this as a book that parents would give their teens to read, not something that an anxious teen would pick up on their own. It definitely had that "it gets better" vibe, but other than that, it was pretty flat.

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good informative book about anxiety and teenagers. Helpful to read and understand what some of my students might be going through. It's especially interesting as each chapter is a different teenager's story and how they dealt with teenagers anxiety.

[Stefanie Garate · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a university student, I found this book to be a great read. It made me reflect on my teenage years and the struggles that came along with growing up to a young adult. I will definately pass this book along to my younger sister who just started junior high.

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

For my review please go to:

http://justaddchampagne.blogspot.ca/2...

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could relate to each anxiety-inducing situation!

[Erin Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anxiety, Nonfiction

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comforting that I'm not alone in my anxiety...

[Emily Kamminga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awesome to relate too as I suffer from anxiety, I wish it was a little longer/more stories but great variety and connect-ability.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for grad class project. Would be extremely helpful book for teens dealing with anxiety, whether mild or clinically diagnosed.