My Anxiety Handbook: Getting Back on Track

by Sue Knowles, Bridie Gallagher, Phoebe McEwen

Helping young people with anxiety learn to recognise and manage their symptoms, this anxiety survival guide teaches 12 to 18 year olds how they can overcome their biggest worries.

Showing that anxiety is a normal human emotion that many people face, this book helps young people understand the ins and outs of their own anxiety and helps them to challenge the difficult patterns they may get into. Co-written with a college student who has experienced anxiety herself, it is a relatable and straightforward guide. As well as providing tried-and-tested advice and exercises that are proven to reduce feelings of anxiety, it includes recovery stories from young people who have managed their symptoms successfully.

With practical chapters on sleep, exam stress, transitions, and seeking extra help, this is a go-to guide for any tween, teen or young person living with anxiety.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2018

Reviews

[Grace (BURTSBOOKS) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this Arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I want to preface this review by saying I am fully aware I am not in the age group of the target audience for this novel and most of my problems with this book stem from that.

While reading this book I felt like I was being talked down to, the authors wrote in a very condescending way, and all "helpful" information they gave was things that 1) I already learned over the years of suffering from anxiety and 2) could easily be found by a google search or a browse on the side of self care youtube.

As I said, I'm not in the right age group for this book, and if I were five years younger, this would be extremely helpful, which is why I suggest it to people from ages 12-16. Anxiety is something that most everyone will have to deal with at one time or another and having a handbook such as this at your disposal at such a young age could make a huge difference, and for that reason, I love this book.

[Emma♔☯ (Bookishfix) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this Arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

" 'Don't be anxious it will only make things worse.' If that worked we wouldn't be writing this book."

As someone who suffers from anxiety and has for the last 2 years or so, it's quite hard to get outside of your head sometimes and panic attacks royally suck. If you don't know what an anxiety/panic attack feels like I can tell you the first time I had one I thought I was having a heart attack (which is a quite common feeling, I found out later ) and called an ambulance cause I was freaking out, not being able to breathe. I have never felt so out of control over my body ever, and its something I now struggle with every day.

Although I think this book might help some young people, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, its explains anxiety, how it feels/symptoms, ways to cope and some strategies for young people in an informative but easy to understand way. And while I'll be trying some of the exercises suggested to see how they work for me, especially the Mindfulness exercises, Ways to get a good nights sleep and the My Anxiety Survival Plan.
On the other hand, it states it geared towards people aged between 10-21, and I don't think that's entirely true. A lot, if not most of the examples of anxiety were focused at a school/classroom setting, which will be helpful to those still attending school but it doesn't really fit the 18-21 range well, as we are out in the world working, and have different struggles to those in a school setting like being face to face with new people at work, money troubles, driving, renting/buying a house, etc.

I did like the personal experiences of anxiety at the end of the book, in a way it helps people, especially young people to know they aren't alone in what they are feeling or experiencing. In saying this, why we have accounts of anxiety from people aged 27 and 29, yet again talking about a school setting? I honestly don't know. This could have been a chance to include the 18-21 age group but again we go back to school.

In all I think this book would be great for ages between 10-17, people still attending school, but not for those older as there aren't many, if not at all examples of things this age group goes through or has to deal with. This book would also be great for friends and family of someone in those ages ranges who suffers from anxiety to get a better understanding of how to help, what that person is going through and ways to help them manage their anxiety.

With an adjusted age range, I think this book would do a lot of good for a lot of young people suffering from anxiety , however until that range is readjusted I can't give this book more than two stars as I don't think it will be helpful to those older than what I have recommended the age range be set at. Maybe another book just for ages 18+ might be more effective at reaching and connecting with an older age group but 10-21 age range really doesn't work here as its too big of a gap, and what those different age groups experience/circumstances are entirely different.

Recommended for: Ages 10-17/Sufferers of Anxiety.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 ( or maybe 4, I don’t know to be honest)

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I’d like to say that this review is entirely up to me. It’s my feelings, my thoughts, and my way of dealing with things. So this book may not help you, or maybe you think that it’s pointless, or barely explaining things, but we all have our ways to deal with anxiety, and two people cannot have the exact same form of anxiety. So please, respect my opinion.

“You don’t have to do this alone”

When I started this book, I was like “Meh, it’s for young people, I don’t think it’s going to help but let’s try anyway”. And then I read, and I read, and I was like “omg was someone spying on me or something because I can relate to this book way too much.”
And it feels great. To see that you’re not alone (I knew that but you know my brain is dumb sometimes and he forgets things) that there might be a solution to all this situation going on.

My story with anxiety is quite peculiar. I experienced things at a young age, that a child should not experience in my opinion. Also I was bullied for many years, and one doesn’t forget things like that. It played on my mind, I was feeling bad and anxious everyday, but I couldn’t put words on what I felt.
I realized that I was suffering from a strong anxiety disorder only 2 years ago. I realized also that I wasn’t the one having a problem, but that a lot of people actually had the same problems than me and you cannot imagine how it feels great to see that you’re not alone and that there’s nothing wrong with you. I realized that “it’s OK not to be OK” and that I shouldn’t think what I was feeling wasn’t normal or right.
I knew I was anxious with exams and all, but I didn’t realized that all the things I felt anxious for in my every day life were actually linked to this anxiety. I mean I knew I was anxious, but to suffer from anxiety disorder is something different. (at least for me). This helped me, because I was able to put words on what I was feeling, and so I was able to find solutions.
The thing is, I knew I was dealing with anxiety, but I didn’t have a clue what to do to cope with it. Nor to recognize it, because it took me so long to recognize my feelings as anxiety. (I’m rambling am I?)

I read a lot of reviews about this book, and at least 50% of them weren’t as positive as mine.
I think this book explains things very well, and is suited for young readers. However, it may not be helpful for everyone. I’m 21 (22 in June) and this book helped me understand, but it may be too simplistic for other people. It only tackles school and college and not work, so maybe another chapter on this subject would have been great.

I really liked the division between chapters, because if you ever want to read some tips or you need something from one of the chapters, it’s really easy to find in the book. I'm definitely going try some tips from it book, and I really think it can be useful to relax.
This book might help some children, and I really hope so.

" 'Don't be anxious it will only make things worse.' If that worked we wouldn't be writing this book." 

[BookLionQueen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this book. This was full of useful information and techniques and personal experiences from young people struggling with anxiety. I will definitely use some of these techniques in my own life and journey through anxiety. There was some information that didn't pertain to me but it was nice to learn all the same. I would recommend this book to people if you have anxiety or a child/friend/lover that does. I recommend if you have anyone in your life that has anxiety to have them read this book. There was some information that didn't need to be in there but overall it was a good reference for how to deal with anxiety in real life.

[Tiffany Vecchietti · Rating 3 out of 5]

" 'Don't be anxious it will only make things worse.' If that worked we wouldn't be writing this book." YES!
I’ve found this book extremely useful, even if i am a long experienced anxiety manager since age 10. However, thou i thought i know it all about anxiety, this was extremely helpful and interesting, there’s so much to learn especially for younger readers.
It’s a bit repetitive sometimes but overall, i’ve loved the description of anxiety through the different stages of life in a very easy and reliable way.
if you are looking for a guide to help you with anxiety or yo help someone you know that has recently started suffering from anxiety or you are just curious to learn more about it then this book is perfect.

[kb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was excited to get into this and was into it the first few chapters. However, while I understood that the goal is to target young readers and increase awareness and extend help to them, I felt like the author simplified some things a little too much, and that the book was, to use one of today's millennial terms, ~reaching in terms of explaining what to understand and how to deal with anxiety.

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a psychologist, I feel this has some good general knowledge and helpful techniques for understanding and controlling anxiety. While the writing was somewhat uneven....a little over the heads of the younger readers and too simplistic in spots for the older audience....this would be quite useful for kids or therapists to use with young patients.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is primarily aimed at teenagers, I really enjoyed this book and found the information both informative and helpful. Full of helpful tips and tricks to use, I highlighted and bookmarked a lot of sections. I really enjoyed the last paragraph with peoples own opinions and working with their own anxiety. Would really recommend this to teenagers and young twenty-somethings, or even everybody that could do with a little hand!

[Elle❤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars

I wasn't sure how to rate this one... I think that this would be a helpful book for schools to provide and work through with their students, because I think that this would be a good beginners guide to provide insight for people who have no clue what exactly anxiety is, and those who are maybe developing some form of anxiety and don't realise what is happening to them. Could be used as an early preventative guide for kids, but nothing more.

[Alejandra RL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es cierto que este libro no sustituye a la terapia, pero creo que las autoras han sido bastante concisas en cuanto a las estrategias que sugieren para lidiar con la ansiedad.

Me gustó que de manera amena sean muy puntuales al hablar sobre este transtorno, diversas técnicas que pueden utilizar quienes la padecen y presenten testimonios ilustrativos.

Considero también que, aún cuando no tengamos un diagnóstico, muchos de los consejos pueden resultar bastante útiles si solemos ahogarnos en un vaso de agua.

[Servet (indaGoodHouse) Casabona · Rating 3 out of 5]

En general no me gustan los libros de autoayuda, y tengo que reconocer que en realidad lo he escuchado en audiolibro a velocidad x1.5, pero la verdad es que contiene consejos útiles para afrontar problemas de ansiedad. Está dirigido a jóvenes y adolescentes, pero la mayoría de los consejos se pueden aplicar a la edad adulta. Eso sí, es más un resumen ligero de las diferentes maneras de afrontar la ansiedad que un plan de verdad. Elige la opción que más te convenza, y profundiza en ella.

[Biz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy!! So this is a really difficult review to write, mainly because it's not that the book wasn't good necessarily, but more that it wasn't really what I was expecting or looking for.

This book really caught my eye because I have moderate to severe anxiety and the blurb promised coping mechanisms and stories of others with an anxiety disorder. However, after reading the book, the blurb kind of... poorly advertises the book itself.

The intended audience is honestly way too broad for any book, even for non-fiction. 10-21 is just.... a lot of years.

What intrigued me, as an eighteen year-old, was the description of child development and how experiences in your early childhood can affect your anxiety levels early in life. However, if I had read some of those sections when I was ten, or even twelve, or even fifteen, I would have been bored to death.

On the flip side, a lot of the topics, particularly in the first few sections, seemed as though they would be good for a tween or young teen who has just been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, but it didn't really fit what I was looking for, because I have anxiety and I know I have anxiety and I get it, this is what happens when you get anxiety. I know this. Anyone who has had anxiety for more than like three months knows this. I get it. I don't need to hear five summaries in a row of the physical and cognitive symptoms of anxiety.

It was just weird, because on one hand this book would be great for kids/teens who have finally put a label on the anxious/scary feelings they have, but on the other it's good for upper teens/young adults if they want to learn what might be behind their anxiety. I just wish that the book could have chosen one audience and stuck to it, because the result of trying to please everyone in such a diverse age range made the book messy and not fun to read.

I did appreciate that the book continually acknowledged that the symptoms of anxiety will differ from person to person, and that it tries its best, especially in the different real-life examples, to show this. It seems as though a lot of self-help books try to put a box around mental health issues, which can be frustrating when your experience doesn't fit neatly into the box. Even in the preface, it was obvious through the author's sharing their own experiences, that this handbook was striving to encompass all the different types of anxiety.

As I mentioned briefly before, the writing style was needlessly repetitive. Reading it was like when a three year-old tells you the same story 10+ times in one day, and just when you think you can move on from this, they come up to you and tell it to you again. It was driving me up a wall. I was so annoyed. Ugh.

For a non-fiction book, it had really engaging writing, though I'm sure it helped that I was invested in the subject. I really enjoyed the bulleted lists and illustrations, because it made the reading easier for me and definitely added to the appeal for a younger teen.

I hate saying that a book was too long, because I feel like that's kind of a cop-out a lot of people use when reading, but Good. Ness. I felt like I invested way too much time into this book, especially for a non-fiction piece. I was dying inside by the end of it.

So, all in all, if the book really split in half the targeted age range, I think that this would be a much more enjoyable handbook, whether it be for tweens and teens, or upper teens and young adults. I would recommend My Anxiety Handbook for people who are interested in the psychology of anxiety or young teens just diagnosed with anxiety (that is, if you can deal with the endless repetition and sections that are obviously intended for someone older or younger than you).

I was provided an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

[Adrianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK in exchange for my honest review**

'Now that everyone uses social media to represent their lives to others, there is even more pressure to be seen to be successful and happy all the time.'

As someone who suffers from anxiety and has done for several years, I jumped at the opportunity when I saw this book on NetGalley. I thought it would be an interesting read to see what advice is being given to young people about how to navigate through and deal with their anxiety, and see if the anxious younger me would've benefitted from something like this. 

The guide is split up into different chapters covering different topics such as Getting Extra Help, Transitions and School, College and Exam Stress. It contains some cute illustrations although I felt there could have been a few more to break up the text which at times felt a little heavy or repetitive. However, there is an ongoing theme throughout the book that everyone experiences anxiety which is good to hear especially if you are young and are worried your anxiety makes you different or stands out, and the personal experiences from young people are helpful to read also.

I think overall this book was a good idea but I feel its trying to do too much. The age range is very broad, 10-21 year olds and the writing at times felt chatty and suitable for perhaps 13-15 year olds and then at other sections very heavy and filled with psychology jargon intended for an older audience making it a somewhat confusing read and at times contradictive. Maybe this book would have been better as three separate books for the different age groups, middle grade, young adult and adult readers for it to read better and feel more consistent.

It was interesting to read about things I'd never heard about such as formulation, and the fact that there's a biological reason why some of us experience anxiety due to the conditions of the womb ect. It has also helped me understand a few things about anxiety that I was unclear on and the CBT section felt like a condensed/mini CBT session.

There are some nifty little bits of advice wedged in there that I took away from it 'comparisons to other people are not helpful; others might appear calm and confident, when they are actually feeling unsure and anxious underneath.' As well as some positives 'Having someone who gets you and your anxiety can really make the difference.' And I will be trying some of the tips in this guide such as the Serenity Prayer, the worry box and the Anxiety Survival Plan to help understand my anxiety better.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK in exchange for my honest review**

MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK, geared to ages 10-21 is a book that tries to do too much for too many people. Ages 10-21 encompasses three age ranges, middle grade, young adult and adult. Writing one self-help book to reach these different groups is a nearly impossible task. I’m a child psychologist and always looking for books to recommend.

MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK reads as if geared toward ages 13-15 with conversational, down to earth sentences. The content of the chapters seem most interesting to the 18-21 crowd with a lot of psychoeducational information that probably won’t appeal to younger readers. The juvenile graphics will appeal most to the younger set. Each of these areas is done well, but not together in the same book.

The well-known exercises for anxiety understanding and reduction are probably too complex for younger readers to do on their own without adult direction. The activities and exercises have a solid foundation. Mindful meditation, for example, can be beneficial for kids and adults of all ages. The stories of young anxiety suffers are also helpful.

The e-copy of MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK wasn’t formatted for Kindle and because of many errors I assume the book will go through at least one more copy edit. I didn’t rate down for format.

I wouldn’t recommend MY ANXIETY HANDBOOK to clients because it doesn’t do enough for any of the age groups it’s trying to reach.

[Mah Marino | · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me by NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!

"Don't be anxious, it'll only make things worse"

Normally, I don't read self-help and "how -to" books, but the subject is very close to my heart. I have been suffering from general anxiety for a long time, so I requested this book to see if it would give me new tips or new insights of how to deal with anxiety.

I felt it had some general knowledge and some helpful techniques and tips, but as far as the book goes, the writing was a little uneven and targeted for a much younger demographic (middle-graders and high school students).

I would definitely recommend this the parents with kids that seem to be struggling with anxiety.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear.

I know the intentions of this book were good and I hate that I didn’t like it but man I really didn’t. It was repetitive and kept referring to other chapters which makes it rather clunky for an e-book. The ‘real stories’ don’t feel real due to the words of the contributors, in particular, the 12 year olds account. The vocabulary used in the account just doesn’t sound like a teenager.

I really wish I had better things to say about this book.

My Anxiety Handbook: Getting Back on Track by Sue Knowles Bridie Gallagher and Phoebe McEwen is available now.

For more information regarding Jessica Kingsley Publishers (@Jessica_JKP) please visit www.jkp.com.

[Melissa McGuire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been living with anxiety for a few years now and I've gone to many therapy sessions and I've taken medication to help deal with it. There are a lot of people that say they have anxiety but dont actually have it. You will not know how bad a anxiety attack is until you experience one first hand. It literally feels like you are dying. This book is really good for young readers that are newly diagnosed with anxiety. It is not for someone that has been through hell and back trying to combat anxiety and that knows everything about it.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

This book really caught my eye because this books seemed to be full of coping mechanisms and stories about others with an anxiety. However after reading while this book does offer coping it is aimed at too many different age groups making some of the chapters boring to someone who has an anxiety disorder for a very long while. Overall I think this book is good and interesting however I would recommend it more to tweens and young adults.

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an arc. I think it does a lot of what other books do in the way of explaining anxiety. It gives good examples and would be good for someone who has no idea what anxiety is.

It also made me feel weird because it’s said to be targeted towards a younger demographic, but for the age group it is for it might be a little dry. It reads like one of my psychology texts instead of a guide for making a survival through anxiety.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for preteens or adolescents who might be just starting to learn about their anxiety. There are some really helpful suggestions on how to identify anxiety symptoms and tactics to try out to minimize anxious feelings and thoughts. Teens who have had therapy or have educated themselves about anxiety probably won't find anything groundbreaking in here, but it's perfect for younger kids who don't really have a handle on their anxiety yet.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a great self-help book on anxiety for teenagers. Most of the examples and suggestions were aimed towards younger people. They also discussed how to deal with the anxiety of moving or starting over at college.

I found some of the strategies at the beginning of the book helpful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


If this review was helpful to you please click the link below.

[Skylar Newbury · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this book at all. To me, the author made anxiety seem like something everyone faces, which is true, but not everyone has an anxiety disorder; this book made it seems as if everyone has an anxiety disorder. It also seemed to little anxiety disorders in themselves. If you are getting this to make yourself better with anxiety, don't do it, it won't help.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book presents a nice overview of anxiety, especially for young people. The personal experiences and descriptions were helpful and relatable, and the techniques presented for managing anxiety are useful. I enjoyed this book.

[Anna Waldeck-Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written book with clear explanations for 11-18 year olds. Lots of useful tips, strategies and first hand experiences. Really recommend any parents or kids who are struggling with anxiety themselves (or know people who are) have a read.

[NerdyBookishBeauty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion. I loved this book for helping my daughter.

[Dee O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading if you have anxiety. Some good tips on CBT and other coping strategies

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good and informative book! It explains anxiety and techniques for anxiety in simple ways but doesn’t sound patronising like a lot of other books.

[Tammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

4.5 stars**

There is a separate review for this book on my Net Galley profile.

[Ash Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall opinion of the book:

This was an insightful and helpful read that I would certainly recommend to teenagers and young adults. As the synopses suggests, this book focuses on anxiety, why a person may be experiencing it and contains some useful tips that may help others. It was written by a group of people who have all experienced and dealt personally with anxiety, so readers know that the advice given in the book has actually helped others in the past. This handbook does emphasise that although the techniques mentioned have helped people with anxiety in the past, they may not be successful for everyone. Anxiety isn’t the same for everyone, which is important to remember.

My Anxiety Handbook is full of helpful and useful information, along with resources to help people struggling with anxiety. It contains a mixture of facts, personal experiences and various illustrations. The age the book focuses on is quite broad, 12 – 18 years. While it’s great that there’s a book to help all of teenagers, I do feel as though this book is perhaps more suitable for perhaps 14-18 year olds as some of the content may be a little complex for younger readers. As a 24 year old reading this, I definitely think this book is correct in being intended for teenagers as some of the content was quite simplistic and not as suitable for an older demographic.

Given this, the book contains some really helpful tips and explains anxiety in a really accessible way. The language used isn’t too complex and everything is easy to follow and understand. When writing about a sensitive topic like this for younger readers, this is essential and the authors have done this brilliantly.

Although the book is helpful in suggesting ways of managing anxiety and it’s symptoms, it emphasises that it’s not a replacement for visiting the doctor and receiving treatment if needed. It covers the basics of the causes of anxiety and some cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that can help alleviate the symptoms. It focuses on helping you to control your anxiety so that it stops controlling you.

The authors include their own experiences with anxiety, what happened and how they responded to it. This is so useful for young adults to read as it emphasises that they are it alone or isolated, and that anxiety is a common mental illness. As someone who personally suffers from anxiety, this book would definitely have helped me a lot if it was released when I was a teenager. I’ve managed my anxiety over many years now so much of the information shared in the book I was already familiar with. But, if you’re someone that is showing signs of suffering from anxiety, I would definitely give this insightful and helpful book a read.

Final thoughts:

I would certainly recommend this book as it’s an informative and easily accessible read. It’s important as it raises awareness of anxiety and discusses way to cope with and manage it.

My Anxiety Handbook is easy to read and contains many personal experiences and useful tips. If you’re a teenager struggling with anxiety then please give this book a chance, I wish it was around when I was younger!

[Blckrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creo que es una herramienta muy completa para cuando ya has atravesado o estás en un proceso psicoterapéutico, donde un profesional te va guiando a escuchar tu ansiedad para ver qué está originando los síntomas ansiosos y así utilizar estas herramientas como complementos.

Me gustaron muchos los ejemplos de actividades por hacer para gestionar la ansiedad. Son muchos y son variados.