The Book of Angst

by Gwendoline Smith

There's a lot of angst around these days. This heightened sense of fear, concern, insecurity and uncertainty can be overwhelming.

Bestselling author of The Book of Overthinking and The Book of Knowing Gwendoline Smith explains what angst is and the ways in which deep anxiety can manifest.

Gwendoline then drills down into social anxiety, which is often underdiagnosed but is one of the most common of the anxiety family.

Using simple, clear language and humorous illustrations, Gwendoline gives detailed step-by-step advice on how to cope.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Self Help, Personal Development

299 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Gwendoline Smith B Soc Sci, M Soc Sci (hons), Dip Clin Psych is a clinical psychologist, speaker, blogger and the author of the books Depression Explained and Sharing the Load. She also goes by the name Dr Know.

Reviews

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the cutest books I have read on mental health. Relatable. And very practical. I loved the flashcards and the exercises that Smith gave. Anxiety is the silent killer of this century - and we need to give more attention to this very pervasive yet deeply misunderstood mental health condition. Love this one - short and the illustrations are cute and helpful.

Don’t expect great reading literature - the book is meant to help you through therapy or give you guidance if you aren’t in therapy.

[Esha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to dive into this book. I have read both of Gwendoline Smith's previous two books (The Book of Knowing and The Book of Overthinking: How to Stop the Cycle of Worry). I found both of those very informative and interactive reads.

The Book of Angst, however, was just not as good. It is broken into three parts: the first looks at different kinds of anxiety; the second does a deep dive on social anxiety; and the third contains seven therapy sessions with homework. The first two parts were pretty solid, however part three just felt copy and pasted from The Book of Overthinking: How to Stop the Cycle of Worry, just slightly adapted to fit the topic of this book.

Not only that, but I got the feeling that The Book of Angst was just a big promotion/advertisement for The Book of Overthinking: How to Stop the Cycle of Worry. It felt like Gwendoline Smith mentioned her previous book every other chapter and told the reader they should pick that up next. It got to the point where, if I hadn't already read The Book of Overthinking: How to Stop the Cycle of Worry, I would purposefully not pick it up. It just got annoying. I understand being proud of previous works, or thinking that a previous work could genuinly help the reader, but this went overboard.

I will probably read any other book Gwendoline Smith puts out, especially if it is in the same format as this one. I think it is very reader friendly, and the illustrations are a lot of fun. I just hope that the next book focuses more on the topic of that book, and less on promoting previous books by her. Overall 2.5 stars.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’ve never gone to therapy before for anxiety, or if you’re unfamiliar with the different types of anxiety, then The Book of Angst is the perfect self-help book for you.

However, I have been suffering with anxiety for almost the entirety of my life and have been in and out of therapy. The information, tips, and tricks in this book are coping mechanisms I have tried before in the past, therefore I didn’t learn anything new.

The Book of Angst isn’t a “bad” book by any means, it personally wasn’t the most helpful to me! I will keep this book handy on my shelf through when I am experiencing anxiety so that I can utilize it as needed when I’m thinking irrationally (the flash cards in the back are helpful!) or to let a friend borrow when they’re experiencing anxiety.

[virgoreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who struggles with anxiety, this is the first book I’ve read about it and I personally found it very informative and insightful.

The Book of Angst begins with an overview of the different types of anxiety followed by an in-depth analysis of social anxiety in particular. The third and last part of the book is essentially a simulation of real therapy sessions.

I recommend this book to anyone struggling with anxiety and especially to those of you who cannot afford therapy.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 i’ve been told to seek professional help several times by this book

[Ellie | meepsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so useful for anyone wanting to understand an anxiety related disorder of any kind. If you’re going to read it for yourself it has some amazing techniques and even things to cut out of the book that can help manage and improve all symptoms of anxiety. I think this book could really help some people.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful to a point, and then it starts reading like an encyclopaedia and repeating some of the content from the other books in the series. Still worth a look in because who knows what will resonate - there's gems to be found.

[Nicole Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read the book of overthinking and I finished that very quick. And I liked it. So I started this book. This took me a lot longer to read as I found it a bit boring and hard to get into to. Got better near the end of the book. Wouldn’t read it again.

[Kylie Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read with some very useful thought tools for applying quickly to every day life when the anxiety levels are rising.

[Caroline Goodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy read with practical ideas. Helpful for me at the moment but would recommend to everyone to read at any point. You may take something from it either for yourself or a loved one.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

v cute illustrations . thumbs up for the flashcards

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting read and it’s help me identify how anxiety works and what to do to manage and live with it.

[Allyssa (Book Ally) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested in this book as this author has a couple of others too that are similar. All of them are topics that either relate to myself or people close to me, so I am always keen to learn more and get a better understanding.

So this book is broken up mostly into two separate parts. One part is the breakdowns and descriptions of Angst and what it means and all the associated disorders that relate to and come with it.

There's was actually more disorders than I expected that tie back to angst. I learned a lot about myself and people around me. I think they were written in good bite sized chunks that were easy to take on and not too wordy or full of psychological jargon.

The second part was a therapy session type layout with questions being told back and forth and then lessons and tools given to you to help move forward. The feedback is then given about how the person/client/you has applied those lessons during that week, along with the road bumps that can happen and in return advice is given on how to navigate these hiccups.

I think all up there's about 5 or 6 therapy "sessions". I didn't end liking this part as much, I'm not really sure why because some of the situations that were used as examples I could really relate to, more so in my past than now because my anxieties were different then than they are now. I guess I also felt there was too many sessions and it got quite repetitive. The the way it was written in the "Session" type layout may have been why i didn't enjoy it as much.

It mentions in the book that the author isn't saying the book is a good replacement for actual therapy or getting professional help but that its a good stepping stone for people who maybe aren't too sure about if they have anxieties or financially cant afford therapy and I 100% agree. I also think it is a great starting point for people who maybe are embarrassed or not ready to take the steps yet to get professional help.

I think the book was great, I learned a lot and like I said I think its a easy read to digest without feeling overwhelmed or like its too dense which a lot of these books can be like. I would highly recommend the read and I intend on reading the rest in this little series of books Smith has written. I feel like they are so short and so to the point that there's no real excuse not to read them and get more knowledge on these important topics.

Also side note there is some super cute art and doodles in this which made it even more nice to read.

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.

It did feel a little self promoting of previous works. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, and learning specifically about social anxiety but the second half was not for me. I do not resonate with CBT as an effectual therapy for me and I got bored with the therapy session chapters.

The way it is written is simple and easy to follow and the illustrations are quirky and fun, and breaks up the text.

Perhaps someone who finds the therapy useful for them will get a lot out of it as it does go into enough detail for personal application of the example tools.

[Nicole Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy read with some entertaining illustrations to match.
A few gems to take away including:
*Worry is at the base of most of the various forms of anxiety.
*Perfectionism maxim - Done is better than perfect.
* The brain can and does lie to you.
Thinking errors allow this to happen. You must memorise them so you can recognise them.
* Decatastrophising is a quick and easy method for calming yourself down - using the terribleness scale.
*“Should, Must and Have To” - We should be aware of these words in our thinking - they create pressure, guilt and disappointment.

[Nabila Febrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anxiety has been a hype word these days. So many people dealing with anxiety, yet so many haven’t understand yet what kind of anxiety that they are dealing. This book explains the different types of anxieties and how to manage it. With a clear and straightforward explanations, alongside with cute illustrations and uniquely, it also has activities as therapy sessions simulation. I recommend this book not only for those who’s dealing with anxiety but also those who wants to know what anxiety is, because it’s not as scary as imagined 💜

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I feel as though this really might help me going forwards. Certainly in terms of restructuring the way in which I think in the present. Especially with my mental health at the moment, I think I read this book at the right time- the section about social anxiety I found particularly interesting, having recognised many of the characteristics within myself. Not that it is a negative thing- in fact, I think I'm quite proud of myself for acknowledging that the way I think isn't always healthy. I'll definitely be reading this again if i find myself in a slump.

[Juliana · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you read it as a stand alone book it’s not bad. However, it’s a carbon copy of her previous two books (The Book of Knowing and The Book of Overthinking). The odd sentence here and there was original but in my opinion they don’t justify a whole separate book being released. The other two were already copy + paste enough hence me dropping stars as I went through them. There are some good insights and good advice but save yourself the trouble and pick 1 of them to read and move on.

[Jax · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm convinced this book has the carrot effect wherein she doesnt really give you the answer your seeking just sort of dangles it there with temptation to keep you reading and you get to the end if the book and your asking yourself is that it? Wasnt a fan not sure I'd read anymore of her books.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting read about the ins and outs of anxiety but I'm not sure it quite addresses the effect of past experience on people's thoughts and feelings. It might still be worth a read for some though. Three stars ⭐⭐⭐

[Madasun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is insightful and really beneficial for someone who struggles with social anxiety. Knowing more about the topic helps to be able to relate it to my own life to then overcome the smaller issues. Would recommend to someone with little knowledge on it, as its a easy to read book.

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg i honestly thought it is about anger, but its about anxiety. The types of it, the sings, how to help someone and yourself. I know it sounds boring but its honestly such a good book! And if am giving it a five star rating, trust me it has to be good

[Julia Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to read and offers CBT tools for people suffering from anxiety or over thinking. I bought it to give to clients as it is user friendly.

[Amy Molyneux · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because it helped me learn about the different anxieties but I feel like it got a bit boring throughout but I did learn lots.

[Nuno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good opening chapters explaining the different kinds of anxiety. I also found it helpful to go through the therapy sessions and learn about the tools available to moderate our inner saboteur.

[Ana Maria Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's such a light read but so insightful and helpful. A lot of little drawings and jokes. It gets you in a good mood.

[W.A. Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful

I've read all the books by Gwendoline Smith and they are all gems in their own right. The exercises to practice and flashcards are very helpful too.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5! Livre très intéressant et j’ai apprécié les explications simples et imagées. Seul bémol, pas beaucoup « d’aides » pour mettre en pratique, contrairement à ce qu’entendait le titre du livre

[Paul Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather slight book, can be read in a few hours. Lots of illustrations. Somewhat useful information on dealing with anxiety.

[Lukáš Zorád · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ide o akýsi základný slovník a snahu o vysvetlenie úzkostí (prevažne sociálnej úzkosti), pretože autorka tvrdí, že prvým krokom k zvládaniu úzkosti je vedieť pomenovať a uchopiť, čo sa vlastne deje. Tomu sa zhruba venuje prvá polovica knihy, ktorá je inak napísaná prehľadne a rozčlenená do krátkych kapitol, takže sa dá čítať aj v električke.

Druhá časť knihy sa venuje základom terapie, je to celé opísané na konkrétnom príklade toho, ako to zhruba prebieha. Dobre sa to číta a niektoré techniky si zrejme dokáže človek (možno) osvojiť aj po prečítaní. Neviem, ako by knihu vnímal človek s ozajstnou sociálnou úzkosťou, ktorý zažíva panické ataky, ale možno to stoja za pokus.

Na jednu konkrétnu vec kladie kniha extrémny dôraz a to na vysvetlenie toho, že pocity a domýšľanie si nie sú fakty, čo po nejakom čase pôsobí trochu rušivo, lebo sa to neustále opakuje v rôznych variáciach a úplne ignoruje fakt, že niektoré z tých vecí, čo si podľa autorky ľudia iba domýšľajú a kvôli čomu majú podobné stavy, sa im naozaj môžu diať...čiže sú faktami. Na tento rozmer kniha vôbec nemyslí.

Inak fajn, určite sa oplatilo prečítať. Pomohlo mi to opäť o trošku viac porozumieť, čo sa deje ľuďom, keď prežívajú úzkosti a paniku.