What do you think?
Rate this book
Overcoming
Overcoming Anxiety: A Self-Help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
The classic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy guide to managing anxiety.
The accessible and straightforward books in the Overcoming Series treat disorders by changing unhelpful patterns of behavior and thought. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is internationally favored as a practical means of overcoming longstanding and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. The books in the series outline affordable and easy-to-follow treatment plans, and have provided tens of thousands of readers with the help they need to lead happier lives. This positive, pragmatic approach is popular with therapists and patients alike.
399 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 1997
154 people are currently reading
802 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 34 reviews
October 6, 2024
Overcoming Anxiety provides step-by-step techniques to help identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop coping skills, and reduce anxiety symptoms. There are blank templates to be used for each practical strategy. Recommending for anyone struggling with anxiety, especially social anxiety.
June 9, 2019
This book has been amazing for me. I recommend it to anyone out there with anxiety issues. It is presented so simply, so straightforward. It first of all discusses the philosophies or beliefs that you have that generate the fears and worries that lead to your different kinds of anxiety. It covers a lot of different manifestations of anxiety too. It's all based on cognitive behavioural techniques so basically it gives you the tools to recognize your patterns, understand them, find the trigger and work on making your habits healthier so that you don't end up in the worst case scenario. It also helps you to develop some coping techniques for when things are already worst case scenario so that you can move forward and begin to deal with it all. I read this slowly over the past year and a half, I've only implemented some of the things it recommends but I am genuinely so excited to try the other things and getting into better habits. It helped me so much already so I'm optimistic for keeping going! It was really hard to read at the start because it was so difficult for me to confront what I was facing which seemed impossible, terrifying and mysterious. I noticed that when I picked it up to finish it this morning, I was really looking forward to reading it and getting some of its wisdom into me!
October 29, 2017
I’ve at least skimmed ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ in the past, but this is my first time reading the whole thing. It's quick and easy to read in one go. I was interested to find no mention of mindfulness, because it was first published in 1997, yet the relaxation exercises are essentially the same as mindfulness meditations. Overall it presents a helpful plan for managing anxiety and does not pretend that self-help is always a substitute for professional support. I liked how systematically the techniques were organised and found it a helpful reminder of CBT approaches (which have clear roots in Stoicism as I found when reading Epictetus). There are several chapters on making your life less stressful, which are non-specific but sensible. On the other hand, the author treats exposure therapy as a panacea for phobias, which I don’t agree with.
November 14, 2014
Very useful book though not what I was looking for but worth reading it anyway.
May 17, 2015
Բարիագույն ու պրոֆեսիոնալագույն գիրք: Կպնելու տեղ չունեմ: Ով նմանատիպ խնդիրներ ունի(«անհանգստություն», «լարվածություն», «ֆոբիաներ», «վախեր» եւ այլն), շատ եմ խորհուրդ տալիս:
Review-ն ուզում եմ ավարտել գրքի postscript-ից մի հատվածով:
... It was over twenty-five years ago, I was an enthusiastic, newly qualified clinical psychologist and I did what many enthusiastic, newly qualified clinicians do – I set up an anxiety management group. I worked extremely hard researching the content of the course, writing hand-outs, supporting group members. The course ran for three months and by the end everyone had done very well and I was really pleased. Now, all good clinicians evaluate their interventions and so I devised a rather long questionnaire to find out what group members had found most helpful. In my questionnaire I detailed all the strategies that we’d covered – strategies with which you are now familiar.
The group members decided that they didn’t want to complete my questionnaire individually because they would rather give group feedback. So they went off in a huddle to share their thoughts. I waited quite excitedly – were they going to tell me that the well-researched psycho education had been most helpful? Or the very systematic relaxation training? Or the painstaking coaching in learning to test negative thoughts? Or the practical problem-solving strategies? There were so many possibilities and I wanted detailed feedback on the impact of each of these interventions. At last, the group spokesperson said that they were all in agreement about what had been most helpful to them over the past three months.
Imagine my disappointment when they had clearly abandoned my questionnaire because she gave only a simple summary: ‘By far the most helpful thing we’ve learnt is to say, “Sod it!”’ All that hard and meticulous work and this was the conclusion – a simple blasphemy! I was really taken aback. But they were right – this is at the heart of overcoming anxiety. The strategies and techniques are a means to an end and the end point in overcoming anxiety is a change of attitude that frees you. All the guidelines in this book will, I hope, get you to a place where you will be skilled enough to respond to stresses and worries by taking a confident step back and saying to yourself, ‘I can do it, let it go, move on.’
Review-ն ուզում եմ ավարտել գրքի postscript-ից մի հատվածով:
... It was over twenty-five years ago, I was an enthusiastic, newly qualified clinical psychologist and I did what many enthusiastic, newly qualified clinicians do – I set up an anxiety management group. I worked extremely hard researching the content of the course, writing hand-outs, supporting group members. The course ran for three months and by the end everyone had done very well and I was really pleased. Now, all good clinicians evaluate their interventions and so I devised a rather long questionnaire to find out what group members had found most helpful. In my questionnaire I detailed all the strategies that we’d covered – strategies with which you are now familiar.
The group members decided that they didn’t want to complete my questionnaire individually because they would rather give group feedback. So they went off in a huddle to share their thoughts. I waited quite excitedly – were they going to tell me that the well-researched psycho education had been most helpful? Or the very systematic relaxation training? Or the painstaking coaching in learning to test negative thoughts? Or the practical problem-solving strategies? There were so many possibilities and I wanted detailed feedback on the impact of each of these interventions. At last, the group spokesperson said that they were all in agreement about what had been most helpful to them over the past three months.
Imagine my disappointment when they had clearly abandoned my questionnaire because she gave only a simple summary: ‘By far the most helpful thing we’ve learnt is to say, “Sod it!”’ All that hard and meticulous work and this was the conclusion – a simple blasphemy! I was really taken aback. But they were right – this is at the heart of overcoming anxiety. The strategies and techniques are a means to an end and the end point in overcoming anxiety is a change of attitude that frees you. All the guidelines in this book will, I hope, get you to a place where you will be skilled enough to respond to stresses and worries by taking a confident step back and saying to yourself, ‘I can do it, let it go, move on.’
January 7, 2011
I found this book very helpful. It's a basic introduction to the different types and causes of anxiety. The most useful information for me were coping strategies, such as breathing and relaxation techniques to ease stress. Simple and to the point, a good place to start if you're wondering how to help yourself with the physical and mental effects of anxiety.
September 17, 2020
If you have Anxiety depression or OCD.Try to read This self help CBT book. I have learned many things to cope daily anxiety and Depression.
Many techniques
1-Slow breathing
2-Tense and Relax your muscles
3-Physical activity
Many stories of depressed and anxiety persons
In start you will read introduction of many things like
Fear
Anxiety
OCD
Depression
GAD
PTSD
Stress
Worry
Then you will read how to manage these things.
Long terms and short terms techniques
Body sensations management
Controlled Breathing
Then you Will learn how to distract yourself when you are worry
And in last part you will learn CBT therapy.
A must read to cope daily life depression and anxiety
Dil Nawaz
Co-Founder
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
Many techniques
1-Slow breathing
2-Tense and Relax your muscles
3-Physical activity
Many stories of depressed and anxiety persons
In start you will read introduction of many things like
Fear
Anxiety
OCD
Depression
GAD
PTSD
Stress
Worry
Then you will read how to manage these things.
Long terms and short terms techniques
Body sensations management
Controlled Breathing
Then you Will learn how to distract yourself when you are worry
And in last part you will learn CBT therapy.
A must read to cope daily life depression and anxiety
Dil Nawaz
Co-Founder
The Lion Studios
www.thelionstudios.com
March 16, 2022
3.5⭐️. If this book was kept more short and concise, I would definitely have rated it higher. Initially, I felt that the wide variety of specific examples were helpful, but after a while they become way too repetitive and placed in such niche categories, mainly tailored for adults in the workplace or those with families. After a while, the examples were difficult to relate to and they made the book quite an inconvenience to get through. The techniques and dairy templates were definitely helpful and I’m grateful for that, but majority of the information found in this book was regurgitated on such an excessively frequent scale, I ended up losing all interest and motivation to keep reading through this long-winded book filled with basic knowledge. I was expecting more psychology or science, explaining the nature and mechanics of anxiety, but to no avail. I was rather disappointed that it was difficult not to skim through 60% of the book.
Read
November 30, 2020I took my time reading this over three months. It wasn't a particularly engaging read and some parts were harder to get through than others. Overall though, I think this will be a helpful reference book. All the ideas are presented simply and with examples, though a few of those seemed unnecessary and slowed the book down. The editing & grammar is not the smoothest. But the important stuff; there's a good balance of explanation & theory and practical advice. Short-term coping strategies and long-term planning to alleviate symptoms instead of making them worse through fear. There's a lot in here (plenty of reflection & some planning needed) so it could get overwhelming but the tone of the writing is patient, kind, straight-forward and hopeful. It's down to the reader to put in the effort and hold yourself accountable. I have sticky-tabs throughout that I'm going to go back to and take notes on.
November 27, 2020
Kesinlikle faydalı ve eğitici bir kitap. Özellikle kendini ortaya koyma bölümünde gerçekten bir aydınlanma yaşayabilirsiniz. Gösterdiği teknikler kaygı probleminin yanında bir çok problem için etkili ve başa çıkma yönetimi olarak kullanılabilir. Okumanızı tavsiye ederim.
February 11, 2021
I’ve read this more than once. Always helpful for coping mechanisms when I’m feeling more anxious than normal. I’d recommend it 👍 particularly while tings are so challenging...
June 18, 2019
There is a huge evidence base around the value of reading to support health and wellbeing. A large number of self-help books have been published. The ‘Overcoming’ series contains over 30 titles that cover a range of difficulties (including but not restricted to mental health problems) that are amenable to a CBT approach.
‘Overcoming Anxiety: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques’, written by Helen Kennerley, a Clinical Psychologist, delivers exactly what’s on the tin.
It starts with some important ‘psycho-education’: the first part of the book explains what anxiety is, what causes and what maintains anxiety. In the fourth chapter, Kennerley distinguishes between the different diagnoses that fall under the umbrella term ‘anxiety disorders’: phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, health anxiety generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
She then introduces the reader to the management of the symptoms of anxiety. I found it particularly useful reading her views about the pharmacological management of these symptoms. Helpful as they may sometimes be, anti-anxiety medications tend to be over-prescribed. As a doctor myself, I often feel the pressure to prescribe pills, even when I believe that a non-pharmacological approach may be better.
In the third (and main) part of the book, Kennerley follows a cognitive-behavioural approach to the management of anxiety. She takes the reader through a variety of evidence-based techniques, such as controlled breathing, applied relaxation, distraction, reviewing anxious thoughts and images, graded practice, and problem solving. Even though these techniques are the bread and butter of CBT, they do not always require face-to-face therapy; they can be taught, learned and applied with the help of a book, and this is where the greatest value of ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ lies.
As a Psychiatrist, I have often prescribed this book, alongside face-to-face talking therapy and/or medications. In my opinion, it does not only complement traditional treatments, but it also has the potential to alleviate anxiety symptoms even when used on its own.
‘Overcoming Anxiety: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques’, written by Helen Kennerley, a Clinical Psychologist, delivers exactly what’s on the tin.
It starts with some important ‘psycho-education’: the first part of the book explains what anxiety is, what causes and what maintains anxiety. In the fourth chapter, Kennerley distinguishes between the different diagnoses that fall under the umbrella term ‘anxiety disorders’: phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, health anxiety generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
She then introduces the reader to the management of the symptoms of anxiety. I found it particularly useful reading her views about the pharmacological management of these symptoms. Helpful as they may sometimes be, anti-anxiety medications tend to be over-prescribed. As a doctor myself, I often feel the pressure to prescribe pills, even when I believe that a non-pharmacological approach may be better.
In the third (and main) part of the book, Kennerley follows a cognitive-behavioural approach to the management of anxiety. She takes the reader through a variety of evidence-based techniques, such as controlled breathing, applied relaxation, distraction, reviewing anxious thoughts and images, graded practice, and problem solving. Even though these techniques are the bread and butter of CBT, they do not always require face-to-face therapy; they can be taught, learned and applied with the help of a book, and this is where the greatest value of ‘Overcoming Anxiety’ lies.
As a Psychiatrist, I have often prescribed this book, alongside face-to-face talking therapy and/or medications. In my opinion, it does not only complement traditional treatments, but it also has the potential to alleviate anxiety symptoms even when used on its own.
November 2, 2019
I quite liked this book, although once I'd finished it, I felt like something had been missing from it. There is a lot of great information in it, and many useful suggestions for techniques to manage anxiety and panic attacks, but in a way it felt like there wasn't really anything new to read in it. It is well laid out, however, and written with a solid and interesting style.
It is easy to navigate the book, so that if you weren't reading it from cover to cover, you could easily pick out which chapters and sections to zone in on. It's always difficult to read books like these as they are subjective and each one will affect every reader differently. I would gladly hand this to a friend to read. There is certainly nothing about it that made me not recommend it. A good read overall.
It is easy to navigate the book, so that if you weren't reading it from cover to cover, you could easily pick out which chapters and sections to zone in on. It's always difficult to read books like these as they are subjective and each one will affect every reader differently. I would gladly hand this to a friend to read. There is certainly nothing about it that made me not recommend it. A good read overall.
March 4, 2023
3.5 stars
Easy to read. If you’re familiar with CBT, then this won’t be completely new information. But the sequence of sections in this book is well thought out to help a person — first understand, then learn, and apply. It has a gentle pace and a gentle tone in which it is written.
Not everyone needs to have been through a catastrophic childhood trauma to read this. It’s for anyone who thinks it might be in some way relevant to them. It addresses serious issues but also makes itself accessible to people with less complex family difficulties. Would recommend.
Easy to read. If you’re familiar with CBT, then this won’t be completely new information. But the sequence of sections in this book is well thought out to help a person — first understand, then learn, and apply. It has a gentle pace and a gentle tone in which it is written.
Not everyone needs to have been through a catastrophic childhood trauma to read this. It’s for anyone who thinks it might be in some way relevant to them. It addresses serious issues but also makes itself accessible to people with less complex family difficulties. Would recommend.
December 23, 2024
After experiencing my panic attack last week, I have felt like I am back to square one. But reading this book has helped me regain my confidence with simple techniques to combat my anxiety. Whilst the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks are devastating, I felt incredibly relaxed just reading this book in silence as it gave me a sense of control. I throughly recommend this book if anyone is struggling with anxiety and panic attack symptoms.
February 5, 2025
Not really sure how to rate a self-help book.
It's a 4-5 stars as it serves its purpose, but it's a 2 stars as it's not exactly an exciting read.
The theory is very helpful to understand how the mind works and why it makes you feel what you feel when under stress. And how the vicious cycle of panic attacks and anxiety work.
The practical side seems quite straightforward, but I won't be able to comment on its efficacy until I've put the recommended exercises into practice.
It's a 4-5 stars as it serves its purpose, but it's a 2 stars as it's not exactly an exciting read.
The theory is very helpful to understand how the mind works and why it makes you feel what you feel when under stress. And how the vicious cycle of panic attacks and anxiety work.
The practical side seems quite straightforward, but I won't be able to comment on its efficacy until I've put the recommended exercises into practice.
June 10, 2022
Some really great tools in this book and I have really seen an improvement! I loved trying out the breathing exercises and the relaxation sessions. The problem solving and time management chapters are two areas I know I will reread in the future. Definitely a book that you will come back to again and again for tips.
August 17, 2019
A good place to start if you're looking for practical activities to reduce anxiety in the long-term. Can be a bit overwhelming if you have a limited time to use the book. Comes with extra diaries and activities to keep you on track.
April 2, 2021
This guide gives good insight and explanation into different fears and anxiety.
It also includes some helpful cbt techniques such as breathing and distractions to practice to help manage your anxiety.
It also includes some helpful cbt techniques such as breathing and distractions to practice to help manage your anxiety.
March 9, 2022
This is a well written book with practical steps on how to get started and keep going anxiety management. Steps are nicely depicted with examples, so it is easier to understand what is meant. These also work for stress and time management problems. Very good and useful read.
January 12, 2020
it was kind of ok, but not what expected from the book.
January 19, 2021
I'm not really into self-help reading, but I found this quite interesting and very helpful.
Recommended if you suffer from anxiety and need something that helps with your daily struggling.
Recommended if you suffer from anxiety and need something that helps with your daily struggling.
March 18, 2021
A must read to anyone who is suffering from Anxiety, sleepless and can't stop worrying about trivial stuff.
February 17, 2024
Really enjoyed this summary of anxiety and self help material. Definitely something to signpost to.
May 19, 2024
Easy to read and useful strategies to manage anxiety
November 8, 2024
Çok beğendiğim bir kitap olmadı açıkçası. Atlaya atlaya okudum.
August 18, 2022
this book started helping me from the very first page. it’s detailed and you can fully understand what was the cause of your anxiety and learn how to tame it. very easy to read.
August 26, 2015
And excellent book for helping you to self manage anxiety using behavioural techniques.
Each chapter is well written explaining each aspect of anxiety and self management. it has got some very useful exercises to help manage anxiety.
You would though have to be very self disciplined to follow through all of which she is suggesting and to make a difference in your life I would have thought that this is more helpful if you are having one-to-one sessions Group training to consolidate and reinforce learning.
It is also very good to expand your knowledge if you are a health professional wanting to work to improve stress management with your clients
Each chapter is well written explaining each aspect of anxiety and self management. it has got some very useful exercises to help manage anxiety.
You would though have to be very self disciplined to follow through all of which she is suggesting and to make a difference in your life I would have thought that this is more helpful if you are having one-to-one sessions Group training to consolidate and reinforce learning.
It is also very good to expand your knowledge if you are a health professional wanting to work to improve stress management with your clients
Displaying 1 - 29 of 34 reviews