Coping with Phobias and Panic

By

Professor Kevin Gournay

Hot off the press, a brand new book by No Panic’s President, Professor Kevin Gournay.  This well presented, easy to read book would be of benefit to all sufferers of anxiety conditions, whatever those conditions may be.

Professor Gournay advocates self help in your quest to get your life back under control, stating that self help may be even more valuable

than professional help. He gives much praise to No Panic for the work that we do in order to assist anxiety sufferers on their individual road to recovery.  What an accolade for No Panic as Professor Gournay  is a renowned expect in anxiety conditions, with thirty five years experience in this field.  It is encouraging that he states that even insurmountable levels of fear and anxiety can be overcome.

How can Coping with Phobias and Fears help you?  This is a book for every anxiety sufferer’s book shelf, to read from cover to cover or dip into as and when necessary.  It is also small enough to fit into your bag to carry with you or fit discreetly into a drawer at work.

Fear is normal, the problem with fear is that it can, quite simply, get out of control and grow into a phobia. Fear is an essential part of our lives, in fact a survival function that prevents us from making unwise or unsafe choices.  Professor Gournay has, in this book, set out two principal aims.  The first being to give information to empower those experiencing problems with knowledge.  This is vitally important as people suffering from anxiety disorders often feel totally alone, when in reality huge numbers of people have irrational fears and states of anxiety.  The second aim of this book is to provide practical advice on how to conquer phobias and panic.

Part one of Coping with Phobias and Panic deals with factual information describing commonly occurring phobias and panic.  Part two describes a tried and tested self help programme designed by Professor Gournay, modified over the years from the knowledge gained from his patients.  The self help programme works on the principal s of gradual exposure, the central method for conquering fears and phobias.  Exposure should be at a level that is difficult but manageable, thus not pushing too hard and causing setbacks.  The book is designed to help you to help yourself, a very empowering concept.

Managing panic and general anxiety covers, hyperventilation, relaxation, dealing with catastrophic thoughts, exercise, diet and time management.

Coping with Phobias and Panic is an excellent book, written in plain English and suitable for anyone with an anxiety condition, be it a sufferer, carer or professional.  Whilst Professor Gournay realises that self help is not an easy option or indeed, not for everyone, he demonstrates that self help comes in many forms.  Trying to assist someone with an anxiety disorder should begin by listening carefully to their views on what they need as anxiety sufferers are often the experts on themselves. I found this to be a very refreshing view point and an encouraging starting point in dealing with phobias and panic, indeed all anxiety conditions. I would therefore highly recommend Coping with Phobias and Panic to all No Panic members, their families and anyone suffering from or wanting to learn about anxiety conditions.