June 2023 MBR The Psychology Shelf

The Psychology Shelf

The Anxiety Audit
Lynn Lyons, LICSW
Health Communications, Inc.
https://hcibooks.com
9780757324253, $16.95, PB, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Audit-Lynn-Lyons-LICSW/dp/0757324258

Synopsis: Ask people to describe anxiety and they will start with the familiar physical symptoms: racing heart, sweaty palms, difficulty breathing. Anxiety, they might add, is "freaking out", a panic attack, or a frightening loss of control. But anxiety isn't always what we think it is, especially now.

Anxiety has become the new normal, constant and simmering, disguising itself in patterns and responses we don't even recognize as anxiety. These patterns include: Ruminating and worrying (and mistaking it for problem solving); Going global, or seeing the world through an overwhelming, all-or-nothing lens; Isolating and disconnecting, all too common in our "new normal"; Creating chaos and "busy-ness", for example, over-scheduling and multitasking; Embracing your irritability; Confusing self-medication with self-care.

"The Anxiety Audit: Seven Sneaky Ways Anxiety Takes Hold and How to Escape Them" is a practical and effective guide for us all. It's a kind of 'how-to' manual with no overly scientific or diagnostic language -- just real talk and time-tested tactics from a respected therapist. It is a relatable and practical guide to untangling yourself from the grips of worry and fear.

Using stories, real-world examples, and helpful dialogues to retrain the way you think and react, trusted anxiety expert Lynn Lyons helps you recognize the sneaky ways these anxious patterns and cycles of worry take hold in your life. By making small and consistent adjustments, you can reverse their negative impacts and move forward with renewed clarity and confidence.

Critique: An informative, thought-provoking, and ultimately inspiring read, "The Anxiety Audit: Seven Sneaky Ways Anxiety Takes Hold and How to Escape Them" will have a very special appeal and value for non-specialist general readers with an interest in dealing with obsessive/compulsive behavior, anxieties and phobias, and all manner of anxiety disorders. While readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The Anxiety Audit: Seven Sneaky Ways Anxiety Takes Hold and How to Escape Them" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Contemporary Psychology and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.

Editorial Note: Lynn Lyons (https://www.lynnlyons.com) is psychotherapist in Concord, New Hampshire. She has been in practice for 30 years specializing in the treatment of anxiety in adults and children. She travels internationally as a speaker and trainer on the subject of anxiety, its role in families, and the need for a preventative approach at home and in schools. With a special interest in breaking the generational cycle of worry in families, she authored several books and articles on anxiety, including with co-author Reid Wilson Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous & Independent Children, and the companion book for kids, Playing with Anxiety: Casey's Guide for Teens and Kids.

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