kricketa's review
5.0
I listened to the author read an audio version of this and found it infinitely comforting. (I am also a sucker for Australian accents which accounts for at least one star.) I wish I'd had this book when I was in grad school- it's a great basic primer on how the fear of anxiety is often worse than anxiety itself.
miller8d's review
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
This was written in the 1960s, so if you forgive the antiquated language and the hilarious recommendation of shock therapy, then this is an incredible tool against anxiety, panic, and related depression. The modern anxiety book called “DARE” literally ripped this book off directly and subtracted a lot of the much-needed focus on gender dynamics (although antiquated in this book, you can see what she means) and medication (DARE basically says that meds are stupid which is obviously wrong).
jlange64's review against another edition
5.0
This is fantastic on audio. The author is like a wise grandmother giving advice (in a good way). She offers insight into anxiety while giving comfort and understanding. The only book I've ever read on anxiety and will probably be the only one I'll ever need. It came to me highly recommended by my father and I highly recommend it too.
ksbookjunky's review
5.0
Wonderful! This book provides a wealth of common sense knowledge regarding recovery and anxiety. One must decide the actionable steps to take in overcoming their anxiety disorder but the book helps give comfort to those who feel like it is unmanageable. A keeper for sure.
noregrets4life33's review
2.0
The main 4 ideas presented in this book are indeed helpful....but thats all it is. Its just repeated in like 20 different ways over 200 pages.. o.O
Also...i feel like this was written for a 1950s housewife, lol. On the better things, i say!
Also...i feel like this was written for a 1950s housewife, lol. On the better things, i say!
clormack's review
4.0
“The great majority of my nervously ill patients have been made ill and kept ill because of the way they feel; because of fear of what they think may happen next.”
A near-perfect gem in the sphere of anxiety resources. It was first published in 1969 so some content and beliefs are outdated but the core messaging is crystal clear, which is all you can really ask for in the overpopulated and overcomplicated landscape of self-help books.
All this book asks you to do in periods of “nervous illness” / “sensitised nerves” is to face your anxiety, accept it, float through the feeling and let time pass. Weekes claims that it’s the resistance and fear attached to certain thoughts, sensations and situations that sets you off on a never ending cycle of anxiety, which only further sensitises your nerves and makes it far easier to trigger them.
A near-perfect gem in the sphere of anxiety resources. It was first published in 1969 so some content and beliefs are outdated but the core messaging is crystal clear, which is all you can really ask for in the overpopulated and overcomplicated landscape of self-help books.
All this book asks you to do in periods of “nervous illness” / “sensitised nerves” is to face your anxiety, accept it, float through the feeling and let time pass. Weekes claims that it’s the resistance and fear attached to certain thoughts, sensations and situations that sets you off on a never ending cycle of anxiety, which only further sensitises your nerves and makes it far easier to trigger them.
whizbangdebris's review
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
This is the introduction to anxiety as a byproduct of an overreactive autonomic nervous system due to chronic tension that I've been looking for. The book's primary value for me was describing and acknowledging the anxiety symptoms that I've been experiencing for so long I forgot they aren't normal feelings to have all of the time. Dr. Weeke's advice to heal boils down to mindfulness - accepting thoughts and feelings without judgement in order to establish a new pattern of nervous system response. It made sense to me and I'll be looking for more current reading like this.
I struggled with the writing style which reminded me of Alan Carr self help books and this book is outdated enough to be unhelpful - talk to your doctor about sedatives, tranquilizers and electro shock therapy; take at least 2 weeks to a month away from work, spouse, children, home; if your husband tends to come home late and drunk, pop his dinner in the oven and just take care of the kids without complaint, etc.
It's a product of its time but helped point me in a good direction for more of my anxiety reading.
I struggled with the writing style which reminded me of Alan Carr self help books and this book is outdated enough to be unhelpful - talk to your doctor about sedatives, tranquilizers and electro shock therapy; take at least 2 weeks to a month away from work, spouse, children, home; if your husband tends to come home late and drunk, pop his dinner in the oven and just take care of the kids without complaint, etc.
It's a product of its time but helped point me in a good direction for more of my anxiety reading.