The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You

I would highly highly highly insanely recommend this for someone suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It's not some stupid self help book made by some random adult. It was made by a highly experienced, old psychiatrist who is an utter expert in the field. This book has helped me more with my anxiety than any other single option I tried: a different anxiety workbook, getting therapy for anxiety, going on walks and "relaxing", journaling, deciding to have a panic attack, taking time off from college and rest for a year, etc. A close second would be talking to others who also suffer from it, since that's just a different thing that reading can't necessarily replace.

I am skeptical about buying any book that proclaims to cure anything. I am a health care professional and I bought this book as well as listened to it on audio. It's a three hour listen and well worth the time. Of course being a worrier I multitasked while listening, but I did listen and I reflected inwardly as I listened. This book is interactive where as most books, just lead you through a bunch of writing exercises and examples of other people's situation without explaining the example. The author explains each example in detail and then tells you what is wrong and what is right also how to apply the concepts. The ten steps are easy to implement and accomplish immediately. I was able to follow along and parctice the 10 steps immidiately as the examples resonated with a lot current events that I am experiencing. I have practiced these steps for 5 days now and my anxiety has dialed down 90 percent. I have even put it to the test in a relationship situation and it was very effective. I look forward to what it can do in a months time and a year. I have an active imagination and I create lots of distortions about varied life situations and I am now able to dispute these thoughts and dismiss them as unproductive thinking. I have had several therapist over the last 8 years and none have helped. I have bought a plethora of self help books and after reading them felt lost and dismayed . This book has worked for me and I wish that I had found it before I spent thousands of dollars only to be disappointed.

I am currently starting chapter 8 and this book helps both the acutely chronic worrier and the average person who sometimes casually encounters a problem they don't know how to manage. If you are in the middle of a tough time and trying to handle the emotions that come with it, I suggest you grab this book and sit with it awhile. there is no problem that is too big for this book to help you conquer.

I've been taking medicine for depression for years now, yet I still worry constantly. I decided when I started worrying about my future kids' futures that enough was enough. I've realized from this book that I also have generalized anxiety disorder (worrying constantly-a symptom my doctor said goes with depression and said you can't get rid of it) and many of the worries talked about in this book are exactly what i do. I haven't completely finished reading it yet, but so far it is the most helpful self-help book I've ever read. It's really an eye opener and I just love the worry tests he has, these are very valuable to understand how you worry. I can't wait to finish the book and I do hope I can be successful and stop worrying since I know now that it doesn't do me any good like I thought it did. I've found through this book that I've got an immense fear of uncertainty and he touches on this problem a lot which I like. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone that is a constant worrier like I am. I've been a worrier as long as I can remember and it is finally time to enjoy life with the help of this book. The book really puts it all in perspective and forces you to realize that worrying constantly does not make you better prepared for the negative in life or any surprises that may crop up.

Burned out, with anxiety attacks coming and going, worrying more and more about everything and anything, I was looking for some kind of proof that I`m not the only one, and maybe even get some advice too. I am generally critical to so called "self-help books", and I started reading this one excpecting nothing. To my surprise it was very intelligently written, and had me nodding my head in reckognition and right out laughing of some of the descriptions right from the very start. I`m half way through now, and this book has helped me more than 5 years of group therapy already! The hard work has started, and I believe that when I`ve finished this book, my worries will no longer be such a substatial part of my everyday life. The book is excellent so far, but you have to be willing to make the change and do the work yourself. This book guides you in an easy-to-understand way. Even for me, whose first language is not English, it`s easy to get. It also tells me that different humans can have the same issues, and that I`m not alone. Good luck!

This book was extraordinary in my life. But the reason it impacted me was because I did the work to get cured of worry. This book cannot help you if you don't help yourself. The book taught me that worriers like I was often take "comfort" in their worry and that is why it is perpetuated. My worry was crippling. The kind of worry where you can't get out of bed in the morning but you haven't slept all night due to worrying. What really set this book apart for me (given that I have read numerous de-stress/how not to worry books) is that the tests in the book help you to figure out what is your biggest worry. Now, you may think you know what your big worry is but you don't because you are so clouded by too many worries. When you take the test, you actually find out what the biggest worry is and then you do the work to cure it. After 40 years of overwhelming worry, yikes... the cure is finally here for me. Dr. Leahy, wherever you are, I can't say thank you enough. But if you don't do the work, you won't get cured.

Lots of good insights and things to think about but mixed in with nonsense, such as this line, "A repressive coping style, the inability to recognize and label your emotions, and an overemphasis on rationality or antiemotionality are associated with longer-term physical problems, such as increased risk of hypertension, cancer, asthma, and general physical complaints." Do you believe cancer is caused by these mental processes? God help you if you do. There is zero proof for the existence of psychosomatic illness. If the best of this book were boiled down to 50 pages it would be a dynamite handbook, but its not. After a strong and succinct introduction, the author doesn't get to the point often enough, as though he assumes you have all the time in the world to read his book and its myriad wanderings away from the how of "how to stop worrying", the topic at hand. Maybe I should be blaming the editor.

I reviewed this product as a therapist for use with my clients. This book is full of practical, easy to understand strategies for removing unproductive worry from one's life. For those who are not familiar with Dr. Leahy, he is well-respected in the field of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and his professional writing has proven to be a welcomed contribution for both new and seasoned mental health professionals. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with General Anxiety Disorder. Indeed, it may be less helpful for those seeking assistance for Specific Phobias, OCD, Panic Disorder, and Social Phobia. However, I found the chapters on the seven steps useful reminders for the average reader- even those without an anxiety diagnosis. I mean, who couldn't use some well-researched advice on: Identifying Productive and Unproductive Worry, Accepting Reality and Committing to Change, Challenging Worried Thinking, Turning Failure into Opportunity, Using Emotions Rather than Worry about Them, and Taking Control of (Your) Time? I've also received good feedback from clients who've read this book.

I'm no expert and have just a few self help books, but the quality and depth of information here is superb. A very knowledgeable author and attention to detail make this a very helpful read for anyone who needs a nudge in the right direction.

The quality and material was good. Almost new

Very good state

A book full of great insight into the working of our mind. How it does, what it does. How we can use this understanding to give back ourselves power and add a bit of happiness and control to our lives daily. It couldn’t have been better explained. Following his advice has worked very effectively for me. Yes, there are still days when I tend to worry unnecessary but their number is on a rapid decline. A must read for anyone who feels worry is starting to get the better of them.

Because it is based on CBT this doesn't just say "these are the symptoms you have/challenges you face, let's talk about how I suddenly started doing things differently and made my life better by following these seven simple steps...". Instead it looks at a range of symptoms, thoughts, behaviours, difficulties etc that people with worry and anxiety may have but remembers to acknowledge that different people experience different things. There are questionairres and ratings scales to fill in yourself to find out what areas you are affected in and to what degree. That helps you focus on the bits that are specifically relevant to you. It then looks at WHY you might be how you are rather than just accepting that as a fact and skipping it altogether. It looks at various factors that may be maintaining worry. Then it looks at a range of strategies and activities to try to alleviate the problems - both the source and the symptoms. Not all of them suit everyone; it's a bit of a try it and see which are helpful deal. It then takes a few specific worries (e.g. health, money, relationships) and looks at these in more detail. It isn't a quick fix - the good stuff never is. The suggestions need to become habit in order to start helping. Really readable and recommended by a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.