I always felt a little scared to pick up a book about mental health. Especially one that claims to change my life in just 4 weeks, just like this one does.
However, on the day I found this book, I just signed up for a city library. I was excited and motivated to read because I've never been to a good public library before. Of course, I have a university one, but it's mostly academic titles. And this one was huge, filled with books on topics I've always wanted to try but never really had a chance.
So, when a saw a promising book with a nice, endearing cover, I decided to give it a go.
Title: Anxiety free: 4 weeks to inner peace
Author: Sam Owen
Publisher: Onion Spring
Pages: 274
The promises this book make are quite brave. From the beginning, Owen tries to convince the reader that she will change his life. She brings up stories of her clients and how just after one or two sessions with her, she could see a major improvement in their lives. And they could see it too.
Sorry to burst the bubble, but it doesn't work like that.
This is why after the first few pages I wasn't so excited about it anymore. If this book was really going to help me change my life forever, why does it need to remind me about it every few sentences instead of actually helping?
Even though my enthusiasm started to wear off, I decided to stick with it just a little while longer.
And boy, I'm happy I did.
After the rocky start, it got better pretty quickly. I love the way it is written. I've never had any other psychology books in my hand before, the closest encounter I've had with this subject has been through my roommates who study counselling at uni. The language is simple, the experiments and data are presented in a familiar style. For a muggle like me, the worst thing that could have happened was reading a scientific book with words I've never seen before in my life.
The big question you are probably asking yourself is: Does this book really work? Did I get rid of my anxiety as quickly as she promised?
The answer is not as simple as you might think.
Overall, I think this book improved my life and made taming my anxiety a bit easier on a daily basis. With simple exercises and a lot of different ideas and tricks, it was quite easy to find things that specifically work for me. It also inspired me to look deeper, focus on what feels right.
One of the most important things this book taught me is that anxiety is normal; everybody experiences it, just on different levels. Anxiety is there to help you and guide you. Even though there was a part of me that already knew this, Anxiety free actually helped me to understand it and most importantly - believe it.
I still struggle with anxiety, some days are better, some are worse. However, thanks to this book I'm actually more aware of what's going on. I'm learning and working on getting better.
Now, I don't think Anxiety free will magically cure you. Nor, is it a substitute for asking for help and going to therapy. But I do believe it is a step worth considering. Maybe you'll also find something there for yourself, something that will help you manage your anxiety a little better.
I can honestly say this book inspired me to start reading about anxiety and mental health in general. I can't wait to go back to the library for more!
Rating: 4/5
Have you ever read books about mental health, and specifically about anxiety? Let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations about what I should reach for next!
The big question you are probably asking yourself is: Does this book really work? Did I get rid of my anxiety as quickly as she promised?
The answer is not as simple as you might think.
Overall, I think this book improved my life and made taming my anxiety a bit easier on a daily basis. With simple exercises and a lot of different ideas and tricks, it was quite easy to find things that specifically work for me. It also inspired me to look deeper, focus on what feels right.
One of the most important things this book taught me is that anxiety is normal; everybody experiences it, just on different levels. Anxiety is there to help you and guide you. Even though there was a part of me that already knew this, Anxiety free actually helped me to understand it and most importantly - believe it.
I still struggle with anxiety, some days are better, some are worse. However, thanks to this book I'm actually more aware of what's going on. I'm learning and working on getting better.
Now, I don't think Anxiety free will magically cure you. Nor, is it a substitute for asking for help and going to therapy. But I do believe it is a step worth considering. Maybe you'll also find something there for yourself, something that will help you manage your anxiety a little better.
I can honestly say this book inspired me to start reading about anxiety and mental health in general. I can't wait to go back to the library for more!
Rating: 4/5
Have you ever read books about mental health, and specifically about anxiety? Let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations about what I should reach for next!
1 Comments
I love it that you found a good public library!
ReplyDeleteHere in Warsaw, in Ursynów district I have plenty of them, it's actually called Ursynoteka and that's where I borrowed The Lightning Thief 😀.
I have never read books about mental health, however, I am glad that that one was a good hit. I will always support you as much as I can ❤!