Book Description
From Panic to Power is Lucinda Bassett's inspiring account of the proven techniques she used to overcome anxiety disorder and regain control of her life.
A bestseller with more than 72,000 hardcover copies sold, From Panic to Power offers techniques and skills to the ever–growing number of people who are adversely affected by today's overwhelmingly stressful environment. Lucinda Bassett's effective program, which teaches people how to think differently and respond in a less anxious way, is enabling hundreds of thousands all over the world to transform their draining doubts, fears, and anxieties into positive energy and newfound freedom. Her methods allow sufferers to gain a new understanding of themselves and their challenges when dealing with anxiety and teach effective skills to help transform negative self–talk and destructive worry habits into recently discovered compassion and confidence.
Customer Reviews:
Good supplement to the Attacking Anxiety program .......2007-08-22
This review is in response to some criticism I have read about Lucinda Bassett and the book FROM PANIC TO POWER. There have been some comments on this page alleging that Lucinda Bassett is only in it for the money and that this book, and the Attacking Anxiety program, do not really offer any help to those dealing with anxiety and depression. As someone who went through the Attacking Anxiety program back in 1994 at age 18 and who is currently reviewing the program, as someone who has read the FROM PANIC TO POWER book (and who received a free autographed copy of LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS from Lucinda Bassett in gratitude for some online mentoring I had offered to others dealing with anxiety and depression), I feel qualified to address the issues of the effectiveness of Lucinda's work. Bottom line: it works. Or, rather, it helps a great deal. But one caveat -- detailed below.
Session 4 of the Attacking Anxiety program says that people who deal with anxiety often have unrealistic expectations. Our high expectations of ourselves, our friends, our lives, often cause an undo amount of anxiety and stress. We can lessen our anxiety by lessening our expectations. "Don't expect so much," Lucinda suggests. Lowering your expectations will make you more thankful for and aware of whatever little progress you make in your journey to recovery. The Attacking Anxiety program is advertised as offering you "complete recovery" from issues concerning anxiety and depression. In the version of the program that I have, it is not until session 15 (the last session) that Lucinda admits, "The truth of the matter is that it simply takes 15 weeks to go through the material in the program. There is no limit to the amount of time it takes you to get over anxiety." Eventually, she admits, "We don't know everything."
The great irony is that you sort of need to use Lucinda's advise against her own advertising slogans. I could paraphrase Lucinda's advise as, "Don't expect the Attacking Anxiety program or the book FROM PANIC TO POWER to live up to its inflated advertisement claims." If you go through the program expecting complete recovery from anxiety (with no relapses or "growth spurts"), if you read FROM PANIC TO POWER expecting a complete recovery, you will come away disappointed. The truth as I feel it now is that if you use the Attacking Anxiety program and FROM PANIC TO POWER as tools in what may be a lifelong recovery strategy and lifestyle, you will definitely see positive results. The advise I'd give to a seeker of recovery is that if you have the means you should get your hands on a copy of the Attacking Anxiety program. It is without a doubt the masterpiece of Lucinda Bassett's oeuvre. The book FROM PANIC TO POWER is in my opinion a mere supplement to the program.
I'll close with a note for the male reader and listener. Going through the Attacking Anxiety program and rereading FROM PANIC TO POWER, I can't help but notice that this is hands-down intended for a female audience. (I first became aware of Lucinda Bassett because of her appearance on Oprah, for example.) This is not to say that what Lucinda teaches won't help males. The material has helped me a great deal as the bare tools of recovery are without gender. But Lucinda Bassett herself mentions that statistically speaking far more women than men deal with anxiety and depression, and Lucinda and apparently most of her staff are female. It therefore is not surprising that much of the material is fashioned toward a female audience. Specifically, many of the stories in FROM PANIC TO POWER deal with issues that women more often than men will face (balancing the life of motherhood and career, etc.). And even in the Attacking Anxiety program, particularly in the group discussions that always take place after Lucinda's introductory monologues, a female perspective abounds. (On Lucinda's audio program Life Without Limits, a good portion of one of the tapes has Lucinda giving a pep talk about how sexy lingerie makes you feel better about yourself. You go, girl!) And sometimes the group discussion portions of the Attacking Anxiety program remind me of episodes of The View (which Lucinda has actually appeared on), and sometimes passages of FROM PANIC TO POWER read like excerpts from Better Homes and Gardens. I wish Lucinda would let a male member of her staff create at least a single-volume program about the issues facing men who are dealing with these issues.
So, to recap, FROM PANIC TO POWER is a good book overall. But it is not the end-all be-all of recovery from anxiety and/or depression. In my opinion it is but a supplement to the Attacking Anxiety program, and some of the stories will most likely be uninteresting to the male reader.
Very impressed.......2007-07-23
I think this book is very good for someone who have had a mild to moderate anxiety in their life like I am. Lucinda was absolutely right about the process of overcoming the anxiety and fear: recognize your anxiety, find a coping technique, and re-expose to the situation that creates that anxiety. I personally think that people who are still suffering from their anxieties are the ones who have not found their suitable coping techniques yet. This book gives you guidelines and ideas to overcoming the anxieties including changing your ways of thinking if they're starting to hurt you. After I finished reading it, I did gain a perspective on my dream and my way of thinking, which I was thankful for the writer.
However, there is one flaw in the book. I don't think this book stresses well enough on coping techniques if you experience anxiety in a particular situation. She told you some ideas, but never really shows you how. Just like another reviewer, I think she's keeping all the good stuff for her program, which is really expensive :)
My Anxiety of Writting this Review!!!.......2007-06-13
6 Stars!!!!From Panic to Power: Hardcover,Copyright1995,Lucinda Bassett:
Where do I begin with a Thriller of a Book where the Book is Great from First Page to the Last Page!! You will feel the Passion of the Author/Founder and stories of Indivduals who have walked in her Shoes!!!
The Author still has to practice positive coping techniques every day. She recommends this to her patients as well. What sets this book apart from other Authors subjects relating to Anxiety Disorder books on the market is ????
Lucinda was there and is doing well right now and as she explained "Some Anxiety is a Good Thing!!!" Most people are Misinformed including myself until reading this Book.
The Author and Founder of Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety explains different types of Anxiety Disorders ranging from very mild to extreme cases. Anxiety is the projecting of "wasted time equals wasted energy" Replacing this Time and Energy with Positive Thoughts over any situation. i.e. Talking in front of others in a Meeting/Presentation?? Another example is "should I take a Walk right now or wait until nobody is around, since my appearance might be questioned??
The Author responds to examples like these and many others throughout the Book and Advantages/Disadvantages for doing different things. There is also a Food Section describing the different types of foods to eat before sleep, or activities/events in general terms. "To Medicate or to not Medicate Section-That is the Question?" Some Doctors are too quick to Prescribe instead of using Foods/Diets/Exercise Plans alone and nothing else or with these plans resulting with reduced Medications.
The Book has a nice flow to its writting and the Author makes you feel like she is talking to you in the same room.
I believe everyone can get some benefit from this book.
I have Learned alot not to dwell, use time limits, and Positive Attitude Replacement benefiting from practicing the Techniques resulting with Great Success!!
Lucinda, Thank You for this Wonderful Book and I cannot wait to begin reading your Second book on "Life without Limits". The Author also has Audio Tapes on these books and Audios on the Techniques.
I would like to Thank all of the Previous Amazon Feedback Reviewers allowing me to make a wonderful decision on purchasing this Book based on your Insightful Feedback Reviews!! Keep up the Great Work!!!!
My Anxiety of Writting this Review is Conquered!!
Different strokes for different folks.......2007-05-27
This is a cognitive-behavioral approach. I think it can help people to examine their negative thinking and learn that their ingrained responses may be partly responsible for their symptoms. But if someone is suffering from really crippling anxiety they should know that drugs are available that will remove the worst of it (sometimes at the cost of their sex lives). But I doubt that drugs or behavior mod provides an enduring solution. Partly due to cost constraints and partly due to the belief that psychology is a form of engineering, many contemporary practitioners are reluctant to admit that life is scary and emotional problems are often too complex for textbook solutions. Only now, after a hundred years, has psychology proudly announced the "finding" that loving family relationships are good for your mental health. Duh!!!! Having people you love and trust is certainly therapeutic, as is talking about things with a therapist who is willing to go into some depth. I also think religious faith can be helpful to people who feel they are worthless for one reason or another. People with a fear of public speaking should consider Toastmasters or a similar organization, since public speaking is a really important skill.
Suffered for 30 years.......2007-04-24
If you have suffered for as long as I, you know that the threat of having anxiety/panic attacks is a real pain. This book opened my eyes to the common feelings of others suffering the same trials. I would recommend combining it with other books---by no means is it all-inclusive, but trust me: it's a great start. (I might recommend The Anxiety Cure by DuPont, et al, and Don't Panic by Ried Wilson. There are numerous choices available to help you find strategies)
I've had 30 YEARS of intermittent anxiety attacks, with the past year having been riddled with attacks. I have always been terrified of medicine, and sought cognitive therapy...but still felt as if I must be the only person alive with the particular thoughts and feelings I've had. As soon, as I read this book, I began to feel much more at ease. I felt okay about myself and my ability to overcome-and I am doing very well. If you think you're going over the edge and that you will never feel better, please read this book. We are not alone-and we don't have to be afraid of having another attack!
Book Description
Hectic lifestyles and over-full schedules make traditional cooking methods nearly obsolete in many families. The results are poor nutrition and budgets strained by the high cost of fast food or commercially prepared meals. Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer offers a simple and economical alternative, featuring dozens of recipes designed to be prepared and frozen for future use. With over 23,000 copies sold in its original self-published edition, this book gives practical tips for planning, organizing, and shopping for meals, as well as unique ways to freeze and reheat prepared foods. Every recipe includes measurements for cooking alone or as a joint venture with one or two friends. Families, singles, retirees-everyone who needs to eat-will find fast and easy answers to the question, ''What's for dinner?''
Customer Reviews:
Dynamite!.......2007-10-05
I am new to the whole prepping dinner ahead philosphy but I am a believer with this cookbook!
The recipes we have tried are great whether you make them right away or freeze them. My husband is super picky and it got his seal of approval.
Our personal favorite is the Chicken Parisienne, we have made it over and over again. There is always at least one batch in the freezer so it can be thrown in the crockpot in the morning and we have a delicious meal without the fuss!
Good recipes but expected less cooking up front.......2007-09-22
I bought this book because I wanted to mimic the recipes used by Dream Dinners and other make-ahead and freeze recipes. I expected to assemble raw ingredients for freezing and instructions on how to cook at a later time. This book is more about how to cook recipes in their entirety, and then freeze for later consumption.
Life Saver.......2007-09-16
I have a deployed spouse and two young children. I love this book. I can cook whenever I get a chance and then freeze into small portions. I would recommend a cooking co-op with friends. Double or triple the batch and then do a meal swap. For instance if I had three friends and tripled the recipe then we swap and now I have three different meals from the one that I made. This also has a great section for appetizers if your hosting a party, a section for drinks you can make ahead such as frozen punches, teas etc. It is worth any price!!!!
recipes are delicious.......2007-09-03
I've cooked a few of the recipes from this book and they have turned out so much better than expected!! This is by far the best freezer cookbook I have ever used...not your average recipes that you will find in some freezer cookbooks. Great tips for freezing. Fantastic book for any busy mom. I first borrowed it from our local library, and I just purchased one for my own today.
The chicken tortilla soup, and the barb-b-q chicken pizza were excellent!
A fun surprise.......2007-08-25
A friend reveiwed a similar book Dream Dinners: Turn Dinnertime into Family Time with 100 Assemble-and-Freeze Meals and as I read those reviews here on amazon, I came across this book. It was a pleasant suprise. The freezing tips were great, although I had heard of some, it was nice to have some more. It if full of great recipes too - Our family is enjoying this book!
Average customer rating:
- not as good as expected
- Required Reading
- A life-changing book
- Only half way through, but give it 5 stars already
- Changed my life!
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Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, and Panic
Jeffrey Brantley
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Mood Disorders
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Anxiety Disorders
| Mental Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Stress Management
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Spiritual
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Kabat-Zinn, Jon
| ( K )
| Authors, A-Z
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
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Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness
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Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
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Peaceful Mind: Using Mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioral Psychology to Overcome Depression
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Guided Mindfulness Meditation (Guided Mindfulness)
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Mindfulness for Beginners
ASIN: 1572243384 |
Book Description
From this compassionate and nonreligious book, learn to use the principle of mindfulness to relieve a wide range of stress-related conditions. A quality common to all human beings, mindfulness is a receptive, nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness. a state of focusing attention only on the here and now. Learn to become more present in your life experiences. Develop skills for calming and relaxing the mind and body. By putting the exercises into practice, find more power for controlling disruptive feelings in your life. The resources and techniques in this book provide you with a direction that leads to greater experiential learning and dramatically effective, life-affirming attitudes.
Although the focus in Calming your Anxious Mind is relieving fear, anxiety, and panic, the basic concept of mindfulness, as well as the practices taught here, have a demonstrated applicability to a wide-range of health and stress-related conditions.
Mindfulness, a quality basic to all human beings, can be described as receptive, nonjudgmental present moment awareness, practiced by paying attention in the present moment. The approach in this book has been developed specifically to practice mindfulness as stress reduction and health enhancement technique and does not depend upon or require (or dismiss) any specific religious or spiritual orientation. This health oriented mindfulness approach is known as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which has been successfully learned by literally thousands of people for over twenty years.
Customer Reviews:
not as good as expected.......2007-07-21
it deffinatley helped me out however I found that alot of the information and phrases are used over and over again through out the boook which made it boring to read . I baught this book because its foreworded by Jon Kinn but it did not have his style. I also did not like the cheap white paper its printed on , it feels like a cheap copy that somone made at home with a photocopy mahcine.
Required Reading.......2007-07-14
This book was very helpful in understanding axiety and how to work in anxious environments. I would recommend this reading to someone who would like to learn more about the subject.
A life-changing book.......2007-06-27
Along with Jon Kabat-Zinn's Full Catastrophe Living, this is an indispensable book for anyone who suffers from GAD, SAD, or panic disorder. This is compassionate, pragmatic, deep therapy that has great power on its own and can be a great supplement to working with a therapist. There's strong current science behind it, and 2500 years of Buddhist practice. Very simply, if you learn to focus in the present you won't worry so much about the future, or beat yourself up about the past.
Only half way through, but give it 5 stars already.......2007-01-08
This book is wonderful. I am only half way through, but it already deserves five stars. It is a great book if you take your time and do the work and pratice the "mindfulness". It can and will change your life. I have noticed during a very unexpected stressful day recently, that several times the word mindfulness popped into my head and I just centered myself in the moment instead of thinking of how behind I was and how mucy more I had to do that day. And at that point, I hadn't even really learned what mindfulness meant. Give this book a try. I don't think you'll be sorry.
Changed my life!.......2004-07-02
Mindfulness is happiness. If you are not appreciating the present moment, you are not fully alive. This great book helped me understand what it really means to be mindful. It shows us how to be more mindful in our everyday lives by approaching life in a totally new way. I highly recommend this excellent book! If you like these positive life-changing books, you might also like "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. This is another fantastic book that has changed my life! It looks at things from more of a relationship perspective but it is completely outstanding! This very special book puts your life into perspective and I guarantee that it will also improve all of your relationships dramatically! Have fun!
Book Description
Do you toss and turn at night with a knot in your stomach, worrying about your job, your family, work, your health, or relationships? Do you suffer from crippling shyness, obsessive doubts, or feelings of insecurity? Are you plagued by fears, phobias, or panic attacks?
What you may not realize is that these fears are almost never based on reality. Anxiety is one of the world’s oldest cons. When you’re anxious, you’re actually fooling yourself. You are telling yourself things that simply aren’t true. See if you can recognize yourself in any of these distortions:
•
All-or-Nothing Thinking: “My mind will go blank when I give my presentation at work, and everyone will think I’m an idiot.”
•
Fortune Telling: “I just know I’ll freeze up and blow it when I take my test.”
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Mind Reading: “Everyone at this party can see how nervous I am.”
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Magnification: “Flying is so dangerous. I think this plane is going to crash!”
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Should Statements: “I shouldn’t be so anxious and insecure. Other people don’t feel this way.”
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Emotional Reasoning: “I feel like I’m on the verge of cracking up!”
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Self-Blame: “What’s wrong with me? I’m such a loser!”
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Mental Filter: “Why can’t I get anything done? My life seems like one long procrastination.”
Now imagine what it be like to live a life that’s free of worries and self-doubt; to go to sleep at night feeling peaceful and relaxed; to overcome your shyness and have fun with other people; to give dynamic presentations without worrying yourself sick ahead of time; to enjoy greater creativity, productivity and self-confidence.
Does that sound impossible? The truth is you can defeat your fears. In When Panic Attacks, Dr. Burns takes you by the hand and shows you how to overcome every conceivable kind of anxiety. In fact, you will learn how to use more than forty simple, effective techniques, and the moment you put the lie to the distorted thoughts that plague you, your fears will immediately disappear. Dr. Burns also shares the latest research on the drugs commonly prescribed for anxiety and depression and explains why they may sometimes do more harm than good.
This is not pop psychology but proven, fast-acting techniques that have been shown to be more effective than medications. When Panic Attacks is an indispensable handbook for anyone who’s worried sick and sick of worrying.
Customer Reviews:
A life saving book .......2007-10-02
As someone who struggled with panic attacks for over 25 years, I have read a lot of books about anxiety. I now plan to get rid of all of the others! I read Dr. Burns' Feeling Good at my lowest point last year and it was a lifeline for me. That book focuses more on depression, and while some of the information in it applied to anxiety, I kept wishing he would write a book specifically on anxiety. This book has advice and exercises for every type of anxiety. Whether you have job performance anxiety, social anxiety, fear of riding in elevators or having blood drawn, the tools you need to overcome your fears are in here.
The key is--and Dr. Burns reinforces this point--you have to do the exercises in order to feel better. This means actually writing your answers on paper. It also means, in many cases, facing your fears. His methods combine exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. His words are warm and humorous, and you will feel supported as you break down barriers you may have built up for years.
Dr. Burns has improved my life immeasurably. I, and all of my loved ones who have had to suffer along with me for so many years, are grateful! Buy this book and try the exercises.
Wasn't all that good.......2007-09-11
Whith such good reviews and reputation, I expected this book to really do something for me in the midst of my depression.
It didn't.
All patients that appear on the book are these wonderful, super achievers, close to perfection human beings that seem to have a down moment or a not so big anxiety problem or clearly can't see or appreciate how lucky they are. Most of them have an almost perfect life with wonderfull marriages, four great kids, supportive families, great carrers, gifted minds, 17 cute exboyfriends) I'm depressed 'cause I don't any of all that. Ain't got the super carrer, or a super fun group of 20 best friends to support me, or a great husband (my boyfriend left me! - that's why I'm depressed in the first place!) or any prospect of having one.
If I could look around me and see I had the family, the job, the hobby, the social life, the money, 2 PhDs, a TV Show, boy, I wouldn't need the book!
I haven't finished the book. I'm doing the exercises and being very disciplined and I will get to the end, but so far, it's just not doing anything for me.
An Outstanding book not just for FEELING BETTER, but GETTING BETTER! .......2007-02-02
Dr. Burns incorporates the last 25 years of research and clinical developments since writing the best-seller FEELING GOOD (strongly recommended as well.) He has written a book which markedly refines and elaborates on FEELING GOOD, rendering the Cognitive Therapy approach found in FEELING GOOD even more effective for quick and long-term relief from distressing emotional conditions, including depression, anxiety, anger, and low-self esteem.
In case you don't know, the book FEELING GOOD has been clinically proven to relieve major depression JUST FROM READING IT and following its instructions. I am confident that a clinical trial on WHEN PANIC ATTACKS would yield similar results for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders. The new book is very readable and far more versatile, and addresses some of the implicit gaps left from the former book.
WHEN PANIC ATTACKS easily stands on its own, and doesn't just address panic attacks, but rather every conceivable type of anxiety, including chronic worrying, phobias, agoraphobia, shyness, public speaking anxiety, writer's block, procrastination, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. As far as I am concerned, Dr. Burns should win a Nobel Prize for what he has accomplished here. Beginning with the "Daily Mood Log" --a sophisticated yet elegantly simple worksheet for documenting and combating one's emotional pain-- he has developed a veritable "technology" for overcoming even the most disabling of human emotions.
Why do we suffer? We suffer because we hold onto some core self-defeating beliefs (SDB's) that leave us rather vulnerable to painful mood swings. Accordingly, he identifies 23 common SDB's. Many of these SDB's (such as Achievement Addiction, Approval Addiction, Fear of Rejection, Conflict Phobia, and Emotophobia) are far more widespread than even the common cold! All of our emotional suffering can be traced back to the SDB's that are always there, lurking somewhat hidden beneath our suffering, until we take the courageous and pro-active step to identify and revise them. He then provides 40 ways to "untwist" your thinking, divided into 15 types of methods. These types of techniques include Uncovering Techniques, Compassion-Based Techniques, Truth-Based Techniques, Semantic Techniques, Logic-Based, Quantitative Techniques, Humor-Based Techniques, Role-Playing Techniques, Spiritual Techniques, Motivational Techniques, Anti-Procrastination Techniques, Classical, Cognitive, and Interpersonal Exposure Techniques, and last but not least, the Hidden Emotion Model.
He additionally shows you how to select the techniques that will work best for YOU, and the whole trial-and-error process is easily recorded onto another handy-dandy worksheet! By encouraging you to "fail as fast as you can" (a brilliant concept in its own right!), he clearly demonstrates how anyone who is serious about their mental health and overall well-being can overcome even deep-seated emotional problems, and thereby attain robust self-esteem. He even provides specific and simple methods for "relapse prevention," because, as he states, EVERYONE relapses! Surely there's a BIG difference between FEELING better and GETTING better.
Because Thoreau was correct when he said, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation," I think it would be a tragedy to limit this book to those with mental health diagnoses. In fact, I cannot think of a single individual who would not be significantly helped by the information contained in this book. ********** 10 Stars on a scale of 5!
solve anxiety issues.......2007-01-13
PLEASE DO NOT USE MY NAME, BEVERLY MUNSING. PLEASE PUT IT UNDER BEV.
Please read review under When Panic Attacks CD.
Anxious? Panic-stricken? Agoraphobic? Help is on the way!!.......2006-12-07
There may not be anything new in this work, re: cognitive distortions, but this is still the gold-standard resource for those of us who suffer from this insidious malady know as Panic Disorder.
Dr. Burns book is not an easy read, meaning it does not offer quick, feel-good answers like so many pop-psych./pseudo-psych. books do. His work is written in a way that heavy involvement of the reader/patient is necessary in order to modify the maladaptive thinking and information processing that plagues people of our ilk.
The excercises are tedious and numerous to be sure. But then again, there are no easy answers for combatting panic.
This book is highly recommended by me because it has literally changed my life. Relief from suffering was quicker than what years of therapy was supposed to do for me. Like I said, there may not be anything "new," but to the average person who is not steeped in the literature the way a professional clinician would be, this makes no difference.
Dr. Burns has performed a valuable public health service by writing this book. Get it for yourself, or for anyone you know who may be suffering from this dreadful condition. It will change your/their life...for good and for the better.
Book Description
"Sometime in the next five years you may kick yourself for not reading and re-reading Kindleberger's Manias, Panics, and Crashes." -Paul A. Samuelson, Institute Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"One never picks up a work by Charles Kindleberger without anticipating a feast of entertainment. But underneath the hilarious anecdotes, the elegant epigrams, and the graceful turns of phrase, Kindleberger is deadly serious. The manner in which human beings earn their livings is no laughing matter to him, especially when they attempt to do so at the expense of one another." -from the Foreword by Peter L. Bernstein, author of Against the Gods and The Power of Gold
Praise for Manias, Panics, and Crashes
"Classic. . . . Manias, Panics, and Crashes is a durable guide to meditation: wise, witty, and practical. It is a template against which to measure the latest financial crisis-whatever and whenever that happens to be." -David Warsh, Boston Globe
"Definitive." -Floyd Norris, New York Times
"Menacing..." -The New Yorker
"[Manias, Panics, and Crashes] is a scholarly account of the way that mismanagement of money and credit has led to financial explosions over the centuries."-Richard Lambert, Financial Times
"This book sparkles with the best of Kindleberger's wit, insight, and passion for financial history. A real delight."-Robert Z. Aliber, Professor of International Economics and Finance, University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business
"What long has been the best history of financial pathologies is now even better. The reader who absorbs Kindleberger's lessons will be prepared to foresee and navigate the financial crises that surely lie ahead. Like a true classic, Manias, Panics, and Crashes is both timely and timeless." -Richard Sylla, Kaufman Professor of Financial History, Stern School of Business, New York University
Customer Reviews:
A classic -- but showing its age.......2006-09-25
This book probably deserves the title of "classic", being one of the first attempts by an economist to popularize for a broader audience a theory of speculative financial bubbles that takes into account "modern" macroeconomic theory (e.g. Keynes and the monetarists). The book identifies many common themes among some of the great financial manias in history, providing along the way some entertaining anecdotes and commentary.
Nevertheless, classic or not, I was a bit disapointed with the book. After 30 years and several editions it seems to be showing its age, with numerous uneven and unconvincing attempts to update the text to the late 20th century. I also found that the many historical examples were not well told or clearly differentiated and tended to blend together. Chancellor's "Devil take the Hindmost" seems to do a better job at providing a history of the great speculative bubbles. Most importantly, Kindelberger writes alot about what goverbnments should do after crashes occur, but he does not help much with a useful framework for spotting bubbles as they emerge -- or understanding how they tend to unravel.
Great Scholarly work but how does an investor make a buck?.......2006-02-26
I don't recommend this book for a general business audience. It does a fine job of chronicling various panics. I was hoping for a book that focused on causes of panics and manias and how to identify one when you are in it.
Speculation leads to disaster and must be borne by the central bank........2005-12-08
Speculation excesses are referred too as mania and revulsion from these excesses take the form of crisis, crashes, or panic which are historically common. The excess speculation builds as investor seize new opportunities for profits and are overdone. Hyman Minsky describes these new opportunities as the result of displacement. Displacement are events leading up to a crisis, such as, outbreak or end of war, bumper harvest or crop failure, widespread adoption of an invention, or some political event. Displacement must be a significant size. Displacement brings opportunities for profit and increased demand causes price to rise. Banks artificially increase supply without proportional increases in demand by expanding the money supply that demand would have generated. The money supply expansion is notoriously unstable. Feedback fuels Euphoria for price increase; the Euphoria turns investment from really valuable products to delusional ones. Boom is characterized as rising interest rates, as Banks threaten discredit and hedge against the speculation by raising rates; trading velocity increases and the velocity of circulation and turnover ratios rise; and stock prices increases. Boom is fed by expansion caused by bank credit; credit increases the money supply and destablizes the investment.
Once the excessive character of the upswing is realized, the financial system experiences a distress and then rushes to reverse expansion resembling panic: real or financial assets converting to money, premature repayment of debt, and prices crashes in commodities. Minsky explains that selling at the top falters because there is not enough money too sell out at the top.
Revulsion of the commodity halts banks from lending on the commodity as collateral, this is called discredit. Discredit leads the panic as people crowd to get out the door. People may stop trying to get out the door, if price falls and the commodity looks like a bargin, trade is cut and price declines stop hemmoraging, or a lender convinces the market money will become available. When the economy becomes depressed, Banks view borrowing as a risky prospect and may prefer to put their money in government securities.
Banks fail when too many borrowers default on their loans and the borrowers collateral is not enough to cover the debt. Inflation and deflation should not affect long term growth. When prices fall a corresponding drop in wages also may occur. Employment and purchasing power remain neutral. Wo, comes unto the borrower. The borrower suffers because the debts are fixed. The creditor benefits because expense money is returned in debt payments and this money can buy more, a value added function. Depression is characterized by a reluctance for banks to loan money, discreditation of the commodities to be used as collateral decreases the amount of loanable money the bank is willing to extend to the borrower, and tight money slows growth.
The world markets operate as if men are rationale over the long run. Irrationality may exist as economic actors choose the wrong economic model, fail to account for a particular piece of information, or fail despite a rational expectation as lags between stimulus and reaction fail to meet expectation. Composite fallacy confuses the truth, as investors believe that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Speculation leads to disaster and must be borne by the central bank.
Superb treatment of the speculative nature of financial markets.......2005-09-29
Kindleberger's book provides massive historical evidence to support his assessment of the boom-bust nature of financial markets.Basically,speculative excesses,financed in large part by margin account loans and easy bank credit,leads to a pattern where the debt load of many market participants is overleveraged.Like the straw that breaks the camel's back,all it takes is an exogenous(or endogenous) shock to pop the speculative bubble .The value of the underlying assets of the overleveraged market participants collapses.These individuals go bankrupt,causing a chain reaction as other participants are impacted by the bankruptcies and up bankrupt themselves.Kindleberger correctly identifies the major theorists of this outlook as I.Fisher(his debt-deflation theory)and H.Minsky(his financial fragility theory).There are a few small defects.First,Benoit Mandelbrot's nearly fifty years of statistical-empirical work on the "wild " risk inherent in all of the different financial markets worldwide would have provided a perfect fit with the historical and anecdotal evidence that Kindleberger has collected.Second,there is only a brief footnote on the role of exogenous "sunspot"uncertainty going on in this historical process.Kindleberger overlooks the technical analysis of the effect of uncertainty, in microscopic,decision theoretic terms,on decisions made by Keynes(Keynesian uncertainty)and Ellsberg(Ellsbergian ambiguity).The problem here is not necessarily irrational decision makers,but rational decision makers who lack sufficient relevant information to apply the standard neoclassical decision techniques.These decision makers KNOW that they don't know.They then decide to follow those whom they believe are better informed.This leads to crowd,herd,and cascade effects that both creates the bubble and the crash.One possible way to stop this recurring pattern would be to eliminate margin loans Third,Kindleberger appears to be unaware that Keynes would agree with most of Kindleberger's case.From Keynes's early 1910 lectures on the negative impacts of speculation on stock markets through the A Tract on Monetary Reform,A Treatise on Money,and the General Theory(chapters 12,17,and 22),one can find Kindleberger's points explicitly considered in Keynes's work.Of course,Keynes does not provide the vast historical evidence that Kindleberger provides.Keynes would likely argue that ,since his theory is a general theory of decision making under conditions of risk,uncertainty,and ignorance that applies where ever organized financial markets exist,he would already know what the historical record would show if examined in historical detail.
A must for your collection.......2004-12-17
This book lays out the blueprint to spot a financial crisis in the making.
A. Plenty of money in supply and preferably at cheap rates.
B. A 'new technology'-from the birth of railroad stocks, to letter stocks of the 1960s and dot coms of the late 1990s.
C. A willing and enthusiastic media outlet (think CNBC and the dot com boom).
D. Cab drivers and plumbers suddenly trading actively in the respective markets. Another note I would throw in is when the investment community are saying 'it is different this time, simple valuation of securities is no longer possible'.
Kindleberger's work draws on this scenario time and time again.
A required reading for anyone actively trading in the markets.
Book Description
Panic. Almost everyone has experienced it at one time or another, but in the form of a panic attack, it can be incapacitating. In Don't Panic, a leading expert offers an accessible and practical self-help program for reducing and eliminating these attacks. With insight and compassion, he explains how attacks occur, provides a detailed 5-step strategy for controlling the moment of panic and shows how to use breathing exercises, focused thinking and mental imagery to elicit the body's natural "Calming Response." Packed with useful information that can begin reducing the power of these attacks immediately, this perennial seller is an invaluable tool for the millions of Americans coping with this crippling condition.
Customer Reviews:
it didn't help my mother.......2007-06-12
My mother has been suffering from anxiety attacks for several months and I got her this book thinking it would help her understand things better -- unfortunately, I think the way the book goes into the details of having an anxiety attack was too much for her and she started having more of them. She wasn't able to go beyond a certain point in the book and I told her not to bother.
My mother will be 80 in January, and these attacks scare her quite a bit (plus, she lives alone). I wouldn't argue the benefit the book may have had for other people, but I certainly think it's not going to be a "one size fits all" and much will have to do with the reader's personal situation and state of mind. Caution should probably be followed re: puchasing this book in situations involving the elderly and an already "fragile" mindset.
If you want help helping yourself this book is for you..........2007-05-21
This is an interesting and informative book for those suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. If you or someone close to you suffers from panic and anxiety, and you are ready for a change, buy a couple of copies of this book. I have suffered from anxiety my whole life, I bought this book, read it and then bought a copy for my mother. It can help you change the attitudes with which you deal with your anxiety (or your anxious loved one) and show you the road to recovery. I have spent lots of money on phobia "cures". This book is not expensive AND it offers a plan that works. Can't beat that!
Don't Panic Offers Clear Understanding .......2006-08-04
I have read many books on anxiety disorders having suffered from them myself. This is the best book I have read on the subject. It is clear and easy to read. It outlines the causes of anixety so you can stop anxiety. It is the only anxiety book I have read that did not jump right to prescription medication as being the only solution. It challenges you to go deep within yourself and your lifestyle to look for possible answers.
A great book that helps me daily.......2006-01-27
I have been suffering from panic attacks for 6 mos now.
Two different episodes that have caused two kinds of anxiety.
It started when I was having some health issues, and out of the blue, I had a panic attack while in my car on the freeway.
Since then I have had problems driving on the fwy alone.
The other incident is I became very ill and passed out in my home and was rushed to the ER. I had the flu, and became dehydrated. But because of the existing anxiety, this made me very anxious to be alone in my home.
This book was recommended to me by a friend who read it and really gave it a high review.
If you are suffering from panic or anxiety, I too highly recommend it. It has helped me tremendously. The author does a great job of helping you understand how panic affects you physically, then mentally. And really, your mind controls your body so if you do the work outlined in the book, it does pay off. I am doing really great now being at home alone with no anxiety. Next, I will conquer the freeway. I read it almost every night, and have made a notebook I carry with me for reassurance and guidance.
I know it's a nightmare to suffer from this, especially if you are normally a free-spirited, independent person. It's imprisoning to say the least.
So if you are suffering from panic or anxiety, please, give this book a try. I thought there was no hope, but there is.
Different approaches.......2005-08-29
This was the best amongst all the self help-books that i used over the years. I also purhased The Don't Panic Self-Help Kit based upon this book and found it helpfull. It seems that different approaches are usefull to different people. Readers should also have a look at David Barlow and Michelle Craske's "Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic" or MAP-3 self-help workbooks. Both Wilson and Barlow's work fall within the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approach with a success rate of between 70% and 90% in curing people from panic - as verified through empirical research.
Book Description
Anxiety is a major mental health problem in the U.S., seriously affecting approximately 10 to 15 percent of the adult population. Completely updated, this new edition of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook presents step-by-step guidelines, questionnaires, and exercises to help sufferers learn skills and make lifestyle changes to help them get relief from the most distressing symptoms. Expanded coverage of traditional and new medications, plus supplements and herbs such as kava, St. John's wort, and SAM-e, and an updated list of resources and Web sites make this a major tool in anxiety recovery. Widely recommended by therapists, this book, in a new edition, reflects all the latest developments in the field of anxiety treatment.
Customer Reviews:
Good Overview for someone suffering from phobia or anxiety.......2007-08-13
The only thing it lacked is specific examples. And some easy remedies. Other than that it is a great book to read!
Excellent WorkBook!.......2007-08-11
We use this workbook in our psychiatry clinic. Patients like it and it's easy to use. Just make sure you're willing to do the work, otherwise you're wasting your money.
Help for Anxiety.......2007-07-30
A VERY helpful resource for people with anxiety. Lots of insight, suggestions, and extremely user friendly to the lay person.
Must Read for Anyone With Anxiety.......2007-05-21
This workbook is full of insight into what makes you feel anxiety and great ways to take steps to overcoming the fears associated with anxiety. The first book (or workbook) that didn't make me feel like I was crazy and that there are really easy ways to deal with daily anxiety! Your family members will find this enlightening as well, since they generally mis-understand what you are going through.
The Anxiety&Phobia Workbook.......2007-05-14
Purchased this on a recommendation by a school psychologist and it does help the student put what they are feeling into words. The person can keep track of their progress and have something conrete to refer to.
Book Description
"Voluptuous Panic is simultaneously appalling and thrilling, repellent and seductive, grotesque and gorgeous-not a typical coffee table book. It would go better with absinthe drunk from a human skull."-Gary Meyer, Clean Sheets
When Voluptuous Panic: The Erotic World of Weimar Berlin first appeared in the fall of 2000, it inspired wide acclaim and multiple printings. Anticipating the expanded edition, Feral House placed Voluptuous Panic out of print, and for the past year buyers paid as much as $460 to online dealers for a used copy.
This sourcebook of hundreds of rare visual delights from pre-Nazi, Cabaret-period "Babylon on the Spree" has the distinction of being praised both by scholars and avatars of contemporary culture, inspiring hip clubgoers, filmmakers, gay historians, graphic designers, and musicians like the Dresden Dolls and Marilyn Manson.
Voluptuous Panic's expanded edition includes the new illustrated chapter, "Sex Magic and the Occult," documenting German pagan cults and their bizarre erotic rituals, including instructions for entering into the "Sexual Fourth Dimension." The deluxe hardcover edition also includes sensational accounts of hypno-erotic cabaret acts, Berlin Fetish prostitution ("The Boot Girl Visit"), gay life ("A Wild-Boy Initiation!"), descriptions and illustrations of Aleister Crowley's Berlin OTO Secret Society, and sex crime ("the Curious Career and Untimely Death of Fritz Ulbrich").
Mel Gordon is professor of Theater at University of California, Berkeley, and also the author of Erik Jan Hanussen: Hitler's Jewish Clairvoyant (Feral House), and The Grand Guignol: Theatre of Fear and Terror (DaCapo).
Customer Reviews:
Voluptuous Panic by Mel Gordon.......2007-07-06
Excellent book, which had lots of information regarding Berlin, Germany in the wild 20s. I only wish there was more in depth material to read and more photo's. Especially interesting was the "Occult" section, which could have had a more in depth coverage, but I'm not complaining. Dietrich Eckhart, who belonged to a number of Occult Societies introduced Hitler to Ernst Rohm The Criminal Elements or crime section was also heady. Overall, well put together and very interesting. I think including the individuals and activies of some subversive groups in Berlin at the time would have been helpful in understanding the rise of Naziasm in the 20's. I understand there were a number of "White Russian" exiles that supported Hitler's cause.
explosive!.......2007-05-11
voluptuous panic is a great title. it's an even greater resource of smut, art nudes, photos of cabaret artists from weimar berlin.
and there's text, too!
if someone is going to do 'cabaret' send them here for ideas for set decorations, costume ideas and makeup tips for the kit-kat girls. then look at what others did with information like this because this should be one of the primary sources in re-enlivining that crazy, mad and very short period.
a horrifying and unprecedented view of pre-nazi berlin.......2007-03-18
I suppose there is the inherent interest and entertainment of antique hardcore erotica for some people, which this book provides, but the things depicted (photographically) and described in this book may completely alter your view of the past.
I guess it is known that Berlin, prior to the rise of the nazis, was a decadant, burlesque place. But the variety and pervasiveness... and SEVERITY of this is not commonly known. In this book you will see gay nomadic boy scouts, theatrical spanking machines, nudist priests, gleefuly incestuous families (depicted in lifestyle journals for apparent mass consumption) and manuals of dentist chair molestation. It really is shocking - and all the more when you recognize these images as decisively in the past, and apparently NORMAL for this time period.
I used to look through this book whenever i went to this bookstore in 2000-2001, mostly browsing and skimming. It made a lasting impression and i have never been able to find similar information elsewhere. According to some of the reviews I've read, the author makes an unsubstantiated claim/conclusion that this period ended not because of social outrage or exhaustion, but because of particular economic and political circumstances. But for myself, foreign to this place and time (and culture), it completely changes my picture of germany, world war ii and modernity. Apparently there were sprawling nihilist fiends BEFORE mankind was confronted with the possability of nuclear annihilation.
I personally consider this a "coffee table book", albeit for S&M yuppies. It is way too flashy and consumable for research purposes. (I would hesitate to site it as a source for any paper.) However, as far as I can tell, it is one of the only accessable documentations of ...something I can't believe I've never heard of.
Weimar Berlin Is *ALIVE* and Electric!.......2006-07-26
This *is* the most comprehensive book about Weimar Berlin on the market. Full of never before seen pictures, illustrations, and information, this book is what any Deco era enthusiast needs. Mel Gordon's text is anything but dry, stuffy, or overly scholarly as these books can tend to be. No, instead, his enthusiasm and interests spill onto each page, electrify in a sence with his tell-tale approach and overwhelming details about Pre-War Weimar Berlin's enigmatic history. If Neo-Weimar studies are your cup of tea, then this book is the "on the rocks", "straight up", cold hard shot of gin! I recomend the 5th Edition (2006 Version) hardback that includes the original 2 sections that are omitted in the first few before it. The replaced sections are wonderful and if you've seen the book before, you will be quick to notice that Gordon has added *more* pictures and has corrected the color on the illustrations and paintings. In short, Mr. Gordon's work is quite simply the *ONLY* work out there worth reading about this subject. A UC Berkeley professor, accomplished writer of several books, and former New York Actor's Studio alumni how can one argue that his writings and lectures are not the most dead on and most effective out there? See him lecture, read his work, and keep tabs on this history agent provocateur; he is the future of our unique artistic and often risqué past. - Amanda Campa (of The Art Deco Society Of California)
Picture book for very decadent children.......2002-08-11
In glorious black-and-white pictures and color plates, Mel Gordon illustrates the splendour that was Weimar Berlin. This book is necessary for any uppity later generations who thought they came up with nightlife, sex and provocation.
Book Description
When it comes to anxiety, knowledge is a calming power.
Therapists and the clients they treat benefit from understanding how anxiety is generated in the brain, how it can become panic or unbounded worry, and how the brain reestablishes the neurochemical balance that is basic to a state of well-being. Rich in neurophysiological diagrams and practical exercises that target the activity of specific neurological mechanisms, this book shows us how to take control of our brains to alleviate various anxiety disorders.
Book Description
Much of anxiety therapy is designed as quick, focused intervention, treating a specific syndrome without looking at the possibility of long- term healing. However, true recovery requires something more: understanding the meaning of anxiety symptoms and going deeper to face their underlying sources in a holistic and life-changing way. Beyond Anxiety and Phobia provides an array of alternative strategies for entering this long-term healing mode; describes alternative therapies such as herbs, yoga, massage, acupuncture, and homeopathy; and addresses the impact of perfectionism and other personality issues.
Customer Reviews:
Beyond Anxiety and Phobia: A Step-by-Step Guide to Lifetime Recovery.......2007-05-14
Goes along with the workbook by the same author. It is easy to read and understand.
Helps learn about yourself and others.......2007-01-12
I never look to books to give me the ultimate answer. If I learn something from it and can apply it in some way to my life, and if it's writen well enough to keep me interested, it's worth it. This book was very good that way, at least for someone who likes philosopical/psychological stuff.
I've been diagnosed with a general anxiety disorder, and had a bout of depression last year. A very good therapist recommended this to me. In fact, she said that I HAD TO buy it. I did, and learned a lot about various types and triggers for anxiety. The more I learn about it, the easier for me to deal with it. It became a familiar, known side of me, and when I can separate the rest of me from it and look at it, and study it, it becomes less and less relevant. Which is what we all want, right?
And, it helped me understand other types of psychological issues. I don't suffer from all of those, thankfully, but it is sure interesting to learn how those work. Anyway, it's a good read. Enjoy!
Not sure.......2007-01-10
This sems like it could be a great help for someone suffering with anxiety, however it can also be very overwhelming. It is definately not a quick fix. This is more like a study guide, kinda like taking a class. If you need immediate help, I suggest seeing a professional as apposed to buying this book. If you have plenty of time on your hands and your anxiety os already under control, then this book can be helpful.
Beyond Anxiety and Phobia: A Step-by-Step Guide to Lifetime Recovery .......2006-11-10
This book was very helpful. My psychologist recommended it to help with my counsleing treatment. The author breaks things down for you and makes you realize many things that you can do to live a better, healthier life. It has truly changed my life for the better! I would recommend this to anyone who has anxiety, phobias, even stress.
Desperate to find real help.......2005-09-15
My wife has been suffering for months with debilitating anxiety. In addition to medication and therapy, we have read about 6 (layman) books on the subject. I found this book to be the only secular book on the subject that offered practical, clear information that really helped. Save your money and order this book first. It is very comprehensive, well organized, and easy to understand.
Books:
- Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 5th Edition
- Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God's Deliverance
- Halo, Books 1-3 (The Flood; First Strike; The Fall of Reach)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How Can I Get Through to You? Closing the Intimacy Gap Between Men and Women
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