the anxiety solution? 

it makes it sound like a maths equation or a recipe. as if you just need to add some things together and the end result will leave you panic free. that’s not what this book does (and i never assumed it would). what this book does do is it gives you some ways and helpful exercises to help control and limit the amount of worry you feel. the obvious ones are all there: exercise, no caffeine, a good sleep pattern and eating foods that help your brain (i’ve never tried to put kale and broccoli into so many meals before). but these things won’t suddenly change the way you think. they will, however, help you feel a bit more on top of life which can be beneficial.

i found the book is most helpful in the way it teaches you about how to allow the voices in your head to be more positive. i’ve taken from it that feeling anxious should be teaching me something about the situations i’m in. i need to listen to what my mind is telling me rather than pushing it out. then once i’ve listened to what it has to say i can answer back and tell it that it’s wrong and that everything is fine. you have to learn to listen but not always accept that the worst will happen. in a moment of complete panic, this can be difficult but i’ve learnt it’s important to breathe and talk myself out of bad thoughts after letting them be there first.

the downside of any self-help for anxiety is that everyone is different. no one feels the same worry or panics. this book can sometimes focus on superficial issues that don’t bother me such as self-esteem on instagram when compared with other women. this doesn’t faze me and my anxieties are down a different route to those. however, everyone can take something from this book when it’s interpreted and used in the correct way. if you take it for what it is, which i see as being suggestions to make things a bit easier, rather than a SOLUTION to the whole problem then this book may be of use to you.

if you have severe anxiety and feel that you need urgent help ring the NHS on 111. if you suspect you have anxiety and need support i would highly recommend going to see a GP. this book should NOT be used as a way to ‘cure’ any level of anxiety but only as a way to see it less negatively.

i hope this was helpful to anyone considering reading this book

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