THE BOOK OF ANGST

This book deals specifically with angst and anxiety, that is the condition of feeling strongly worried or nervous about your life or situation. As we have discussed I think this book is absolutely critical at this moment, as Gwendoline comments in her introduction 'the current climate of our world is "angst". There is so much fear, so much concern, insecurity and uncertainty, created by life-threatening events of epidemic proportions.' It is both a natural progression in the series of her books and a standalone guide.

Gwendoline first introduces us to the family of anxieties and specific phobias in Part One and then focuses specifically on social anxiety, which is not just the anxiety of being in social scenarios, but the spectrum of anxieties caused by our fear of judgment by others in Part Two. She focuses on social anxiety as it is one of the most underdiagnosed and most common of the anxieties. The focus of the book 'is on broadening your knowledge of the many manifestations of anxiety, with the intention of providing you with understanding, information and recommended treatment methods' and this book gives readers the power to recognise the different ways in which their anxieties might be keeping them from living their most worry-free lives. These parts are both important, as research has shown that often where one form of anxiety is suffered, there are other anxieties that are experienced alongside the primary diagnoses. Gwendoline has also added a new dimension to this book, Part 3: Therapy Time. This section builds on the exercise elements of KNOWING and OVERTHINKING, guiding the reader through a series of seven 'therapy sessions' that they can tackle at home, especially significant during a time when access to therapy may not be readily achievable or financially realistic. Gwendoline Smith B Soc Sci, M Soc Sci (hons), Dip Clin Psych is a clinical psychologist, speaker, blogger and the author of bestselling books The Book of Overthinking, The Book of Knowing and others. She also goes by the name Dr Know.