Face Your Fears: A Proven Plan to Beat Anxiety, Panic, Phobias, and Obsessions Hardback - 2012 - 1st Edition

Everyone experiences fear and anxiety, but when fear begins to dominate your life, it can be devastating. You don't have to live that way. Whether you suffer from moderate anxiety or debilitating fear, a specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or any other form of anxiety, Face Your Fears will change the way you think about fear and what to do about it.

This up-to-date, evidence-based, user-friendly self-help guide to beating phobias and overcoming anxieties walks you step by step through the process of choosing courage and freedom over fear. In Face Your Fears, celebrated therapist Dr. David Tolin introduces a highly effective and scientifically proven treatment called exposure therapy, in which you gradually confront your fears. Drawing on moving stories from the hundreds of patients he has treated successfully, Dr. Tolin defines the six different types of anxiety and helps you determine which type you need to overcome. He guides you step by step through the gradual exposure process as you learn how to eliminate crutches and safety behaviors, address scary thoughts, and examine the evidence. You'll learn how to track your progress and you'll feel yourself taking back control of your life one exposure at a time.

With Dr. Tolin's gentle, confident guidance, you will learn to face and beat:

Fears of specific situations or objects (such as animals, heights, and blood)

Fears of body sensations (including panic attacks and health anxieties)

Social and performance fears (fears of social interaction, public speaking, and asserting yourself)

Obsessive fears (including fears of contamination and imperfection as well as scary thoughts)

Excessive worries (such as worrying about everything and intolerance of uncertainty)

Post-traumatic fears (fears of trauma-related situations and painful memories)

Once you feel better, Dr. Tolin helps you maintain your newfound freedom for years to come. By understanding and preparing for circumstances that might cause your fear to return, you can take practical steps to prevent it from coming back and to overcome it quickly if it does.

You know what it feels like to live in fear. Now it's time to rediscover what life feels like without it. Face Your Fears delivers the no-nonsense, scientifically proven tools you need to take control of your life and your future. Dr. Tolin walks you step by step through the process of choosing courage and freedom over fear.