Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety. H. Michael Zal

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      Praise for TEN STEPS TO RELIEVE ANXIETY

      Written in simple, lucid prose, Dr. Zal’s authoritative “primer” for dealing with chronic anxiety will be invaluable to virtually everyone plagued with this most frustrating of emotional maladies. Filled with illuminating case histories, as well as vivid descriptions of all the best self-help techniques applicable, this book will provide anxiety sufferers with a variety of down-to-earth treatment tips till now unavailable from a single source.

      —Leon F. Seltzer, PhD

      Author of Paradoxical Strategies in Psychotherapy and blogger for Psychology Today

      Dr. Zal’s timely book sheds light on a silent problem plaguing today’s fast-paced world—the impact of anxiety and stress on overall health. His insight is drawn from many years in clinical practice as an osteopathic psychiatrist and it reflects his genuine desire to help individuals stop suffering and start enjoying life.

      —John B. Crosby, JD

       Executive Director, American Osteopathic Association

      Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety is a well-written, lucid book that guides the reader through a clear description of and treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. The case examples are vivid and straightforward. Chapter 11 provides the reader with an extensive, easy-to-understand menu of non-medication treatment options. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this disorder.

      —William R. Dubin, MD

       Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry

       Temple University School of Medicine

      In an era of tension between the brain and mind, Dr. Michael Zal has taken one of the omnipresent feelings of our time—anxiety—and written about how we can grab hold of it. He is well acquainted with the subject from a distinguished career of helping people in the intimate setting of his consulting room, and he shares some of their stories with us in Renaissance fashion: he integrates his knowledge of biological science, clinical medicine and humanism while alleviating their suffering. I think clinicians, patients and their family members will all find his Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety soothing, and will feel more equipped to cope with anxiety when it interferes with our living life fully.

      —Andrew I. Smolar, MD

       President-Elect, Supervising and Training Analyst

       Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia

       TEN STEPSTO RELIEVE ANXIETY

       TEN STEPSTO RELIEVE ANXIETY

       Refocus, Relax and Enjoy Life

      H Michael Zal, DO, FACN, FAPA, Dist

      New Horizon Press

      Far Hills, New Jersey

      Copyright © 2013 by H Michael Zal

      All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, including electronic, mechanical or any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher.

      Requests for permission should be addressed to:

      New Horizon Press

      P. O. Box 669

      Far Hills, NJ 07931

      H Michael Zal, DO, FACN, FAPA, Dist

       Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety: Refocus, Relax and Enjoy Life

      Cover design: Bob Aulicino

      Interior design: Susan Sanderson

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013931893

      ISBN-13: 978-0-88282-451-2

      New Horizon Press

      Manufactured in the U. S. A.

      17 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5

      To Dr. Alice Joy Sheflin Zal With All My Love to a Very Special Lady

      Other Books by H Michael Zal

       Panic Disorder: The Great Pretender

       The Sandwich Generation: Caught Between Growing Children and Aging Parents

       Dancing With Medusa: A Life In Psychiatry: A Memoir

      Author’s Note

      This book on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is unlike other books on the topic that promise a cure. Based on over forty years of experience working with people with anxiety, I maintain that anxiety and worry are due to a genetic vulnerability. GAD may run in families and may grow worse when people are under stress. Its symptoms cannot be eradicated completely. They will always be there to some degree as part of the person’s makeup. However, they can indeed be modulated and helped. Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety will show you some proven ways to do this.

      Although all the names have been changed, my cases are about actual people and real suffering. I look at clients from a holistic point of view, involving the whole person and his or her life history from childhood to adulthood. I take an eclectic approach to therapy, using aspects of everything from psychoanalytic psychotherapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy. This book explores the skills and insights that you can learn in therapy to help you feel less stressed and anxious and gain more control over your anxiety symptoms and your life. It will also point out common personality traits often seen in anxious people. At times it will take you inside the therapy session and allow you to see the interplay between therapist and client. It will review the various psychiatric medications that are available to help anxiety where appropriate. It is my firm belief that although psychiatric medications can facilitate improvement in mental disorders, it is people working with people on a sustained, long-term basis that is equally or even more important in maintaining recovery and producing emotional growth.

      In writing this book, I asked many of my GAD clients to write their responses to two questions: “My anxiety is…?” and “What helps my anxiety?” Some of their honest, heartfelt responses form the authentic vignettes found in each chapter. Specific people have been chosen to illustrate various points relevant to the anxiety-ridden person. The core of each chapter involves their individual life stories. Then both the client and I discuss what we feel has helped his or her anxiety. I have received written permission from each client allowing me to publish their written material and their treatment charts.

      If you have anxiety, the stories in this book will show you that you are not alone. They will offer choices that you can use to help yourself be calmer and feel more in control. GAD is not a character flaw. It is a serious and treatable disorder from which millions of adults throughout the world suffer.

      Ten Steps to Relieve Anxiety will also be helpful to your family members, friends, caregivers and others who want to understand and support you. It will offer support to professional mental health and medical СКАЧАТЬ