Michael A. Tompkins

My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic by Michael A. Tompkins and Katherine Martinez, Psy. D. Library section 12 C: Teen, A Better You. Published by the American Psychological Association, this book is a boon to teens who worry about school, friendships, college, exams, tryouts, terrorism, the future, drugs, bullying, and more. What teen doesn’t worry?
This book firsts explains the difference between normal anxiety and damaging anxiety. It becomes damaging when it show more begins to control your life by causing distress, disruption, or making you avoid certain situations. Common anxiety disorders are described: obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and agoraphobia (fear of crowds). Succeeding chapters discuss when and how to ask for help; breathing and muscle activities to calm the body and mind; how to think smart to avoid anxiety; charts and diagrams teens can use to track their anxiety and learn to control it; how to work through panic attacks and even cut them off before they fully develop; family, friend and school stress; nutrition and good health habits that can help teens stay in good physical condition to better weather anxiety.
This book is easy to read yet covers material a teen might one day study in a freshman psychology course in college. Teen worries often seem insurmountable; stresses and slights are easily magnified. Often teens have not yet developed the poise to get along with others, nor do they have the experience to be able to put life events into perspective. This book gives teens a look at how the human mind can create stress that is damaging, and specific techniques they can use to lower their stress levels. It may be a first look at a subject that teens are certainly aware of – they know when they are stressed because they can feel the tension – but they may not have heard of the types of stresses, disorders, and how they can combat them. Psychology may be a completely new, exciting area for them to explore. show less

The authors provide steps and procedures that teens with anxious minds can follow to work through their problems. The book covers mental, behavioral, and physical contributors to stress, and how to control the causes and reactions of anxiety.
I found this book to be very sympathetic and practical at the same time. I tried many of the recommendations myself, such as deep breathing, stretching, and writing out scenarios, and immediately noticed their effectiveness.

Definitely liked what little I had chance to read--seemed to address everything I had been thinking when I was first diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder at 19

Deze gids bevat een angsttheorie, handige angstreductietechnieken en een praktisch stappenplan. Bedoeld om jongeren bij wie angst hun volledige leven beheerst te leren terug zin te krijgen in de dingen die normaliter met hun leeftijd geassocieerd worden. De laatste angstinzichten werden, in de taal van de jongere zelf, in deze zelfhulpgids verwerkt.