Addicted to Anxiety

AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER. A GROUNDBREAKING NEW WAY TO OVERCOME YOUR ANXIETY.

-- Feeling anxious is part of being human; sometimes it can even be necessary or useful. But what about when anxiety takes over? When you feel like it's too often dictating your life? Have you ever considered that you might be addicted to anxiety? In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author and psychotherapist Owen O'Kane explores how we all unwittingly build habits around our anxiety. This, he argues, is how we become addicted - the behaviours and thought patterns that help us feel safe in the short term ultimately perpetuate it. Put simply, we get hooked. The answer? Break the cycle. How? Recognize: You must understand your anxiety and identify your triggers before you can start to unpick it. Tackle: Discover vital techniques for breaking the underlying habits and patterns. Move forward: Learn strategies for navigating setbacks or relapses on the road ahead. Addicted to Anxiety will help you understand your anxiety from the perspective of addiction, identifying your triggers and learning how to break your habits so you can actively replace them with new, more productive behaviours for a calmer, happier life. -- MORE PRAISE FOR ADDICTED TO ANXIETY 'Generous, wise and very persuasive' Observer Magazine 'Friendly, reassuring, and confidently expert' i News 'A really important read for anyone wanting to live more comfortably with their anxious self. Full of clinical expertise, warmth and humanity.' Julia Samuel, psychotherapist and bestselling author 'Addicted to Anxiety is a truly powerful and important book. Owen O'Kane's piercing clarity as a therapist and writer gifts anybody who has experienced anxiety the insight and tools to overcome it.' Rob Rinder 'Owen takes the tangled, overwhelming problem of anxiety and unravels it with clarity and compassion. His gift lies in turning the hard-to-understand into simple, actionable wisdom that anyone (me included) can implement to reclaim their peace and take control of their life.' Matt Willis 'Owen's insight due to his experience and wisdom allows him to cut to the chase of why we get stuck in difficult emotions and more importantly he shows us how to navigate them and lead happier lives. A must read.' Will Young 'Owen has the rare gift of explaining complex emotions in a truly engaging and digestible way. His tips and strategies for managing those emotions are explained with care, compassion and humour. Highly recommended.' Susie Dent 'There's a reason Owen's work has put him at the very top of his profession and why his books continue to top the bestsellers chart - he's one of the very best in his field. His ability to distil sage advice, to navigate a world of word salad and jargon to bring therapeutic advice to people who might not otherwise be able to afford it or find it accessible is the reason he continues to lead where others follow.' Kate Thornton

Owen O'Kane is a specialist psychotherapist and one of the UK's leading mental health experts with over twenty-five years of experience in physical and mental health. As a former NHS mental health clinical lead and a Sunday Times bestselling author, Owen has a gift for making complex information accessible and understandable, and is known for his down to earth warmth and sense of humour. After a stint as resident phone-in expert on Radio 5 Live, Owen featured in the BBC One TV series on therapy Change Your Mind, Change Your Life, and has been interviewed on many leading wellbeing podcasts including Davina McCall's Begin Again and Dr Alex George's Stompcast. He is regularly profiled by the media, speaks at wellbeing festivals and conferences, acts as a script advisor for BBC Drama, and is a content creator for online learning hub BBC Maestro, where his course on anxiety is among their top global performers. Owen lives in West London with his partner and dog. He has written five books; his most recent is Why We Love to Hate Ourselves.
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