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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This is a very helpful book for anyone suffering anxiety. I appreciate that they include many manifestations of anxiety, and recognize how debilitating and frustrating they can be. I've read and listened to other anxiety relief guides, but they often do not jive well with my experiences. This book discusses generalized anxiety, situational anxiety, panic attacks (which they suggest referring to as "adrenaline floods"), worry that it will never end, and more. It discusses the physical sensations that can accompany anxiety of which there are many. It has examples that apply to most people's experiences with anxiety, from mild to extreme. It attempts to decouple the fear of physical sensations from the physical sensations themselves.
The general technique given in this book is very much related to common meditation techniques and the concept that our response to suffering can worsen our suffering. It's not designed to get rid of your anxiety, it's designed to get rid of your fear of anxiety. DARE is an acronym for Defuse, Allow, Run Towards, Engage. When you feel anxiety you:
Defuse by dismissing your "What if" thoughts and thinking like "So what, idgaf".
Allow the feelings or thoughts to be present and remember it is not something you can control, nor is it truly dangerous. It's just nervous arousal.
Run Towards it by telling yourself you are excited by these thoughts or feelings. Fear and excitement are similar experiences and the goal is to adopt a new perspective towards these thoughts or feelings. Sometimes this step is skipped, but it may be helpful when anxiety is building up.
Engage in an activity, whatever it is you were going to do or anything else that takes your full attention. You want to spend most of your time in this step! Anxiety will still show up, but shift your attention back to continue engaging and apply the DARE response as needed.
When it comes up I think something like “Oh, hi friend. You’re giving me this energy and these feelings because you think I need it. I don’t actually need it right now, but you’re doing your best so I thank you for that. I’m going to go on and do whatever it is I want now. You do what you do, it’s cool.” It can be difficult to truly believe this, but it is okay to fake it and trust the process .
The book is about ending your fear of sensations so that you can be free of them. Anxiety is as an opportunity to practice this technique and help work towards your recovery. This will take time, but I think it is a healthy approach and could eventually make life much more enjoyable.
They also have a phone app called Dare with lots of helpful audio.
The general technique given in this book is very much related to common meditation techniques and the concept that our response to suffering can worsen our suffering. It's not designed to get rid of your anxiety, it's designed to get rid of your fear of anxiety. DARE is an acronym for Defuse, Allow, Run Towards, Engage. When you feel anxiety you:
Defuse by dismissing your "What if" thoughts and thinking like "So what, idgaf".
Allow the feelings or thoughts to be present and remember it is not something you can control, nor is it truly dangerous. It's just nervous arousal.
Run Towards it by telling yourself you are excited by these thoughts or feelings. Fear and excitement are similar experiences and the goal is to adopt a new perspective towards these thoughts or feelings. Sometimes this step is skipped, but it may be helpful when anxiety is building up.
Engage in an activity, whatever it is you were going to do or anything else that takes your full attention. You want to spend most of your time in this step! Anxiety will still show up, but shift your attention back to continue engaging and apply the DARE response as needed.
When it comes up I think something like “Oh, hi friend. You’re giving me this energy and these feelings because you think I need it. I don’t actually need it right now, but you’re doing your best so I thank you for that. I’m going to go on and do whatever it is I want now. You do what you do, it’s cool.” It can be difficult to truly believe this, but it is okay to fake it and trust the process .
The book is about ending your fear of sensations so that you can be free of them. Anxiety is as an opportunity to practice this technique and help work towards your recovery. This will take time, but I think it is a healthy approach and could eventually make life much more enjoyable.
They also have a phone app called Dare with lots of helpful audio.
informative
fast-paced
This book is based on the procedure Dr. Claire Weekes used to treat her patients, only simplified. But I do recommend you read her book as well, her language is much more comforting in times of need. But this book should be read and learned as well. I am super curious about the intrussive thoughts chapter, because my thoughts still scare me even if my symptoms don’t. The path to healing is long and sad but once we healed life will be beautiful again. Striving for that everyday of my life, every waking moment for me to finally catch a break. And I WILL, and you will too, we just have to work a little harder for normality.
This book is super good, it’s helpful. Not every self help book out there actually helps but this one does.
My Halloween Reads are finished today, I wanted to leave with an anti anxiety book because we all struggle and November with it’s blues is coming and darkness. But we should take solace and comfort in darkness through winter, to recharge so have plenty of self care days this fall/winter.
I will post normally on the blog from now on until December, in December I want to post daily until Christmas Eve.
See ya there.
This book is super good, it’s helpful. Not every self help book out there actually helps but this one does.
My Halloween Reads are finished today, I wanted to leave with an anti anxiety book because we all struggle and November with it’s blues is coming and darkness. But we should take solace and comfort in darkness through winter, to recharge so have plenty of self care days this fall/winter.
I will post normally on the blog from now on until December, in December I want to post daily until Christmas Eve.
See ya there.
I started reading this book at the beginning of the pandemic when I was dealing with a pelvic muscle injury related to running/cycling (at this time undiagnosed due to difficultly of finding a doctor / complexity of injury). This book has an awesome technique to calm down and not blowing challenges out of proportion. This book helped a lot. There are many different scenarios the author walks through to apply his DARE method (e.g., public speaking, flying airplanes). I didn’t read all of those because they were not relevant to me. I think the first part of the book is the best to learn the system and then read what may be relevant to you. Highly recommend.
It’s fine but you really only need the first 30-50 pages. Too much self promotion of the author’s app and stuff throughout.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I'm not usually one for self help books. This book, however, changed my life. I suffer from extreme PTSD and Panic Disorder. This book (and its accompanying app) truly were undeniably instrumental in my healing process and getting my life back. It's not a bunch of "hippy jargon" as a lot of anxiety books tend to be. Barry comes from the unique perspective of a professional in this field, who has ALSO experienced the dread that comes with a panic attack. His opinions are founded not only in knowledge, but in practical application of his own experiences. If you suffer from anxiety READ THIS BOOK.
This book really helped with the extreme anxiety I have had lately