The Anxious Brain: The Neurobiological Basis of Anxiety Disorders and How to Effectively Treat Them

Margaret Wehrenberg and Steven M. Prinz

Praise for The Anxious Brain

"A delightful and informative journey into one of the most important areas of psychiatry and psychology . . . From circuits to molecules, The Anxious Brain describes both the hardware and software of anxiety disorders."
—Stephen M. Stahl, M.D., Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, and Chairman of the Neuroscience Education Institute

"Wehrenberg and Prinz make a convincing case that knowledge of the neurological basis of anxiety disorders can greatly improve the effectiveness of treatment . . . Any practitioner who works with anxious clients will want to have this comprehensive and compassionate book ready at hand."
—Ann Weiser Cornell, author of The Power of Focusing and The Radical Acceptance of Everything

"Any practitioner who works with anxious clients will want to have this comprehensive book."
—The Psychologist

"[H]ighly sophisticated and comprehensive….[T]ransforms complicated neurobiological and psychopharmacologic material into relevant and straightforward content aimed for and easily understood by mental health practitioners….[A] much needed resource."
—Melissa Luke, The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families

Overview

Therapists and their clients benefit from understanding how anxiety is generated in the brain, how it can become panic or unbounded worry, and ultimately how the brain re-establishes the neurochemical balance that is basic to a state of well-being. These insights in the brain underlying mental phenomena put anxiety into a perspective that makes it easier to become calm, and provides the bases for effective intervention with thought exercises, breathing techniques, and behavioral adaptations.

The Anxious Brain is a timely clinical guide. Current statistics show that up to one-third of Americans suffers a panic attack during their lifetime and up to eight percent is currently suffering from one of the anxiety disorders. Medication, once considered the first line of treatment, is losing public favor as clients realize their symptoms re-emerge when they stop using the drugs. However, our increasing understanding of the brain offers clinicians and clients a new and expanding set of resources that include but go well beyond pharmacological treatments.

Wehrenberg and Prinz describe brain structure and function and neurotransmitter activity related to the three major anxiety disorders in a way that psychotherapists can better understand, diagnose, and effectively treat anxiety disorders. Rich in neurophysiological diagrams and practical exercises that target the activity of specific neurological mechanisms, this book shows us how to take control of our brains to alleviate various anxiety disorders.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

• 1. The Physical Brain and the Mind of Anxiety
• 2. Neurotransmitters: Messengers of the Brain
• 3. Panic Disorder: Mindless Fear
• 4. Treating Panic Disorder
• 5. Medicating for Panic Disorder
• 6. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Worry Without Reason
• 7. Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder s
• 8. Medicating for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• 9. Social Anxiety Disorder: Fear of Exposures
• 10. Treating Social Anxiety Disorder
• 11. Medicating for Social Anxiety Disorder

Conclusion

About the Authors

Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist in private practice and a popular public speaker.

Steven M. Prinz, M.D., is a psychiatrist and Medical Director at Linden Oaks Hospital, Napierville, Illinois.

ISBN 10: 0-393-70512-9
ISBN 13: 978-0-393-70512-6
2007 / 288 pages / hardcover