Introduction:
Yup, even doctors who study and treat fear experience fear. In fact, we all do. In this case, my fear didn’t get the better of me—I was able to deal with it and eventually feel better, rather than panicking—but the experience certainly got me thinking about fear. Most of the time, when we experience fear, it’s not a big deal (and, in fact, it can be quite helpful in the right context). Yet when fear escalates out of control, the impact can be devastating. Over one-quarter of Americans either have or will have an anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder, specific or social phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder—significantly more than the number of people who suffer from depression, substance abuse, or other mental health conditions. These anxiety disorders can have a very serious effect on someone’s quality of life, as evidenced by countless stories of marital and financial problems, impaired social relationships, problems at work or attending school, and so on. People with anxiety disorders are suffering, often quite badly.
Fortunately, help is available. Having worked with hundreds of patients during the last two decades and having conducted federally supported research on the treatment of anxiety disorders, I can teach you skills to help you beat your fears. One crucial finding from my research and that of many, many colleagues is that exposure therapy—directly and gradually confronting feared objects, activities, and situations—is the key to overcoming most forms of fear.
Lots of books have been written about mastering anxiety. Some of them are good; others are not so good. Perhaps you’ve seen them and even tried one (or more). This book is different. Why? Everything in it is backed by hard science showing that these methods work. I won’t send you off to do things that I can’t prove are helpful. This book will give you what works and only what works. No fluff. No BS. This book will provide you with a clear, user-friendly program that makes exposure therapy accessible to everyone, from mildly fearful individuals to people who are debilitated by their fears and anxieties.
Table of Contents:
Part I: The Face Your Fears Program to Beat Anxiety
Chapter 1: Faces of Fear
Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Fears of Body Sensations
Social and Performance Fears
Obsessive Fears
Excessive Worries
Post-Traumatic Fears
What Are You Afraid Of?
Who Is This Book For?
What Can I Expect in This Book?
Will It Work?
Chapter 2: What Is Fear?
The Biological Perspective
The Cognitive Perspective
The Behavioral Perspective
Snowball Effects
Where Does Fear Come From?
Chapter 3: Why Face Fears?
How’s Your Motivation?
Anxiety Disorders
How Common Are Anxiety Disorders?
What Is the Impact of Anxiety Disorders?
How Effective Is Exposure Therapy?
Can a Self-Help Program Really Work for Me?
Chapter 4: The Principles of Exposure
All at Once or Baby Steps?
What Am I Exposing Myself To?
How Long Should Exposures Be?
How Many and How Much?
What Exactly Does Exposure Do?
The Effectiveness of Exposure
Chapter 5: Planning Exposures
The Exposure Hierarchy
Maximizing the Effectiveness of the
Exposure Hierarchy
Is It Safe?
Chapter 6: Conducting Exposures
What to Expect
Working Your Way up the Hierarchy
Beyond Normal
Stick with It
Chapter 7: Eliminating Safety Behaviors
What Are Safety Behaviors?
What’s Wrong with Safety Behaviors?
The Myths of Distraction and Relaxation
Acceptance as an Alternative
Chapter 8: Addressing Scary Thoughts, Examining the Evidence
Probability Overestimation
Catastrophizing
Black-or-White Thinking
Intolerance of Uncertainty
The Need for Control
The Myth of Positive Thinking
Challenging Your Thoughts
Part II: Facing the Different Kinds of Fear
Chapter 9: Beating Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Variations of Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Common Cognitive Distortions in Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Exposure Tips for Fears of Specific Situations or Objects
Chapter 10: Beating Fears of Body Sensations
Variations of the Fear of Body Sensations
Common Cognitive Distortions in Fear of Body Sensations
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Fear of Body Sensations
Exposure Tips for Fear of Body Sensations
Chapter 11: Beating Social and Performance Fears
Variations of Social and Performance Fears
Common Cognitive Distortions in Social and Performance Fears
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Social and Performance Fears
Exposure Tips for Social and Performance Fears
Chapter 12: Beating Obsessive Fears
Variations of Obsessive Fears
Common Cognitive Distortions in Obsessive Fears
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Obsessive Fears
Exposure Tips for Obsessive Fears
Chapter 13: Beating Excessive Worries
Variations of Excessive Worries
Common Cognitive Distortions in Excessive Worries
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Excessive Worries
Exposure Tips for Excessive Worries
Chapter 14: Beating Post-Traumatic Fears
Variations of Post-Traumatic Fears
Common Cognitive Distortions in Post-Traumatic Fears
Avoidance and Safety Behaviors in Post-Traumatic Fears
Exposure Tips for Post-Traumatic Fears
Part III: Face Your Fears for Life
Chapter 15: Tracking Your Progress
Pacing and Calibration
Problem Solving and Fine-Tuning
Troubleshooting: Slow Progress, Inconsistent Progress, or No Progress
Motivation Boost
Troubleshooting: Getting Discouraged
Chapter 16: The Long Run
Preventing a Return of Fear
Coping with Setbacks
Focus on Functioning
Chapter 17: Eliminating Safety Behaviors
Strategy 1: Try Again
Strategy 2: Clear a Path in Your Life
Strategy 3: Use Exposure Boosters
Strategy 4: Consider Disorder-Specific Self-Help Programs
Strategy 5: Seek Professional Therapy
Strategy 6: Consider Medications
Author : David F. Tolin, Ph.D
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