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

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.

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

Margaret Wehrenberg, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice, a popular public speaker, and international anxiety coach. She is the author of numerous books, including The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques. She lives in Naperville, IL.