Living With Anxiety

August 6, 2001
Anxiety is the single largest mental health problem in the U.S., according to recent studies. Researchers have found that 30% to 40% of the general population suffers from excessive anxiety. Psychologists Bob Montgomery and Laurel Morris (coauthors, Surviving: Coping with a Life Crisis) argue, in Living with Anxiety: A Clinically Tested Step-by-Step Plan for Drug-Free Management, that it is possible and even preferable for the anxious to cope without drugs, and the book guides readers through a self-help process. While Montgomery and Morris responsibly advise readers to seek counseling from a trained clinical psychologist if the advice in their book doesn't work, they believe that dealing with anxiety without a therapist has self-esteem benefits. They also note, rightly, that psychotherapy is too expensive for many people, and many insurance plans don't cover it; for that very reason, this book is likely to find a wide audience.