Booklist Review

Personal testimonies and professional sources combine to present a full picture of anxiety disorders and the people who suffer from them. From phobias to post-traumatic stress, anxiety disorders are classified as a group of mental illnesses that cause abnormal feelings of fear and dread. Although generally considered modern problems, anxiety disorders predate the twenty-first century and are the most common mental illness, affecting approximately 40 million American adults. This explores what it is like to live with the illness as well as its causes and treatments, and the well-organized, jargon-free information allows readers not already familiar with the topic to easily understand. Graphs, color photos, and side boxes containing supplemental facts break up the text, but this volume, unlike many of its contemporaries, is ultimately more invested in providing substantive information than in creating an engaging reading experience. A list of chapter notes, organizations, and sources round up the reference credentials of the book, which will be of value to student researchers.--Dean, Kara Copyright 2015 Booklist