By Laurie A. Helgoe, Ph.D., Laura R. Wilhelm, Ph.D.
and Martin J. Kommor, M.D.

An alarm is sounding in your body. You feel as if danger is at hand, yet no one is chasing you, no disaster threatens your safety. You may be worrying about something, or just feel concerned for no apparent reason. Either way, you know that the alarm is out of proportion with your present situation. Knowing this does not help. You are anxious.

Anxiety is the most common of all mental health complaints, and all of us have probably felt in its clutches at some point in our lives. It’s a big problem, but the good news is, it’s a problem with solutions. We have learned a great deal about anxiety--about what makes it worse and what makes it better. The Anxiety Answer Book pulls this information together in an easy question-and-answer format, providing the tools to help you reduce your anxiety and be more present for your life.

"I just purchased The Anxiety Answer Book. I've read a number of books on anxiety, and I've been very familiar with Albert Ellis's REBT for many years. I find your book to be the most innovative, creative and rational book on anxiety I've read to date. I was particularly impressed by the chapter on trying to bring on the symptoms of a panic attack."  
Clay W., Sarasota, Florida

About the Authors:

Laurie A. Helgoe, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience, and a nationally recognized relationship expert. She practices at Family Psychiatric Services in Charleston, West Virginia, where she provides psychological assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapy, and consultation. Dr. Helgoe is author of the Boomer’s Guide to Dating (Again), published in 2004 by Alpha Books, and is a frequent columnist, invited speaker and talk show guest. She provides teaching and consultation at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, and offers consultation, lectures and workshops to new and practicing clinicians, as well as to the general public.

Laura R. Wilhelm, Ph.D. received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Ohio University, and works as an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University School of Medicine in Charleston, WV. Her outpatient practice focuses on the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression and anger problems in adults. Other clinical interests include: adjustment to medical problems, stress management, assertiveness, and group therapy. Dr. Wilhelm also serves as the Director of her department’s Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Training Program, in which she teaches and supervises psychiatric residents, psychology interns, and medical students.

Martin J. Kommor, M.D. is Chair of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of the West Virginia University School of Medicine, in Charleston, WV where he has taught for almost 30 years. In addition to teaching, Dr. Kommor provides psychotherapy and medication consultation, conducts research, and is active in mental health and psychiatric associations. He has also provided stress debriefing to community and state paramedics, firemen and police. A psychodynamically-oriented psychiatrist, Dr. Kommor emphasizes to students that patients with psychiatric illness “are always unique people, and never just a disease or set of symptoms to be medicated away.”

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