Anxiety is Really Strange

I didn't dislike the book, but neither could I finish it. It merely skirted the subject of anxiety, relying almost solely on citations from other sources and without ever going into depth. It seemed more like a summary of a book on anxiety. For a fast and broad introduction to anxiety, I think this would be useful.

An interesting premise but unfortunately I was not able to connect with the material.

I'm not really sure what to make of this book. The drawings are nice, but I felt like the book didn't necessarily do justice to the complexity of the subject. A lot of things were mentioned but not really developed (i.e. the microbiota) and I feel like it might be a nice introductory text for young people but that it lacks the depth to really answer any questions on its own.

A fully illustrated guide for the adult seeking understanding or advice about anxiety. It's probably a book to refer back to on multiple occasions - certainly I had to read it twice just to really get a grip on the contents enough for this review, as it goes off into tangents, and I'm sure it could have done with being more immediately clear. I just hope it helps someone.

Thanks to Netgalley I had a chance to read this graphic guide about anxiety.

Release day: 18th January 2018

Blurb:

What is the difference between fear and excitement? How do the mind and body make emotions? When can anxiety be good?

'For many of us, anxiety and fear are daily visitors to the mind and body-in this brilliant book, Steve Haynes gives us freeing tolls to unmask these feelings... What he offers is apparently simple yet full of depth, with a touch of light - heartedness.' - Jonathan Satin, Managing Director, Triyoga

My rating:

🌟🌟🌟

My review:

I personally don't struggle with anxiety but I wanted to understand what anxiety is. The books is brilliant it talks not only about what anxiety is and its physiological reason but also shows few ways of dealing with it. There are few techniques that help people to take control over their anxiety attacks.

Anxiety is something no one should be ashamed of. Some people are more prone to it than others. The book helped me to understand that we all have the anxiety 'ingredients'.

The guide is simple, told in pictures but at the bottom of almost every page there is short support material to the graphic part above it. I think it'd worth checking up if you want to understand and find out more about anxiety. The book is directed to the readers that deal with it themselves so if you struggle with anxiety it might be worth to give it a go.

#NetGalley #arc #bookreview #NewRelease #anxiety #grapic #Guide #selfhelp

This is a really interesting way to approach the subject of Anxiety. Not quite what I was expecting, but I liked it.

If someone in your life doesn't understand your anxiety and why you act the way that you do, just hand them this great little book. This book offers a great introduction into the why's and how's of anxiety disorders and the art is really simple, yet aesthetically pleasing. The first half of the book is sort of an explanation/guide for anxiety and the second half is tips to help manage your anxiety. At first I thought the tips would be kinda stupid and would make me roll my eyes, but they were actually pretty good - some of them I've even used in the past! The main thing I didn't like about this book is the little paragraphs at the bottom of each page. It was like references in an essay just chucked at the bottom of the page with no context. They didn't really serve a purpose.

Thanks to netgalley for providing a copy to review! Anxiety is Really Strange is out January 18th!

Anxiety is Really Strange is a primer for anxiety and psychological theory in graphic novel format. I think others would enjoy this more; I have a B.S> in psychology so there wasn't much new in this book, but I feel like there are people that can learn a lot from the book.
I like the art; it fits well with the topic and theme. I also love that it gave some tips on how to handle your anxiety.

This work is quite an interesting way to try and approach the subject of anxiety. As someone who has dealt with anxiety for the majority of their life (and continues to do so), I find that it's not without its flaws. Clarity definitely could have been improved upon, as I ran into several pages and panels took a few re-reads in order for the message to sink in. Also, while most likely not the author's intent at all, the ending seems to imply that anxiety is something that can be relatively easy to manage with just the right strategies. I can and will personally attest that even when armed with solid strategies, the battle with one's own anxiety can still feel anything but manageable.

Still, "Anxiety Is Really Strange" clearly strives hard to try and address how complex anxiety is, and takes care to repeat and reiterate that very message quite plainly. I would consider it a good introduction on the topic (and something I'd like to have on hand for every person I meet who thinks "stop being anxious" is an actual thing one can do as easily as flipping a light switch).

This was a good little book! I really liked the artwork, I thought it was cute and illustrated the points really well. I liked how they made anxiety sound less scary and breaks down some stigma about anxiety being a sign of weakness or someone who is too emotional. It taught some great methods to try to help you when you're a anxious and I loved the way the illustrated them. I would highly suggest this to anyone new to anxiety and needs useful tips and knowledge. The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the random text at the bottom of the pages. I know it was for reference purposes, but I would have liked it they had been in the back of the book. I felt like it just cluttered the page and made it hard to focus.

"Anxiety is Really Strange" beautifully describes what it means to have anxiety. The graphic novel takes a more scientific approach to the topic, explaining the psychology behind anxiety. The art is gorgeous and clear, making a complex topic extremely accessible. The graphic novel provides different viewpoints on anxiety over history, and doesn't diminish what having anxiety is really like. It provides helpful tips for dealing with anxiety, and with so many people around the world struggling with mental illness, "Anxiety is Really Strange" is a must-read.

Anxiety Is Really Strange is a look at the nature of anxiety and its diverse manifestations in people.

WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT?
Anyone who suffering anxiety (chronic or not) or anyone living close to someone who suffers from such. Professionals who deal with anxiety-prone people might benefit from the illustrated medium used by the author to examine the subject.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT
I love the graphic novel format. There is a way illustration bring a new life to a topic that is sometimes difficult to pin down and this book does that well. The author gives detailed explanations and references are done in a way that does not interfere with the enjoyment of the book.

Anxiety is Really Strange by Steve Haines is available to buy on all major online bookstores.

Many thanks to Singing Dragon (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) for review copy.

An interesting premise with lots of potential, but I found it difficult I get engaged with the material. The information is relevant and could be helpful to a wide array of readers, but the books structure relies too heavily on strings of quotes and other medical information, without weaving it into an easy-to-follow narrative. The art is effective without being overwhelming and helped keep me reading, but I feel this title doesn't quite hit all its marks.

I really liked the concept of this book and the art style was great, but I think the subject could have been handled better. I was left feeling a little confused about who this book was aiming to help. I think it could have been excellent and there were definitely good parts, but overall I think it could have been better.

This was an interesting read when considering Anxiety. The graphic novel looks at what Anxiety is, some of the arguments behind it and some tips on dealing with the condition. As an Anxiety sufferer, I was interested in seeing what the perspective would be and if I learn something new, I also wanted to see if it represented how I thought Anxiety should be presented to people who want to learn more.

This was a different way of approaching the subject, the graphics were useful for explaining and the small boxes at the bottom with insights from professionals. That said, some of these were confusing and for that reason, I wouldn't consider this a starting point for someone to learn more about anxiety, in fact, I'm not quite sure where to place it!

An interesting concept and idea but I'm not sure who I would give it to. A little bit too abstract for me!

Really brilliant comprehensive guide to understanding anxiety and learning little coping strategies to help not feel too overwhelmed. Will be recommending this to a lot of people!

I think this book is stranger than anxiety is. I can’t say I garnered any new information from this, and felt that it read more like a tri-fold pamphlet from the doctor’s office than a graphic novel. I would dare to say that if you are looking to get information on anxiety, you could find everything for free online that’s in this book. I also don’t feel like the graphics did anything for the story, and rather just allowed for a higher page count.

Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good way to explain anxiety for a middle school/high school reading level. It's easy enough where most everyone can learn, but doesn't dumb it down too much for you. I didn't like the added paragraphs at the bottom. I found them boring and just started skipping over them.

I think this book will translate much better as a physical product rather than an ebook. That being said - I enjoyed the artwork and the book contained a lot of information about anxiety. As an anxiety sufferer myself, I can appreciate the power having this information gives you. It is a pleasant reminder that feeling anxious isn’t your fault and is a rouge physical and mental rection to misinterpreted fear. I wish I had been handed this book in my teens when I was first diagnosed with anxiety. Hopefully this book can empower mire anxiety sufferers and allow them to understand what their body is doing! I also liked the quotes from well known people, letting the reader know that they arent alone with their anxiety. Overall an important book and one that should hopefully help a lot of people!

I loved this look into anxiety about the causes and understanding of the affliction. I felt it left you with some tools into what to do next and was well worth reading.
It wasn't to difficult to read in heaviness but it didn't make it to simple that it risked being boring.
It hit the nail right on the head.

I was given a ARC of this book to review. I did actually learn some helpful tips to combat anxiety in this book. I love that it mentioned several ways to calm yourself with scientific studies backing the information given, I had no idea pressing your feet into the floor could be used as a grounding technique.I only wish the visuals were better so someone who doesn't quite understand anxiety could better relate. It seemed like examples could have been used to help further understanding.I did enjoy this book. It has an encouraging message and great tips that I would recommend to friends.

Being someone who suffers from high Anxiety on a daily basis, I found the concept of this graphic novel appealing. I mean, an educational piece of work that also includes graphics. Sounds fun, right? Wish I could say that I found this to be the case. However, I just didn't.

There was so much potential here. A great effort was made in way of the graphics but everything else just ruined it for me. The "science" of Anxiety seemed to be more citations & quotations from others than original content. I would have loved to have seen the studies explained in more of a fresher/simpler way. Meaning, I wished it had felt more enjoyable than like I was reading something for my psychology class.

In conclusion, I believe the intentions of this graphic novel were great but, sadly, the execution fell terrible short.

I liked the book and found it enjoyable. The statistics and factual information were really interesting and I loved learning the science based information.

This is a very detailed and well researched exploration of anxiety. There a large amount of information and facts. It is beautifully
Illustrated and annotated. It can be a little overwhelming at points. Overall, it’s a great book for those with anxiety or relatives of those with anxiety who want to understand a bit more about it, how it affects the body and what can be done to lessen it.

Comprehensive graphic novel that explains what anxiety is, how it manifests, and how we can cope. The one thing you need to bear in mind is that it's format makes it confusing at times. Nonetheless, it is an interesting read.

Anxiety is Really Strange. Is it ever! Yet it is also common, with 28.8% of people being seriously affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their adult lives. Anxiety disorders include Generalised Anxiety Disorder, panic disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), social anxiety and other phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

This graphic novel outlines some possible causes of anxiety, outlines philosophical ideas along with a really interesting experiment dealing with mouse poo (of all things), how the body reacts in anxiety mode and some tools for managing symptoms.

I went into this book thinking it would be a really good introduction to anxiety for someone who’s just been diagnosed and while I still think it will be useful for some people in this situation, there will be others who will be most likely wanting more advice on helpful tools rather than the thoughts of philosophers.

Now, I’m a proud nerd so I enjoyed all of the sciency, philosophical bits and pieces, and I’ve found some studies I’m interested in looking into further. People with a general interest in anxiety should get enough from this graphic novel to come away with a better understanding of the roles the mind and body play in exacerbating and easing anxiety. Hopefully Anxiety is Really Strange will make it into the hands of some friends and family members of those affected by anxiety and will result in greater empathy and better support systems.

Quote that made me chuckle: “Anxiety is a good thing because psychopaths don’t have any.” (page 18). I loved Jon Ronson’s quote. My brain automatically made this into a bizarre TV commercial ... “Got anxiety? Take heart. At least you’re not a psychopath!”

While books about anxiety are useful I believe there’s really no substitute for getting professional help. Anxiety can be extraordinarily daunting to deal with by yourself and a doctor and/or therapist who can provide much needed support and tools can make the world of difference to your quality of life.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Singing Dragon, an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.

The more we learn about anxiety, the more we can hold space for those that experience it in very vast and diverse ways. Through the powerful engrossing means of a graphic novel, anxiety is explained and given a deeper sense of understanding.

A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Singing Dragon for providing me a copy of “Anxiety is Really Strange” by Steve Haines in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun and informative book. It gives a high level overview as to what anxiety is, the symptoms causing it, researches done in the area, followed by the methods to overcome and control it. All of these areas are described in a graphic novel manner with cute illustrations.

I consider myself as someone who gets highly anxious at times and tends to react rather than act during tough situations. Not my best trait, I admit, but this book really made me feel positive after finishing it. I found the whole section of nature vs nurture particularly fascinating. It is the age old question which we ask of ‘is someone born a hero or is it an attribute they acquire?’ The author has provided facts and listed experiments done by various researchers to support both sides, but I personally feel that our environment and other external factors adapt us to who we are.

Anyway, I digress. The main reason I liked this book was because it is told in a simple and concise manner with the information organized perfectly. I am not a researcher or a scientist who is going to take a 500+ page information book on anxiety and read about its cause and effect. Providing a “dummy” version of the same in a graphic novel format is a very creative way of sharing the same views to everyone.

Another reason I enjoyed the book was because it covers various forms of anxiety, such as the one that a person would face after encountering physical abuse, or someone who is stressed at home or in the workplace. The author also provides various pointers to overcome each of them specifically. Some of the notes are very simple yet effective, and one of<a class="ZN047aczs q0aTILx4T" title="Click to Continue &gt; by Advertise" href="#61046065"> my favorite<img src="http://cdncache-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png" /></a> ones is the below phrase:

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I also loved the selection of color palette used for the visuals. They are not glaring to the eye, but at the same time make the messages stand out, and give the simple illustrations a vibrant spark.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because at times it got too descriptive for me to understand, especially the part about existentialists (my new word for the day) and how they studied behavior during the Second World War. However, for the most part, it is useful for a layman like myself to learn about the symptoms of anxiety and how to overcome it.

I hope the author decides to release these kind of books for other symptoms such as depression, anger etc.

'Anxiety is Really Strange' by Steve Haines is the second book I've read in this series. I find these an interesting ways of conveying information of the topics.

The book starts with setting out the types of questions it will answer like a definition of anxiety and the differences between cake and bread. Cake and bread differences become important as anxiety is defined and dissected. Along with the illustrations, most pages have footnotes that go into a bit more detail. Coping mechanisms, like grounding, are discussed. At the end of the book there is a list of references used in the book that can be used for further reading.

The first book I read was about trauma and I liked that one a bit more, but this one still offers help for those who suffer from anxiety as well as the folks caring for them. The illustration style fits the book very well. This would be a very good resource.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Singing Dragon, Jessica Kingsely Publishers, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I am a total psych nerd. I have a degree in it, so I would hope that I enjoy it and want to read more. This book seemed like a perfect book for me. I love graphic novels, I have an anxiety disorder, and I am fascinated by psychological research. How could this book be better for me?

Well that is an easy answer: pretty much in every way. The book had  a lot of interesting references, but then they were breezed over in a way that just made this book read like a Psychology Today article, but less informative. Quoting Ann Hathaway to make a psychological point is not effective. She is not an expert or representative of the population.

The methods of helping to face your anxiety are also either ineffective (for me personally, so I didn't count that against the book) or they are potentially dangerous.  If you are in a panic attack, which the book does discuss, then squatting may not be the best option as the blood is rushing around you body. Standing up after can make you dizzy, unstable, or cause you to faint as the blood has been limited in its movements (I discussed this with my therapist and this was her opinion). The idea of looking around your surroundings for something to focus on that is nice is not effective if you issue is crowds or, in my case, PTSD from violent trauma. While none of this would have lowered the score of the book if the book had focused on general anxiety disorder specifically. The book mentions everything from general anxiety disorder, PTSD, and OCD. None of the methods talked about for handling your anxiety would be recommended from me or my therapist if you have PTSD, OCD, or if you are not seeing a therapist (this is mostly in reference to the forcing yourself to live in the bad thoughts and explore them if they are related to trauma).

So I really wanted to like this book and there were a few passages that I did enjoy, but they didn't go far enough. So if you already have a basic understanding of anxiety, skip this book. If you have anxiety that is from trauma, skip this book. If you are new to anxiety or someone you know has anxiety, then this book might help you learn some quirky and cool things about anxiety.

I'm not sure how well I can review the book since the layout ended up weird on my kindle, but content-wise, I think this is a great book that does a great job in explaining anxiety, both for individuals who don't quite understand what they're going through and the people who have to deal with them.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free eCopy of this graphic novel in return for an honest review. I'm not particularly enamoured by this book, which is sad as the concept is something right up my alley. A comic which delves into mental health and anxiety sounds like a brilliant idea, as it could bring awareness to a whole new group of people and help those who would never normally seek access to this information. There is a lot of referenced data, and some clean cut illustrations to add to the information. It would be a very good book to present to someone to educate them about anxiety, whether in relation to the receiver of the book or someone around them. There was a lot of information about anxiety itself in the first half, and information on how to manage symptoms in the second half, both of which were informative and helpful.

However, the way it has been worded is very clinical, and although this may work in some settings it doesn't in a comic format. It makes it feel slightly alienated and aloof instead and meant that I wasn't engrossed, I was just browsing. As another reviewer has mentioned (Nikki "The Crazie Betty" V on GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2616607-nikki-the-crazie-betty-v), this comic felt "more like a tri-fold pamphlet from the doctor’s office than a graphic novel" and I definitely agree with this thought. It may be too complex in some places also, there were a few little bits that I struggled with but the rest seemed at level with my previous education on the subject (two years of study at A Level [16 - 18 years old] in psychology), which was fine for me but is not good for a publication which is supposed to help those not familiar with anxiety understand more about the condition.

It is a nice idea, and the information contained within seems to be accurate, well referenced and useful. But, something about it just doesn't hit the mark to be sold as a graphic novel, as it's a little too aloof and technical, would be a good little leaflet to have in a doctors office though.

A nice introduction, but it lacks nuance. Way too simple for anyone that is already familiar with anxiety, but it might be useful for a first approach