Most doctors are well trained in a variety of physical diseases. Diseases that they expect to diagnose and treat throughout their professional lives. However, soon after they graduate and start work a hard reality sets in — many patients not only have chest pain, joint disorders or breast lumps, they also experience anxiety. Furthermore, the number of patients with anxiety disorders turns out to be far greater than was suggested by the time allocated to the subject during training!

This can be a problem. While there are a number of useful treatments for anxiety — such as counselling, antidepressants, anxiolytics and, more recently, more formal psychological therapies funded through Medicare — many of these treatments are often less than completely efficacious. And many patients usually have a need for ongoing treatment.

This is where the self-help treatments offered by the Living Skills Library might have a place. The series of book/DVD combinations is published by JoJo Publishing, and covers most of the common mental disorders.

Overcoming anxiety is one of the titles. Written by Susie Rotch, a psychologist with over 20 years’ experience, it contains a rationale for the onset and development of common anxiety disorders as well as providing a rationale for a treatment approach that uses mindfulness and self-hypnosis as its cornerstone.

The DVD makes for good viewing, both inducing a state of relaxation and instilling a sense of hope. However, while they have many worthwhile qualities, the book and DVD require a certain level of psychological sophistication in order for them to be used properly. Additionally, many people will not easily set aside the daily time required to complete the DVD.

These issues aside, Overcoming anxiety will be a useful adjunct for those wishing to take responsibility for their own treatment.