MORE THAN STRESS

Covers clinical anxiety disorders: what they are and how they are diagnosed, treated, and managed.

Recently there has been increased concern about teens’ mental health. The authors estimate that  over 10% of young people ages 12 to 17 have a diagnosed anxiety disorder. In this straightforward overview, a trio of medical experts, including a registered nurse, a licensed clinical social worker, and a medical student, unpack the differences among worry, stress, and diagnosed anxiety disorders, addressing their teen readers directly. They discuss panic disorder, phobias of various kinds, obsessions and compulsions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The book describes treatment options and offers stress management techniques that are useful for all readers, whether they have an anxiety disorder or not. The clear exposition is illustrated with captioned photos showing racially diverse people, mostly teens. The text is also broken up with graphs and charts. Especially useful are the depictions of what’s going on inside our bodies. There are occasional text boxes about specific disorders, such as trichotillomania; the roles played by social media and stressful life events; the relationship between anxiety and depression; the experiences of people from marginalized groups; the value of helplines; and the impact of celebrities who share their own mental health struggles. This is an inviting, accessible, and informative volume about a critical subject.

A timely overview of a widely recognized health concern among teens.