A highly accessible introduction to one of the most basic human emotions

Summarizes the most up-to-date science and research on anxiety

Explores what anxiety is, why it is so important, and the main causes and explanations for it

Covers the six major anxiety disorders: phobias, panic disorder and agoraphobia, social anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder

Includes interviews with Michael Palin and Graham Taylor conducted specifically for the book, to learn from their experiences with anxiety

Includes an appendix of self-assessment questionnaires relating to each disorder for reference

Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over five million copies sold worldwide

Are we born with our fears or do we learn them? Why do our fears persist? What purpose does anxiety serve? How common are anxiety disorders, and which treatments are most effective? What's happening in our brain when we feel fear? And what are Colombian worry dolls?

This Very Short Introduction draws on the best scientific research to offer a highly accessible explanation of what anxiety is, why it is such a normal and vital part of our emotional life, and the key factors that cause it. Insights are drawn from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, epidemiology, and clinical trials. Providing a fascinating illustration of the discussion are two interviews conducted specifically for the book, with the actor, writer, director, and television presenter Michael Palin and former England football manager Graham Taylor.

The book covers in detail the six major anxiety disorders: phobias; panic disorder and agoraphobia; social anxiety; generalised anxiety disorder; obsessive compulsive disorder; and post-traumatic stress disorder. With a chapter devoted to each disorder, Daniel and Jason Freeman take you through the symptoms, prevalence, and causes of each one. A final chapter describes the treatments available for dealing with anxiety problems.

Readership: General readers interested in psychology, popular science, and anxiety; medical and psychology undergraduates, A level psychology students; those working in other health professions and counsellors/therapists.

Daniel Freeman, Professor of Clinical Psychology and MRC Senior Clinical Fellow, Oxford University, and Jason Freeman, Freelance writer and editor