Panic Attacks by Christine Ingram

This practical book of just less than 200 pages is an extremely valuable little manual. There are so many people who are bewildered by this phenomenon and who cannot find a reason why they suffer panic attacks and what to do about it. This book is a thorough examination of the condition as well as a prescription of how to get over it. The anatomy of panic attacks is described in a simple yet detailed manner with aspects that were new to me. The explanation of the two consequences of 'depersonalization' and 'derealization' were particularly helpful. Many a sufferer would have experienced things that they could not describe or come to terms with. This book has a way of making clear those indefinable aspects of the condition.

The later chapters of the book deal with solutions and they are many and varied. There is an introduction to very contrasting helps from cognitive therapy to the use of multivitamins. Each approach is examined briefly and comments made on the therapy where appropriate. One useful section is an explanation to families of a sufferer as to what is happening and how to deal with it. Another chapter deals with the condition as it affects children.

The layout of the book is very useful. There are short sections with plenty of subheadings and an excellent bullet-pointed summary at the end of every chapter. There is a reading list followed by a more complete bibliography of books. Of particular help is the list of useful organisations that are involved in panic attacks in some way.

This book is a useful tool for panic attack sufferers themselves, for family members or friends, and for anyone in any type of helping capacity who wish to be more effective in understanding the condition.