What You Must Think of Me: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Social Anxiety Disorder

by Emily Ford, Michael Liebowitz, Linda Wasmer Andrews

Overview

In this book for young people struggling with social anxiety disorder, Emily Ford recounts her own experiences with this illness and how she eventually retreated entirely from society due to its debilitating effects. Combining her personal story with a discussion of the science behind anxiety disorders, Ford (now in recovery from social anxiety disorder) provides useful facts and information on such topics as how to find professional help, the types of therapy available for those with anxiety disorders, and how to deal with stressful social situations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195313024
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	07/10/2007
Series:	Adolescent Mental Health Initiative
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	8.44(w) x 5.79(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

Emily Ford grew up in a rural farming community in the most northern regions of New York State. She has a Master's Degree in Secondary English Education and is involved in mental health consumer advocacy. She lives in Washington, DC with her dog Zsa Zsa. Michael Liebowitz, M.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University. He is also the author of Chemistry of Love and Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment. Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance science writer. Her books include If Your Adolescent Has Depression or Bipolar Disorder: An Essential Resource for Parents, with Dwight Evans (OUP 2005), and If Your Adolescent Has an Anxiety Disorder: An Essential Resource for Parents, with Edna Foa (OUP, 2006).

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Social Anxiety Disorder2. Moving From Dis-ease to Disease3. Not Just Another Shy Teenager4. The First Step Toward Recovery5. A Long Road Filled With Potholes6. Five Days That Changed My Life7. Making Changes and Sticking to Them8. My Life Today, Your Life Tomorrow

Editorial Reviews

"For anyone who has shouldered the enormous burden of social anxiety disorder, What You Must Think of Me will be a valuable resource. Emily Ford gives her readers a rare glimpse into the tortured world of a young person struggling with SAD-the isolation, the depression, and her eventual triumph over this devastating illness. Her story is one of hope, humor, and an incredible will to survive, and will both inspire and educate readers who will recognize their own struggles within these pages."—Jamie Blyth, author of Fear is No Longer My Reality: How I Overcame Panic and Social Anxiety Disorder- and You Can Too

"Ford bravely offers an accurate account of the frustrations of Social Anxiety Disorder, and the paths to treatment, including how to navigate the difficulties of the mental health system, how to identify an expert in SAD, and how to make the most of the therapeutic experience. This will be an excellent resource for adolescents, young adults, and their parents."—Dean McKay, Ph.D., ABPP, Department of Psychology, Fordham University

"With warmth, candor and insight, this highly gifted young writer shares her personal struggle with a serious yet treatable disorder that is often misdiagnosed and grossly misunderstood. Emily takes the reader along on her courageous journey towards recovery, while offering solid information, help and hope to individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder, as well as to family members and friends who want to help."—Jerilyn Ross, MA, LICSW, Director, The Ross Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders, Washington, D.C., and author Triumph Over Fear

From the Publisher