OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Panic Attacks Calming the Storm" by Brian Ludwig.]

Do you constantly sense an impending danger? Does your heartbeat go haywire from time to time? Do you find yourself sweating uncontrollably, even during winter? These are telltale signs you might be having an anxiety disorder, which could lead to constant panic attacks. If you've experienced the above symptoms or anything of sorts, then Brian Ludwig wrote Panic Attacks Calming the Storm to help you.

Brian had his first experience of a panic attack in May 1992. This development opened a new chapter in his life and work. Brian, who was a workaholic before the attack, had to start taking time off work. After the confirmation that he had become a victim of panic attacks, he decided to seek all the help he could. Meanwhile, as of 1992, there was no definitive treatment for his ailment. He had to go through a learning process of both finding a cure and discovering a part of him that he never knew existed. In this book, Brian shared the things he learned to help other people suffering from panic attacks.

The first thing I want to say about this book is that it isn't a medical journal. If you are expecting a book that is written from years of medical research into panic attacks, you'll be a tad disappointed. This book is a compendium of the author's experiences and journey (as he calls it) of freeing himself from the debilitation of panic attacks. That notwithstanding, the book is a well-written resource that will help anyone going through the same or similar predicaments the author went through. Here's a disclaimer from the book for anyone who wants to read this book:

First and foremost, you must understand that I am not a licensed physician. Anything that you find in this book that opposes what licensed physicians have told you, their direction and instructions, should always supersede anything that I encourage you to do.

What endeared me most to this book was the author's writing style. He opted for a relaxed and conversational tone in his narrative. There was never a point where he used any technical term. I thoroughly had a lot of fun reading this book. The author's wit, sense of humor, and storytelling skills were in full play. The chapter titles were so captivating that I couldn't wait to see what the next title would look like. I felt a kindred spirit all through the reading because of my experience with copywriting. He had a way with words that would make the reader stay glued to the book until the last page.

Additionally, he was descriptive and thorough in explaining the steps outlined in this book. This wasn't surprising as he had a wealth of experience to bring to the table. The author's writing style would help the ideal reader (people experiencing anxiety disorders) to enjoy this book — the last thing they'd need is a panic attack while reading the book.

It's worth mentioning that the second part of the author's journey was a spiritual one — with a focus on the importance of giving your life to Jesus Christ as a way of dealing with panic attacks. A good portion of this book was used to share his experience as a Christian believer. Though this book might come off as being overly religious, the author was careful to make this book beneficial to all categories of readers. If you're uncomfortable with the slightest expression of religious bias, this book might not meet you well. However, anyone who is open-minded and needs help dealing with panic attacks would find this book helpful.

There was nothing I found disconcerting about this book — it was well-written and professionally edited. Therefore, I rate it four out of four stars.

******
Panic Attacks Calming the Storm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Non-fictions are mostly boring to read, but this one seems like an informative and engaging read. I'm curious to know how the author managed through his hard times of panic attacks. Thanks for the beautiful review.

I had never been a big fan of self-help books (this one sounds like one to me) but the following line in your review has lead me to add this to my shelf:

'The author's wit, sense of humor, and storytelling skills were in full play.'

Thank you for such a heartfelt and inviting review!

A book detailing the experience of a specific disorder and yet an engaging, fun book. This makes the book a must-read. Thanks for the endearing review.

This book will provide great insight and help many people who either know or are suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. Wonderful review!

I so appreciate a good disclaimer! And I can only imagine what being treated for panic attacks back in 1992 might have looked like. While we still have a ways to go in terms of mental health awareness, I believe that we are lightyears more knowledgeable than we were nearly 30 years ago, so I can imagine that, on top of the difficulties of the disorder itself, created a very hard road. Personally, I love the Jesus tie-in, and I would definitely pick this book up. Thanks for a great review!

As a doctor myself, I can say that sometimes, it is very important to read other people's experiences in order to understand a condition. So this book could be quite useful. Great review!

From the first lines of your review, I almost surmised the book was a medical book. The title never even gave off any assumptions of that as one would think it was a novel at first glance. Anxiety is one disorder many are going through in these times where life comes with a lot of pressure. This book would come in handy as your review gave just enough information on what to expect.