Is it practical?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Ruba Abu Ali wrote:
> I believe it IS a practical guide. However, I don't think the author meant
> for it to be a substitute for professional diagnosis and management. It is
> rather an ancillary tool to specialized medical help.

It is a practical guide. But one has to be cautious enough to self-apply the remedies since the understanding of each reader differs and some might understand some remedies in totally wrong ways. So it is okay to keep this as a guide, but it is better to seek professional support

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Nerea wrote:
> I'm satisfied with the steps the authors have provided for anxiety and
> stress relief. Thy a simply identified and explained. I find them
> practical. For instance, there is a part that mentions steps a patient need
> to follow when managing stress. The steps include, proper diet, regular
> exercise, and enough rest. Many medical practitioners recommend these steps
> too to their patients suffering from stress and get positive results. So
> yes, the steps provided in the book will deliver the expected result.

Proper diet, regular exercise and enough rest are supportive to relieve stress, and only for very minor stress. These steps are not fully applicable to each and everyone who are suffering from stress. Patients has to be individually assesed by a professional in the subject and has to tailor a remedy. This guide can be supportive to very minor forms of stress

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote:
> You stated clearly, and I quote, "This is a practical guide to relieve
> anxiety and stress, by two authors who are renowned as well as experienced
> in the subject." That said, the guidance given is applicable. However,
> this doesn't warrant individuals from seeking assistance from a medical
> practitioner. I think the book can be used as a reference point.

Yes, it is a reliable source of reference, since it is written by authors who are thorough in the subject. Yet it can be harmful to apply it to one's self on his/her own since this only provides generalized remedies, but not tailor-made ones for individuals

[Sushan Ekanayake]

gabrielletiemi wrote:
> I thought about that aspect too when I read the book. The author talks
> about a lot of things that can worsen the situation, for example, when
> talking about reducing gluten in the diet. It can bring a lot of different
> problems, for example, the majority of gluten-free foods are expensive and
> since whole wheat is a great source of fiber, not eating gluten could make
> people feel worse if they don't substitute it correctly. Another aspect
> that bothered me was that the author talked about GABA like you could take
> as much as you'd like when it doesn't work that way.

There can be pros and cons in any therapeutic method. The issues with Gluten reduction is an example. One can simply try these methods, but it is better either to read arround and have a thorough knowledge, or to see a professional and tailor the therapy appropriately to him/herself

Since you mentioned it, GABA cannot be taken freely because it is not freely available, and also it can lead to many other problems

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Howlan wrote:
> Sushan wrote:
> > This is a practical guide to relieve anxiety and stress, by two authors who
> > are renowned as well as experienced in the subject.
> >
> > Yet, this is a book to read and understand by the reader him/herself, and
> > then to apply its content to get relieved from his/her anxiety and stress.
> >
> > To what extent this practice is practical? Without a proper assessment and
> > a guidance from a trained personnel, will it deliver the expected results?
> > Or will it worsen the issue?
>
> In case of treatments such as CBT, TMS or other procedures should take place in the
> presence of trained personnel. ANd medication too must be taken according to
> prescription to watch out for potential side-effects. But in case of natural remedies
> can be done by the reader himself, especially medication and exercise. I think this
> book is a guide to readers as solutions to counter their stress and anxiety. It
> enables them to understand what options they have going forward and increases their
> awareness. That being said, performing most remedies should be done under proper
> guidance to maximize their effectiveness.

Proper guidance will maximize the effect, and also it will minimize any harm that it may cause. Many who have problems are shy to seek help, and they try to solve their issues themselves. This sort of educational material can be an induction to what they do and it will only lead to further harm, not towards betterment.

And I assume that you were trying to mention about 'meditation' in your comment, rather than 'medication' 🤔

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Howlan wrote:
> Nerea wrote:
> > I'm satisfied with the steps the authors have provided for anxiety and
> > stress relief. Thy a simply identified and explained. I find them
> > practical. For instance, there is a part that mentions steps a patient need
> > to follow when managing stress. The steps include, proper diet, regular
> > exercise, and enough rest. Many medical practitioners recommend these steps
> > too to their patients suffering from stress and get positive results. So
> > yes, the steps provided in the book will deliver the expected result.
>
> Yes, in case of natural remedies the book lays down a well enough guide to follow it
> on our own. Also, at the end of the book, we have a very helpful chart that can be
> also useful to understand what steps to take in case of excess stress.

This book is a practical guide. And it is well organized as well, there is no argument about that. But the author cannot predict how the reader will perceive and use the remedies which are mentioned. Even natural remedies can cause trouble when applied incorrectly

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Dominik_G wrote:
> I do believe the book provides good practical advice. For sure, severe
> cases of anxiety require professional assistance, however, I find that the
> methods and techniques in the book are useful and completely applicable in
> everyday life.

Yes, the book provides practical methods to relieve stress of day-to-day life. But the problem occurs when someone tries to self-judge the severity of his/her anxiety. Not many are ready to accept that they suffer from severe stress. So they will diagnose themselves as having mild stress and try to relieve it by using the kinds of methods which the book discusses about. And the condition will only be worsened

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Guda LM wrote:
> I believe the as the authors rightly named the book, it is supposed to be a
> general guide to dealing with anxiety and stress. For those with mild
> anxiety, I believe some of the remedies if followed well can be a solution.
> However, for those with severe anxiety, the book is a starting point and
> ocassional references where applicable, not to give a cure, but some
> direction and pointers.
>
> Generally for, everyone else, during those stressful days, the book can go
> a long way in calming those nerves. It serves different PURPOSES as it is a
> guide and not a specific prescription. But as always advised, it is always
> good to seek professional advice when the symptoms persist.

Very well said. Unless very specifically written, a book is always a general guide. So it can only be applied generally. Generally speaking, it will be only a general measure, and it will be a help to only a few. For a better result, the individual has to be assesed individually and a management plan need to be tailored

[Howlan]

David_Kariuki wrote:
> Sushan wrote:
> > This is a practical guide to relieve anxiety and stress, by two authors who
> > are renowned as well as experienced in the subject.
> >
> > Yet, this is a book to read and understand by the reader him/herself, and
> > then to apply its content to get relieved from his/her anxiety and stress.
> >
> > To what extent this practice is practical? Without a proper assessment and
> > a guidance from a trained personnel, will it deliver the expected results?
> > Or will it worsen the issue?
> I would say, its a delicate balance. Delicate in the sense that there are certain
> remedies that are a bit complex and require proper handling and some remedies that
> can be used effortlessly without much guidance. In my opinion Given the great
> importance of one's mental health, the book should be mostly for reference.

Yeah, this book should act more like a first aid kit before the actual treatment begins.

[Howlan]

NetMassimo wrote:
> I say yes, it's a practical guide as you get the information you need to
> know when you can take a remedy on your own, when you need to consult your
> doctor, when you could suffer from side-effects, and so on.

Especially when you cannot relate to the causes of your stress professional help is always necessary before medication.

[Dominik_G]

Sushan wrote:
> Dominik_G wrote:
> > I do believe the book provides good practical advice. For sure, severe
> > cases of anxiety require professional assistance, however, I find that the
> > methods and techniques in the book are useful and completely applicable in
> > everyday life.
>
> Yes, the book provides practical methods to relieve stress of day-to-day life. But
> the problem occurs when someone tries to self-judge the severity of his/her anxiety.
> Not many are ready to accept that they suffer from severe stress. So they will
> diagnose themselves as having mild stress and try to relieve it by using the kinds of
> methods which the book discusses about. And the condition will only be worsened

Yes, I totally see your point. I believe, however, that trying the methods the book offers will not worsen someone's condition. They just might not work as well as for someone with lower levels of stress/anxiety. (Which, for sure, might be a discouraging and disappointing experience for the person.) If this is the case, they should probably seek professional help. And I don't necessarily mean medication. Therapy might work as well.

[NetMassimo]

Howlan wrote:
> NetMassimo wrote:
> > I say yes, it's a practical guide as you get the information you need to
> > know when you can take a remedy on your own, when you need to consult your
> > doctor, when you could suffer from side-effects, and so on.
>
> Especially when you cannot relate to the causes of your stress professional help is
> always necessary before medication.

Absolutely! Alleviating your symptoms is a short-term "patch", but if you want to solve your problem you need to go to its root cause. However, for a transient problem such as an exam, or any other important event, you might not need the professional help required for example by a person suffering from depression.

[Ari Martinez]

I do believe this is definitely practical. I don't think the authors meant it to be a replacement of professional assistance (and if I recall correctly, they even encourage professional assistance). However, I think that for most of us, using the methods provided in this book is more than enough.
I think people who read this book need to evaluate if their case is severe enough to need professional help or not, but just because not everyone can be helped with just this book alone, does not take away from the practicality of it.

[Howlan]

NetMassimo wrote:
> Howlan wrote:
> > NetMassimo wrote:
> > > I say yes, it's a practical guide as you get the information you need to
> > > know when you can take a remedy on your own, when you need to consult your
> > > doctor, when you could suffer from side-effects, and so on.
> >
> > Especially when you cannot relate to the causes of your stress professional help
> is
> > always necessary before medication.
>
> Absolutely! Alleviating your symptoms is a short-term "patch", but if you
> want to solve your problem you need to go to its root cause. However, for a transient
> problem such as an exam, or any other important event, you might not need the
> professional help required for example by a person suffering from depression.

Yes and I think the Stress Management chapter in this book does a good job in making people understand how to manga our stress by first becoming aware of what behavior is responsible than taking whatever steps necessary to make you feel better.

[Howlan]

Sushan wrote:
> Howlan wrote:
> > Sushan wrote:
> > > This is a practical guide to relieve anxiety and stress, by two authors who
> > > are renowned as well as experienced in the subject.
> > >
> > > Yet, this is a book to read and understand by the reader him/herself, and
> > > then to apply its content to get relieved from his/her anxiety and stress.
> > >
> > > To what extent this practice is practical? Without a proper assessment and
> > > a guidance from a trained personnel, will it deliver the expected results?
> > > Or will it worsen the issue?
> >
> > In case of treatments such as CBT, TMS or other procedures should take place in
> the
> > presence of trained personnel. ANd medication too must be taken according to
> > prescription to watch out for potential side-effects. But in case of natural
> remedies
> > can be done by the reader himself, especially medication and exercise. I think
> this
> > book is a guide to readers as solutions to counter their stress and anxiety. It
> > enables them to understand what options they have going forward and increases
> their
> > awareness. That being said, performing most remedies should be done under proper
> > guidance to maximize their effectiveness.
>
> Proper guidance will maximize the effect, and also it will minimize any harm that it
> may cause. Many who have problems are shy to seek help, and they try to solve their
> issues themselves. This sort of educational material can be an induction to what they
> do and it will only lead to further harm, not towards betterment.
>
> And I assume that you were trying to mention about 'meditation' in your comment,
> rather than 'medication' 🤔

Yes, thanks for pointing out the typo there.

And it is true, however, in most cases, the author did a good job in helping readers understand how to take into effect the remedies. He mentions if something is harmful in excess, the side-effects are mentioned too. So much harm should be caused unless a reader disregaurds the words of caution the author mentions in his remedies.