Product Description

Rae is beyond socially awkward.

 Since she was a little girl, Rae Swiggett knew something was different about her. The sound of planes flying overhead could spark a panic attack. Being called on in class was enough to push her over the edge. She feared the unknown, life, death, people . . . even fear itself.

 By the time she reached ninth grade, Rae was muddling through life in relative silence, convinced everyone was mocking her, judging her, picking her apart, bit by little bit. Rae knew she couldn't keep going on this way. She knew something had to give.

'It's a game of catch-22 I constantly play with myself. If I keep acting normal, I hope one day I will be, but every time I try, I just let myself down. I'm so entirely sick of this game.'

Because Truth Is More Fascinating Than Fiction

www.louderthanwordsbooks.com

Customer Reviews (5)

A book everyone should read!
Rae is a book that I hold really close to my heart. Not just because I adore Chelsea, but because I also suffered with severe anxiety in high school. The things that I always thought were just me, routines and antics that made me feel like the only person in the world with this problem, are put into far better words than I could ever come up with in Rae.

This isn't really a story; it's more of a detailed explanation of her day-to-day life and how she handled living with her anxiety, but it still managed to capture me and keep me turning page after page. Chelsea is a phenomenal writer. She can go from writing a heart-wrenching description of her emotions to being quirky and sarcastic, but it works.

I think this is a book that everyone should read, along with the other HCI Teen books. I can't even count all the times I've been told that I'm being ridiculous or stupid because of the limitations that my anxiety has put on my life. It's an incredibly tough thing to explain and I applaud Chelsea for being able to summarize just how difficult and mentally painful Anxiety can be. I want to buy a copy of this book and give it to anybody who has ever rolled their eyes at me, because, despite our differences dealing with Anxiety, it's still a wonderful depiction of how my head works.

Overall, I loved this book and I can guarantee that I will be picking it up again and again in the future when I start to feel overwhelmed with myself. I definitely recommend this book to everyone! There's no romance or action or paranormal creatures, but it's still intense read that will raise awareness on Anxiety and leave it's mark on you for a long time.

Memorable and Worthwhile to Read
RAE is raw, real, and I'm truly grateful that Swiggett shared her story.

As one of the newest additions to the Louder Than Words series of memoirs, RAE is definitely memorable and worthwhile to read. Rae is quiet and introverted outside of her comfort zone at home. She gets tongue-tied whenever she has to speak in class, forgetting the right answers in only seconds. She worries that everyone's watching every move she makes. Even her weight becomes something she struggles with. She's the girl who just might be faking sick at home, or maybe even ducking her head when you pass her in the halls...and she's completely real.

RAE is one of those memoirs that I'm sure a lot people can relate with at one point or another. I knew by the time I finished reading the first chapter that RAE was eerily close to how I remember my high school experience. All those times when you think everyone is mocking you and your heart won't stop pounding, or when all the wrong words come out in a jumbled mess whenever you try to speak around people you aren't comfortable with, the fear that grips you sometimes, even when you know everything is okay...it's real, it happens, and it's nice to know that those of us who experience some of these moments are not alone.

Highlights: I could relate with certain aspects of Swiggett's memoir. I remember those days in high school (I still can feel that way in class). I have to really praise Swiggett for taking a chance, being brave, and sharing her story. I know I really wish I had read something like RAE back when I was in high school.

Lowlights: There were a few confusing moments. Yet, I couldn't stop reading until I finally finished the entire book. I couldn't tear myself away.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

Review from marie LOVES books!
It's hard to review a memoir since it's about someone's life.

It's been awhile since I've been in high school, but just because I'm out of high school doesn't really mean the teasing stops. Reading Rae's story brought me back to middle school, a memory I think I had forgotten where people who I thought were my friends one day, spent the rest of the year talking about me within earshot distance and throwing spit balls at the back of my head. I was brought back to the days when I'd call in sick to school because I couldn't face it. And the whole time I was reading her story, I couldn't help but feel bad for her. Like I wanted to somehow end up in that room and tell her it's okay.

Reading about her panic attacks also hit close to me. I constantly think about death, or well, I did. Sometimes I still do. And it's horrible. For a few years I had a fear of leaving the house on Halloween. I avoid road trips or long drives. I don't usually get panic attacks on airplane rides, just where there's a lot of turbulence. But all these feelings and all these thoughts are horrible and they make some days far worse than the rest.

The part that surprised me the most about reading this was that Chelsea is a fellow book blogger! She mentioned a road trip with her and Kristi at the end of the book which I remember reading on my news feed on Twitter not too long ago!

I love the idea behind the "Louder Than Words" series and I can't wait to read the rest of them!

Review from Luxury Reading
Rae: My True Story of Fear, Anxiety, and Social Phobia, part of the Louder Than Words series, is the story of Chelsea Rae Swiggett as told in her own words. As far back as Chelsea could remember, she felt different. The sounds of airplanes kept her up at night, worried that one might crash into her house at any minute. Family road trips were a source of constant anxiety as Chelsea imagined dozens of different ways to die in a car. High school was its own ordeal. Transferring to a new school for freshman year, Chelsea hoped to make a fresh start, but her fear of social interactions led her classmates to believe that she was at best extremely socially awkward and at worst mute.

As Chelsea struggled to step outside her perceived comfort zone and be more social, the result was just more uncomfortable silences and missed opportunities to form bonds with her peers. Her admissions to her mother that she was different were met with "you're just shy"; Chelsea finally met with a psychiatrist when she blurted out that she was depressed, and was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Constant anxiety was a new concept for me, and reading Rae gave me a better understanding of what it's like to live with this disorder. Chelsea was very honest in describing her feelings and experiences, and I think her story is an important read for anyone. Those who don't know much about the disorder will hopefully learn to be more sensitive towards individuals suffering with anxiety. For those who deal with anxiety on a daily basis or who have family members that do, Rae will show them that they are not alone and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

A meaningful and moving memoir!
My Rating: 4.5

Rae was a meaningful and moving memoir written by our very own blogger The Page Flipper. Chelsea's vulnerability and raw honesty was commendable. It takes a lot of guts to reveal hidden fears to others. There is always that chance that people might not accept you for who you are. I for one, respect and can somewhat relate with Chelsea. Over the years, I also struggled with anxiety and the fear of death. Like Chelsea, my imagination can somewhat be overactive and I tend to worry too much. Also in comparison, I'm also afraid of plane crashes, car accidents or anything that doesn't look safe. The part where I sympathized most within the story, was her social anxiety. So many teens and adults deal with emotional discomfort and fear while interacting with others. I believe now a days, this plays a huge role in bullying. I hate people who scrutinize individuals and make them feel insecure and worthless. Who are we to judge?

This memoir has the ability to touch a lot of lives who suffer with the same phobias. The part where Chelsea mentioned her anxious feelings in class brought back so many memories for me. I despised participating in class and always made it my business to sit in the back. I always felt like people were observing my every imperfection, so I figured no one could see me besides the wall. To this day, I'm not really sure why I have these feelings, but I've learned to hide them very well. I appreciate Chelsea for opening her soul to readers. She's taught me that I am not alone and can have the strength to surpass my fears and live in the moment. Not only was there intense stories, her writing was also impeccable. She has great story-telling skills that will hopefully one day grace the pages of a YA fiction novel. Overall, I'm glad to have had the chance to understand Chelsea more as a person. I recommend this memoir to those who want to read a touching and enlightening book. ... Read more

Product Description
Social phobia is characterized by excessive anxiety or discomfort in situations where a person might feel judged or evaluated by others, including performance situations (e.g., being the center of attention, public speaking, working under observation, playing sports or music in front of an audience) and situations involving interpersonal contact with others (e.g., making small talk, meeting new people, dating). According to large-scale epidemiological studies, social phobia is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders. Although prevalence estimates vary, recent studies suggest that approximately 7% of Americans suffer from this disorder. In addition to the high percentage of people with symptoms meeting criteria for this disorder, many other individuals experience social anxiety or shyness to a lesser, but still impairing degree. Social phobia is also a common comorbid condition, often diagnosed along with other anxiety disorders.

Taken together, this information suggests that practitioners are likely to encounter patients displaying some degree of social anxiety, no matter what specialty service or setting they occupy. Although social anxiety is a widely encountered problem, there are few resources available to provide straightforward, accessible assessment and treatment information for practitioners. This book aims to fill that gap. Over the past 20 years, effective tools have been developed to identify and treat individuals with social anxiety. The current book will provide up-to-date information on the diagnosis, identification, conceptualization, and treatment of social anxiety and social phobia.

This book is aimed at practitioners who practice in a broad range of settings, from specialty clinics to general practice, as well as students. Existing books tend to focus on the psychopathology of social anxiety, address multiple disorders in one volume, or provide extensive and detailed protocols for treating this disorder. In contrast, this book is a more concise guide to identification and treatment that is accessible for the busy practitioner. It focuses specifically on social phobia and social anxiety, making it an attractive reference book for professionals who require clear, easy to follow guidelines on treatments for social anxiety. ... Read more

Product Description
Clinicians, social and developmental psychologists and behavioral geneticists have all conducted research over the past ten years which is essential to furthering our understanding of and treatment of social anxiety disorders. If researchers and clinicians are to successfully combat this disorder, the literature must fully integrate studies on social anxiety, shyness, and embarrassment with the research on social anxiety disorder subtypes, biological theories and cognitive-behavioral or pharmacological treatment outcome studies. This book weaves together research findings gathered by renowned minds across these various disciplines, and chapters deal with both theory and research. Thorough exploration is given as to how to define what constitutes social anxiety, and assessment of the condition and its relationship to other psychological disorders. The biological basis and treatment approaches are also all explored in full. Coverage includes key issues not disucssed fully by other existing books, including related disorders of adult and childhood, relationship to social competence and assertiveness, relationship to perfectionism, social skills deficit hypothesis, comparison between pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, and potential mediators of change in the treatment of social anxiety disorder.

* The most comprehensive source of up-to-date data, with review articles covering a thorough deliniation of social anxiety, theoretical perspectives, and treatment approaches
* Consolidates broadly distributed literature into single source, saving researchers and clinicians time in obtaining and translating information and improving the level of further research and care they can provide
* Each chapter is written by an expert in the topic area
* Provides more fully vetted expert knowledge than any existing work
* Integrates findings from various disciplines - clinical, social and developmental psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, - rather than focusing on only one conceptual perspective
* Provides the reader with more complete understanding of a complex phenomena, giving researchers and clinicians alike a better set of tool for furthering what we know
* Offers coverage of essential topics on which competing books fail to focus, such as: related disorders of adult and childhood; the relationship to social competence, assertiveness and perfectionism; social skills deficit hypothesis; comparison between pharmacological and psychosocial treatments; and potential mediators of change in the treatment of social anxiety disorder population ... Read more

Product Description
Essentials of Social Anxiety is a shorter, revised paperback edition of The International Handbook of Social Anxiety, focusing on developmental and clinical perspectives. It is organized into two parts: The Development of Social Anxiety; and Clinical Perspectives and Interventions. Like the International Handbook, it covers research, assessment and treatment, giving clinical practitioners comprehensive coverage of the area and a single concise desk reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential handbook of social anxiety for clinicians
Social anxiety is triggered by the prospect or reality of certain kinds of social situations, as opposed to anxiety associated with for example insects, heights, enclosed spaces, blood or death. Social situations can be meeting new people, going on a date, public speaking or answering the telephone.
The essential handbook of social anxiety is a condensed version of the "International handbook of social anxiety" published by Wiley in 2001 with 13 up-dated chapters by professionals and researchers working in the field of psychology and psychiatry from Canada, United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
The first section on origins and development of anxiety has five chapters, while the second section on clinical perspectives and interventions has eight chapters.
An essential book for professionals working with anxiety due to the well-written, researched and scholarly chapters with many relevant references and a useful index.

Professor Joav Merrick, MD
(...)



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Product Description
In this audio from theReleasing You FromA" series, international bestselling mind power author Stephen Richards has developed one of the most powerful ways to help you overcome social anxiety attacks. This groundbreaking brainwave technology does not use self-hypnosis or subliminal messaging. In less than 30 minutes the main track will target the core of the problem and help you overcome nerve racking situations from panic attacks to being fearful of strangers to simply being tongue tied at or feared of social events. This audio should be additional to, and not in place of, any normal treatment you are already receiving from a qualified medical practitioner. Using up to date methods of paraliminals with brainwave technology this audio overcomes the need to use self-hypnosis. Being struck dumb with nerves, stuttering and stammer or blushing bright red are all symptoms of social anxiety. Now these situations need no longer fill you with dread. Now there is something you can do to change this. The technology used in this can turn your life around, and it can boost your moral. The best time to listen to this is through the daytime, or when you are alert.For the best results it is advisable to listen to this audio through stereo headphones. Please ensure you know which part of the earpiece set is for the left and right ear, and wear accordingly. However, if you are left handed reverse the headset, so that the right earpiece is in or over your left ear, and the left earpiece is over or in your right ear. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Alcohol Research & Health, published by U.S. Government Printing Office on March 22, 2002. The length of the article is 5146 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Social anxiety disorder and alcohol use.
Author: Sarah W. Book
Publication: Alcohol Research & Health (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2002
Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office
Volume: 26Issue: 2Page: 130(6)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Triumph Over Shyness is full of practical tips, helpful techniques, and more to help manage anxious thoughts and physical symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Using humor, warmth, and language that is easy to understand, authors Murray Stein, MD, MPH, and John Walker, PhD, explain what causes social anxiety disorder, how it impacts social and romantic relationships, and what treatments work. Whether you are concerned about yourself, your child, a friend, or a relative, Triumph Over Shyness will help you understand the nature of the problem and what you can do about it."This is an indispensable, authoritative, and compassionate guide for anybody desiring to overcome or learn more about social anxiety disorder. Backed by the authors' extensive clinical and research experience, it provides hope and encouragement with a dash of humor." - Jonathan Davidson, MD, Emeritus Professor, Duke University Medical Center"The authors' years of experience in treating social anxiety shine through, as does their sense of humor. This book presents practical strategies for overcoming social anxiety. I highly recommend it!" - Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, Author, Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook and 10 Simple Solutions to Shyness"This book offers insights and outstanding tips from two of the world's leading experts on social anxiety; it's a great resource for anyone trying to tame social anxiety." - Franklin R. Schneier, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute"Social anxiety and shyness can become disabling and paralyzing. This book is a must-read for anybody who wants to understand and overcome this debilitating problem." - Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Boston University ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The best book on Atlantic City there is!
Profound, thought provoking and full of information that is useful to the student, professional or leisure reader. Anyone who has ever lived in, visited or who wants to learn about Atlantic City MUST read this book. I do not know too much about this Paulsson fellow, but he is a genius and I look forward to reading more of his work.

An Absolute Triumph!
Paulsson shows why he is one of the best historians in the business with this revealing and insightful account regarding the origins of Atlantic City - as well as its victories, failures and legacy. Especially interesting is Paulsson's expertise on race relations in Atlantic City. A fine piece of work and well worth the time to read. ... Read more

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This book explores the importance of communication in understanding fear and social anxiety. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A solid guide to treating separation anxiety in both parents and children
Written especially for clinicians of all backgrounds by psychology professors Andrew Eisen and Charles Schaefer, Separation Anxiety In Children And Adolescents: An Individualized Approach To Assessment And Treatment is a solid guide to treating separation anxiety in both parents and children. From teaching child coping skills and parent coping skills, to training patients to negotiate fear, managing pitfalls and relapses, and more, Separation Anxiety in Children and Adolescents demonstrates tested methods, illustrated with sample dialogues and anecdotes. An appendix of tests and scales for assessing levels of separation anxiety round out this useful resource for psychology professionals.
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Product Description
Social anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent and disabling of all psychiatric disorders. Fortunately, there have been significant advances in our understanding and treatment of this condition. Written by preeminent scientists in the field, this reference provides an authoritative and up-to-date account of current knowledge on social anxiety disorder (SAD)—providing state-of-the-art reviews and analyses of the psychopathology, pathogenesis, and management of this condition. ... Read more

Product Description

Shyness often helps protect us from the judgments and resentments of others, but once you get in the habit of avoiding social situations, you can become stuck in a cycle of avoidance that can be difficult to escape. Ready to let go of shyness and make stronger connections with others? The Mindful Path Through Shyness shows you how.

This guide uses techniques from mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you cultivate awareness of your own thoughts so that you can act with more wisdom and compassion toward yourself. Over time, you will be able to free yourself of the old mental habits of self-consciousness and self-blame, and replace them with new habits that foster confidence and joy.

A heartfelt and practical guide to... transforming one's relationship to social fears and inhibitions.
-Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., author of The Mindful Way Through Depression

Customer Reviews (7)

Mindfulness for Shyness
I am a psychotherapist, researcher and writer who has been utilizing mindfulness-based stress reduction skills for a number of years targeted at families and teenagers.I have found this book useful and a great addition to anyone who is struggling with the anxiety related to being what we call a "shy" person.I find that this book can help someone get out of their shell more especially in relationship situations.I find that Steve Flowers has created a useful and hands-on book from his personal and clinical experience.I believe many people including teenagers could benefit from this offering.

Lotus Guide Magazine Review
The Mindful Path through Shyness:
How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You from Social Anxiety, Fear, and Avoidance
By Steven H. Flowers
ISBN: 978-1-57224-650-8 (New Harbinger Publications, 2009)

Anyone caught in the grips of "shyness" would truly benefit from reading this book and doing the meditations. In step-by-step exercises Steve Flowers guides you through the many layers of self-judgment, self-blame, resentment, and anxiety that often accompany shyness. As a society we are evolving into a world that brings us face to face with other people and cultures, so healing ourselves breaks down the divisions that we often feel in others but that are actually within ourselves. I wish I could have read this book many years ago while dealing with feelings of isolation that were a direct result of my shyness.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide
To Believe Or Not To Believe: The Social and Neurological Consequences of Belief Systems

How to turn shyness into an outward-focused awareness of others
The Mindful Path Through Shyness: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You From Social Anxiety, Fear & Avoidance provides a fine survey of shyness and how to let go of this for better connections with others. Techniques from mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy offer a survey of how to turn shyness into an outward-focused awareness of others. Health and psychology libraries will find this involving.

Mindfulness heals
Mindfulness has a remarkable healing effect. It provides the inner freedom that helps resolve difficult emotions, and this applies to social anxiety as so well described in this book. If you want to learn more about the therapeutic effects of mindfulness, I also recommend 'The Path of Mindfulness Meditation', available through Amazon.

A great resource on mindfulness and social anxiety
This is a great book. It is inviting, informative, wise, and practical. Steve Flowers has artfully combined his own experience with shyness with his expertise on mindfulness practices. Together, this becomes much more than a simple self-help book - it is more of an invitation and entry into a different way of being with yourself and with others. I have read many, many books on shyness and social anxiety for help with myself, my family, and my work. This book gave me a very different understanding of my own shyness. So often, self-help books leave me feeling like I have to do all sorts of things differently in order to feel better. The message in this book is quite different: we don't need to do anything differently at all; we just need to be ourselves. This book gives us the encouragement we need and the tools to do that. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a practical and easy to use workbook.Since it was first published in 1999, Gillian Butler's "Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness" has helped thousands of sufferers with this common problem and gained the respect of therapists and patients alike for its practical and friendly approach and is recommended on the NHS self-help scheme "Books on Prescription".This classic title has been adapted and is now available as a new large format edition available in three parts. Designed to run alongside the books, it places an emphasis on the more practical and interactive elements, with multiple worksheets and exercises to be completed on the page.Ideal for anyone to work through alone or with guided assistance, the new "Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness Self-Help Course" is a complete, step-by-step treatment providing the reader with the necessary skills to overcome social anxiety and shyness. ... Read more

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The youngster who won’t talk to anyone. The child who avoids social and extracurricular activities. The teenager who has trouble performing before others.

Many children experience social anxiety in certain settings. Some, however, perhaps as many as 4%, experience a clinical condition of severe social and evaluative anxiety that profoundly affects many life situations. Christopher A. Kearney’s Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youth sorts out the many nuances of thought and behavior associated with this condition. In doing so, the author gives practitioners and researchers a thorough, up-to-date understanding of childhood social anxiety and social phobia with respect to their characteristics, assessment, and treatment.

- Introductory chapter covers related concepts such as shyness, introversion, and social withdrawal.

- Accessible coverage of epidemiology, biological, and environmental risk factors.

- Provides integrated etiological models and a proposed developmental pathway.

- Clarifies differences of normal childhood and adolescent concerns and their more pathological counterparts.

- Applied examples feature typical as well as unusual cases.

- Later chapters cover empirically-based assessment and treatment recommendations.

- Strategies for relapse prevention are provided.

Clinical and counseling psychologists, school and educational psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and pediatricians will appreciate Kearney’s clarity, organization, and depth of coverage. For principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and other school-based professionals, Social Anxiety and Social Phobia in Youth helps answer their question, "Why won’t this child participate?"

Product Description
The number of people with some form of shyness has increased, and research now suggests that up to 50 per cent of people experience it. Many of these are "shy extroverts" - people who are publicly outgoing, but privately experience painful thoughts or feelings. Social phobia, the more chronic form of shyness, is now thought to affect about 13 per cent of people. People who are shy are also at increased risk of depression and anxiety. The growth in shyness may be partly due to increased reliance on technology as a means of communicating, leaving people less adept at face to face interaction. As children are increasingly forced off the streets and families become smaller so there are fewer opportunities for unstructured, unsupervised interaction. Finally, automation is replacing human contact in many areas of life from ATMs to the notorious telephone answering services.This book looks at: the anthropological and cultural contexts of shyness; social development and personality; the benefits of shyness such as more committed relationships; how to increase confidence; dealing with social anxiety; finding friends and romance; and, shyness and longer-lasting psychological problems. ... Read more

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Univ. of Florida, Gainesville. Pocket-sized quick reference argues that comorbidity is a key tool for understanding the mood and anxiety disorders. Discusses why comorbidity is so important as a conceptual tool, considers diagnostic overlaps and distinctions in depression, and reviews the epidemiology of their comorbidity. Softcover. ... Read more