Cards Against Anxiety: A Guidebook and Cards to Help You Stress Less

by Pooky Knightsmith

Anytime and anywhere, put your worries to rest with this guidebook and portable set of cards
 
Cards Against Anxiety is a unique approach to dealing with anxiety, overwhelming thoughts, and other unwanted feelings that accompany the stresses of everyday modern life. This slipcase set includes a guide to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, and a deck of 25 wallet-size cards. Each card has a focus phrase on the front and a handy reminder of the technique on the back. The book highlights which methods you may find most useful for different situations, so you can pull the card that you want to focus on and carry it with you or prop it up on your desk or mirror. Whether you are at work, at school, at home, or on the road, these techniques are easy to use and, with practice, will significantly improve your mood, focus, and quality of life.
 
Special FeaturesSlipcase box with 128-page paperback book and 25 cards

Genres: Psychology, Self Help

128 pages, Paperback

Published February 11, 2020

Reviews

[Bana AZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, it's OK

This product consists of cards with prompts on one side, and a short guide on the other side, plus a guidebook with more information of what's on the cards.

This was a very accessible product to lessen anxiety. It was easy to understand, and many of the techniques were quickly applicable. Not all techniques are applicable for everyone, and that's why many kinds are included. Just choose what works for you. Some techniques are widely known already, like belly breathing, or naming five things you can see, but there were a few that were new to me.

The only thing I didn't like about this was the name. Cards Against Anxiety, though it explains what the cards and guidebook are for, are too close to Cards Against Humanity, a card game with dark humor. Other than that, I thought this was great. It set out what it aimed to do. The cards are very useful because there were plenty of times when I would read self-help books and think to write notes on index cards (but never get around to it). This one has it already done.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on 25 different techniques to help you deal with anxiety in your day to day life. I have read many books like this and I enjoyed this one. The book is colourful and has simple step by step following the different techniques. Some of them are well known techniques such as the Count to Five (5 things you can see etc), but some others I had never heard of and find that they can be useful. This book is also reassuring in making it so you know that the anxiety is going to come and go, it doesn't have to overtake you. Of course these techniques will work really well for some people and won't work for others. I would say if you want to try them absolutely try them if you think it could help you.

[Jake Jeffries · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this set. I thought it was well put together and has some great tips for coping with anxiety. It is a tool that I can see myself coming back to time and time again. The breathing tips are awesome. The cards may make good bookmarks for other books in addition to using them for their intended purpose.

[katherine saint · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good starter guide of basic coping skills & techniques for beginners

[Ronan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book's intentions are good, but if I ended up tearing out all the pages instead of reading them there's something off. I got my stress / anxiety relief from turning those pages into impromptu origami and crafts more than the actual advice.

As far as that goes, you can save yourself some money and look it up online for free. The cards are a novelty item at best - why make yourself more noticeable in a public situation when you can just use a note app or the web for the same advice? I get the intention and apparent qualifications, but this to me feels the epitome of disrespect. The lack of awareness to assume this and a bunch of cards is going to make a persistent mental problem go away is staggering.

Speaking of, the titles of pages (sometimes exercise names that infuriate me to end, sometimes perky inspirational quote from someone I doubt the target audience has ever heard of in their life) have this pastel aesthetic I don't enjoy and I am forced to look at. If anything, the design of this book amplified my anxiety and depression tenfold. I have had to lower my expectations. That's why the perky backgrounds are great for origami and torture for my reading eyes.

The writer's voice is so casual, so patronising, that I couldn't continue through an entire page. In my opinion, they didn't sound qualified enough to give out five commands a page. I know that it's my personal preference - some prefer a more casual tone - but that's what a review is for.

I'm sure this book has helped other people, but that list won't include me.

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots and lots of different techniques to help yourself consistently get over stressed and anxious situations.
I really appreciate these kinds of books: simple tools and practices for helping reduce stress and anxiety.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful tips to help cope with Anxiety.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice book. Lots of good grounding techniques for anxiety, and very pretty designs on the pages that are often calming in and of themselves.

[Emraaj (catching up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was on my wishlist and i can confidently say it is helpful, get it, read it!

[Julija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manau, tai galėtų būti labai gera savipagalbos priemonė, bet įspūdį labai gadino prastas (pažodžiui) vertimas ir gramatinės klaidos.