I really liked the concept of this book and the art style was great, but I think the subject could have been handled better. I was left feeling a little confused about who this book was aiming to help. I think it could have been excellent and there were definitely good parts, but overall I think it could have been better.

Anxiety Is Really Strange is a look at the nature of anxiety and its diverse manifestations in people.

WHO WOULD ENJOY READING IT?
Anyone who suffering anxiety (chronic or not) or anyone living close to someone who suffers from such. Professionals who deal with anxiety-prone people might benefit from the illustrated medium used by the author to examine the subject.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT
I love the graphic novel format. There is a way illustration bring a new life to a topic that is sometimes difficult to pin down and this book does that well. The author gives detailed explanations and references are done in a way that does not interfere with the enjoyment of the book.

Anxiety is Really Strange by Steve Haines is available to buy on all major online bookstores.

Many thanks to Singing Dragon (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) for review copy.

"Anxiety is Really Strange" beautifully describes what it means to have anxiety. The graphic novel takes a more scientific approach to the topic, explaining the psychology behind anxiety. The art is gorgeous and clear, making a complex topic extremely accessible. The graphic novel provides different viewpoints on anxiety over history, and doesn't diminish what having anxiety is really like. It provides helpful tips for dealing with anxiety, and with so many people around the world struggling with mental illness, "Anxiety is Really Strange" is a must-read.

This work is quite an interesting way to try and approach the subject of anxiety. As someone who has dealt with anxiety for the majority of their life (and continues to do so), I find that it's not without its flaws. Clarity definitely could have been improved upon, as I ran into several pages and panels took a few re-reads in order for the message to sink in. Also, while most likely not the author's intent at all, the ending seems to imply that anxiety is something that can be relatively easy to manage with just the right strategies. I can and will personally attest that even when armed with solid strategies, the battle with one's own anxiety can still feel anything but manageable.

Still, "Anxiety Is Really Strange" clearly strives hard to try and address how complex anxiety is, and takes care to repeat and reiterate that very message quite plainly. I would consider it a good introduction on the topic (and something I'd like to have on hand for every person I meet who thinks "stop being anxious" is an actual thing one can do as easily as flipping a light switch).

This was a good little book! I really liked the artwork, I thought it was cute and illustrated the points really well. I liked how they made anxiety sound less scary and breaks down some stigma about anxiety being a sign of weakness or someone who is too emotional. It taught some great methods to try to help you when you're a anxious and I loved the way the illustrated them. I would highly suggest this to anyone new to anxiety and needs useful tips and knowledge. The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the random text at the bottom of the pages. I know it was for reference purposes, but I would have liked it they had been in the back of the book. I felt like it just cluttered the page and made it hard to focus.

If someone in your life doesn't understand your anxiety and why you act the way that you do, just hand them this great little book. This book offers a great introduction into the why's and how's of anxiety disorders and the art is really simple, yet aesthetically pleasing. The first half of the book is sort of an explanation/guide for anxiety and the second half is tips to help manage your anxiety. At first I thought the tips would be kinda stupid and would make me roll my eyes, but they were actually pretty good - some of them I've even used in the past! The main thing I didn't like about this book is the little paragraphs at the bottom of each page. It was like references in an essay just chucked at the bottom of the page with no context. They didn't really serve a purpose.

Thanks to netgalley for providing a copy to review! Anxiety is Really Strange is out January 18th!

Anxiety is Really Strange is a primer for anxiety and psychological theory in graphic novel format. I think others would enjoy this more; I have a B.S> in psychology so there wasn't much new in this book, but I feel like there are people that can learn a lot from the book.
I like the art; it fits well with the topic and theme. I also love that it gave some tips on how to handle your anxiety.

This book is not finished enough to review as a graphic novel. None of the text is in place.

This is a really interesting way to approach the subject of Anxiety. Not quite what I was expecting, but I liked it.

Thanks to Netgalley I had a chance to read this graphic guide about anxiety.

Release day: 18th January 2018

Blurb:

What is the difference between fear and excitement? How do the mind and body make emotions? When can anxiety be good?

'For many of us, anxiety and fear are daily visitors to the mind and body-in this brilliant book, Steve Haynes gives us freeing tolls to unmask these feelings... What he offers is apparently simple yet full of depth, with a touch of light - heartedness.' - Jonathan Satin, Managing Director, Triyoga

My rating:

🌟🌟🌟

My review:

I personally don't struggle with anxiety but I wanted to understand what anxiety is. The books is brilliant it talks not only about what anxiety is and its physiological reason but also shows few ways of dealing with it. There are few techniques that help people to take control over their anxiety attacks.

Anxiety is something no one should be ashamed of. Some people are more prone to it than others. The book helped me to understand that we all have the anxiety 'ingredients'.

The guide is simple, told in pictures but at the bottom of almost every page there is short support material to the graphic part above it. I think it'd worth checking up if you want to understand and find out more about anxiety. The book is directed to the readers that deal with it themselves so if you struggle with anxiety it might be worth to give it a go.

#NetGalley #arc #bookreview #NewRelease #anxiety #grapic #Guide #selfhelp

I didn't dislike the book, but neither could I finish it. It merely skirted the subject of anxiety, relying almost solely on citations from other sources and without ever going into depth. It seemed more like a summary of a book on anxiety. For a fast and broad introduction to anxiety, I think this would be useful.

An interesting premise but unfortunately I was not able to connect with the material.

I'm not really sure what to make of this book. The drawings are nice, but I felt like the book didn't necessarily do justice to the complexity of the subject. A lot of things were mentioned but not really developed (i.e. the microbiota) and I feel like it might be a nice introductory text for young people but that it lacks the depth to really answer any questions on its own.

A fully illustrated guide for the adult seeking understanding or advice about anxiety. It's probably a book to refer back to on multiple occasions - certainly I had to read it twice just to really get a grip on the contents enough for this review, as it goes off into tangents, and I'm sure it could have done with being more immediately clear. I just hope it helps someone.