Anxiety Disorders (USA TODAY Health Reports: Diseases and Disorders)

After twenty years working as a nurse in hospitals, Cherry ventured into the world of writing. Her experience as a registered nurse is reflected in her writing. She has had articles published in Woman's World, Journal of Christian Nursing, Teachers in Focus, Christian Educator's Journal, Journal of Christian Healing, New Heart, Mature Years, Church of God Evangel, The Gem, Cross & Quill, Writers' Exchange, At Ease Magazine, and Doll Collector's Price Guide. In 1997, Cherry wrote a continuing education home study course for nurses, published by National Center for Continuing Education. Her first book was published in 1999. She was a contributing editor for Suite101, an Internet portal, for a number of years. These Suite101 columns and her personal websites continue to help market her books. Cherry coauthored The OCD Workbook: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with Bruce M. Hyman, Ph.D. After selling over 53,000 copies, they published a second edition in 2005. The third edition will be published in 2010. Cherry has coauthored seven books. She is now being pulled back to her first passion: inspirational writing for adults and children.

"More than 16 percent of U.S. teens and adults suffer from some type of anxiety disorder caused by biological, genetic, psychological, and/or environmental factors. Anxiety is the brain and body's natural fear response to perceived threat, thus preparing us for fight or flight. Hyman and Pedrick's book is a valuable and informative resource for young adults in identifying specific disorders. Descriptive case studies are presented, and young readers will be able to identify a multitude of the most common anxiety disorders described in these real life scenarios. Person-in-situation examples powerfully illustrate the features of each disorder, enabling readers to easily identify themselves or others. Anxiety disorders are accompanied by their own idiosyncratic symptoms, all clustering around irrational fears based upon faulty beliefs and perceptions. Panic disorder, social phobia, and a variety of other phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, agoraphobia, PTSD, and generalized anxiety disorder are described. Prolonged anxiety often results in vulnerability to depression. The importance of early identification of symptoms to modify the possibility of long-term or major depression is emphasized. Concise and understandable descriptions of the brain, neurotransmitters, genetics and the use of medications (SSRI's and benzodiazepines), is presented toward the goal of explaining neurobiological functioning. Beyond medical strategies, many other treatment options and methods are examined, such as embarking upon therapies that have been proved effective, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management, behavioral modification, exposure and response therapy, and exercise. This book offers a strong message of hope and mastery for those suffering from brain-based anxiety, as the brain can undo what it created." --Science Books & Films

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