Review of Phobia Relief
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Review of Phobia Relief
[Following is a volunteer review of "Phobia Relief" by Kalliope Barlis.]
Phobia Relief by Kalliope Barlis is a self-help book intended for people who suffer from a phobia. According to the John Hopkins Medicine website, about nineteen million Americans have one or more phobias that range from mild to severe. This book is therefore about a very relevant and pressing matter: phobias and how to overcome them. Kalliope defines a phobia as: "an extreme fear of a particular thing or situation, especially one that does not have a reasonable explanation and prevents you from doing something that you would do normally (that is until the phobia shrinks and the feelings reduce)."
The author opines that no one is born with fear, that fear is learned and so can be unlearned. The author thus offers methods to get rid of the phobia through exercises at the end of most of the chapters. In this book, these methods are referred to as Neuro-Linguistic Programming which according to the author, "offers a safe, quick, effective, mindful, and drug-free solution to dealing with fears and stress because it guides you to become more aware of how you think."
The best aspect of this book is the simplicity and conciseness of the writing. Very rarely did I have to look up a term in the dictionary, which is not an easy feat as it contains unfamiliar medical terms. This made my reading very enjoyable, as there were no interruptions. I also loved the exercises at the end of most chapters that involved the reader and staved off boredom.
The worst aspect, in my view, was the description of the exercises. I could not understand them and, hence, could not execute them because they were abstract. For instance, instructions like "Float your attention" did not make sense to me. Some of the descriptions are like, "When you get to the very beginning of the memory, start "blinking" it black and white, fast." "Do this repeatedly until it is white." I found this hard to do.
I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. There were no spelling errors, and the writing was excellent. However, there was a paragraph where the author says a man’s acne was caused by fear, yet when I fact-checked it over the internet, I found that stress can only worsen acne, not cause it. I thus deducted one star for misleading readers. I also found the exercises inexecutable, so I deducted one more star.
I would recommend this book to people who suffer from phobias. However, I would also advise seeking medical advice even as you read the book. This book is not for people who suffer from mental illness since they would require more specialized care and diagnosis.
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Phobia Relief
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Phobia Relief by Kalliope Barlis is a self-help book intended for people who suffer from a phobia. According to the John Hopkins Medicine website, about nineteen million Americans have one or more phobias that range from mild to severe. This book is therefore about a very relevant and pressing matter: phobias and how to overcome them. Kalliope defines a phobia as: "an extreme fear of a particular thing or situation, especially one that does not have a reasonable explanation and prevents you from doing something that you would do normally (that is until the phobia shrinks and the feelings reduce)."
The author opines that no one is born with fear, that fear is learned and so can be unlearned. The author thus offers methods to get rid of the phobia through exercises at the end of most of the chapters. In this book, these methods are referred to as Neuro-Linguistic Programming which according to the author, "offers a safe, quick, effective, mindful, and drug-free solution to dealing with fears and stress because it guides you to become more aware of how you think."
The best aspect of this book is the simplicity and conciseness of the writing. Very rarely did I have to look up a term in the dictionary, which is not an easy feat as it contains unfamiliar medical terms. This made my reading very enjoyable, as there were no interruptions. I also loved the exercises at the end of most chapters that involved the reader and staved off boredom.
The worst aspect, in my view, was the description of the exercises. I could not understand them and, hence, could not execute them because they were abstract. For instance, instructions like "Float your attention" did not make sense to me. Some of the descriptions are like, "When you get to the very beginning of the memory, start "blinking" it black and white, fast." "Do this repeatedly until it is white." I found this hard to do.
I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. There were no spelling errors, and the writing was excellent. However, there was a paragraph where the author says a man’s acne was caused by fear, yet when I fact-checked it over the internet, I found that stress can only worsen acne, not cause it. I thus deducted one star for misleading readers. I also found the exercises inexecutable, so I deducted one more star.
I would recommend this book to people who suffer from phobias. However, I would also advise seeking medical advice even as you read the book. This book is not for people who suffer from mental illness since they would require more specialized care and diagnosis.
******
Phobia Relief
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Dream For Peace by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
