On June 8th, bookstores had a new copy on their shelves: 'Fearless', the publication of the psychologist, popularizer and media leader, Rafael Santandreu, who returns to the market with another cognitive psychology manual of self-therapy to finally overcome:
- Panic attacks
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Hypochondria
- Any irrational fear
'Without fear', the definitive method
The book contains More than 20 testimonies of overcoming which explain in detail how to lose fear and learn «a new way of being in the world, full of confidence and love for life,» as indicated in some bookstores.
'No fear' is the ultimate method. «Anyone can put it into practice by following the instructions and, of course, without the need to take drugs. Get ready to become the best version of yourself: a free, powerful and happy person,» he explains in his synopsis.
«Is it possible to live without fear?» Santandreu asks in his book. «Of courseHundreds of thousands of people have rewired their brains using this method.supported by hundreds of scientific studies,» he responds.
Along with 'The art of not making life miserable', 'Nothing is so terrible', 'Being happy in Alaska' and 'The glasses of happiness', 'Without fear' temporarily completes the library written by Santandreu with which he intends to «help those who read them «a, for example, to enjoy life more intensely.»
Self-therapy in the midst of the rise of emotional illnesses
The rise of the acute emotional illnesses has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic and is already affecting the 30% of the populationIt is true that this diagnosis had grown over the last few years, however, the virus and its economic and social consequences have caused the percentage to be even higher.
Disorders such as panic attacksthe hypochondria and the obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd) They have been increasing in recent months and, according to Santandreu, they can be very disabling and ruin the lives of those who suffer from them.
“Anxiety disorder has increased dramatically. OCD is a disorder that affects many people. It is the most acute fear that we humans can experience and the suffering that it causes is enormous.”
Rafael Santandreu
«'Fearless' is my most important book “Because it will help people who are going through a very bad time,” he said in his interview with Penguin Spain.These diseases currently affect around 15-20% of the population.«.
'Without fear', a book for anyone who is afraid
This publication is primarily aimed at those who suffer from panic attacks, hypochondria and OCD, but «actually it is also It is aimed at everyone because practically all people on earth have exaggerated or irrational fears.«, says Santandreu. Therefore, this four-step method also works for minor fears.
As the psychologist explains, there are Two types of fear: simple fear and complex fear. The simple one refers to the situation in which you are afraid of an external agent, for example, cats. By moving away from them, the fear is resolved.
However, The fears discussed in the book are complex, that is, internal, those that cannot be escaped, for example, fear of one's own thoughts. The drawback of suffering from this type of fear is that It feeds back leading to an exasperating situation. Rafael Santandreu explains that «the solution is knowing how to break this spiral. People who do this free themselves from these acute fears.»
4 steps to overcome fear
The four steps to overcome acute fears – which also apply to any other fear – are: face, accept, float and let time pass.
Face It means you have to go to Find the source of fear and get in touch with itThis is exactly what the person does not want to do, and it is normal, because our mind and body are programmed to “take our hand away from the fire.” This works as long as it is not about the fear of fear, which is what the book talks about. This step must be “done in a continuous, systematic and orderly manner; it must be done well.”
In the case of acceptance, Santandreu refers to «accept your own unpleasant emotions, don't run away, be with them«The psychologist says that they are necessary to heal yourself in an open way, without running away.
With float It is understood that «You don't have to fight against the emotionnor clench your teeth tightly to endure it, but try to go through those emotions in the most relaxed way possible.listening to music, sitting comfortably, watching birds, etc.
As for the passage of timethis is essential. You must know that You will not be cured immediately, you need a long exposure time and you have to prepare for it. «What happens is that if you are in a hurry, you are no longer accepting, which is the second step, then the system will no longer work for you because it is very important to develop the four steps,» says the psychologist and writer.
Testimonies as examples of overcoming
The book includes among others 20 and 25 testimonies of people who overcame major disorders by following these four steps as panic attackshypochondria and OCD. The case highlighted by Rafael Santandreu is that of Maria Jose55 years old, who suffered panic attacks for 30 years -from 20 to 50 years old- every day and night.
Even though I was taking up to seven or eight tranquilizers a day He still continued to suffer from the attacks. When he was 54 years old, he underwent therapy with the Santandreu team, with whom he managed to recover.
«María José says very nice things like now, For the first time in his life, he loves life, enjoys it and has a peaceful mind.which allows him to appreciate the little things,» says the writer.
“All the people who tell their stories in the book know that they have overcome their fears for life because after overcoming that, there is nothing that scares them anymore.”
Rafael Santandreu
With real testimonies that exemplify the four steps to follow, Rafael Santandreu once again launches a self-therapy book with which he intends help all that percentage of people who need guidance to overcome panic attacks, hypochondria and OCDas well as other not so acute fears.