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Addicted to Anxiety

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Addicted to Anxiety

By: Owen O'Kane
Narrated by: Owen O'Kane
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A GROUNDBREAKING NEW WAY TO OVERCOME YOUR ANXIETY, FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR OWEN O’KANE.


Feeling anxious is part of being human; sometimes it can even be necessary or useful. But what about when anxiety takes over? When you feel like it’s too often dictating your life?

Have you ever considered that you might be addicted to anxiety?

In this groundbreaking book, bestselling author and psychotherapist Owen O’Kane explores how we all unwittingly build habits around our anxiety. This, he argues, is how we become addicted – the behaviours and thought patterns that help us feel safe in the short term ultimately serve to perpetuate it.

Put simply, we get hooked.

The answer? Break the cycle.

How?

  1. Recognize: You must understand your anxiety and identify your triggers before you can start to unpick it.
  2. Tackle: Discover vital techniques for breaking the underlying habits and patterns.
  3. Move forward: Learn strategies for navigating setbacks or relapses on the road ahead.

Addicted to Anxiety will help you understand your anxiety from the perspective of addiction, identifying your triggers and learning how to break your habits so you can actively replace them with new, more productive behaviours for a calmer, happier life.

‘Owen helps us look at our lives and happiness in a clear and practical way’
Fearne Cotton

‘Owen is an expert at showing, in his brilliantly down-to-earth way, how we can find happiness in the real world’ Rob Rinder, aka Judge Rinder

Owen is bringing much needed therapy to all of us. He brings down the stigma attached to being vulnerable and is making talking about mental health approachable for everyone’ Dr Rupy Aujla, MBBS, BSc, MRCGP The Doctor’s Kitchen

© Owen O'Kane 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Anxiety Disorders Mental Health Personal Development Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Happiness Habits

Critic reviews

One of the country's leading experts on mental health
Owen takes the tangled, overwhelming problem of anxiety and unravels it with clarity and compassion ... turning the hard-to-understand into simple, actionable wisdom that anyone can use to reclaim peace and take control of their life.
Owen's experience and wisdom allows him to cut to the chase of why we get stuck in difficult emotions and, more importantly, show us how to navigate them for happier lives. A must-read.
A really important read for anyone wanting to live more comfortably with their anxious self. Full of clinical expertise, warmth and humanity.
Owen has the rare gift of explaining complex emotions in a truly engaging and digestible way. His tips and strategies for managing those emotions are explained with care, compassion and humour. Highly recommended.
Addicted to Anxiety is a truly powerful and important book. Owen O'Kane’s piercing clarity as a therapist and writer gifts anybody who has experienced anxiety the insight and tools to overcome It.
There’s a reason Owen’s work has put him at the very top of his profession and why his books continue to top the best sellers chart - he’s one of the very best in his field.
Generous, wise and very persuasive
Friendly, reassuring, and confidently expert (i News)
A fascinating read for anyone looking to break the cycle of worrying
All stars
Most relevant
Done a lot of work in this space with therapy and sub personality work, this brings it all together and allows you to build a healthy relationship with anxiety as your friend.

Superb

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I read Owen’s latest book over the course of a week having been attracted by its title. Such clarity and guidance delivered by a true professional with both humility and an element of tough love coupled with a sense of humour. It feels like it offers something new. I look forward to now working through it with confidence that it will add further to my understanding of managing anxiety. Thank you Owen. It’s a gem.

Expertise, clarity and humility par excellence.

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When I started listening to this book I couldn’t stop..Read by author which felt like a warm caring friend (lovely Irish accent helped!).. It was so insightful and taught me things I have tried out (already seeing some results).. I recommend any anxiety sufferer to read this book.

One of the best books on Anxiety

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I was gifted Owen's 'Ten to Zen' a few years ago and really enjoyed it. This new book was really enjoyable to listen to, I find Owen's voice very calming and as I am also from Northern Ireland it kind of feels like listening to an old friend. A new way of looking at anxiety and recognising the part we play in getting stuck in a loop. Highly recommend for anyone living with ongoing anxiety.

another great read from Owen O'Kane

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I love how he is so encouraging and makes me feel I really can succeed in getting over my addiction and maintain a better understanding if myself.

Owen understands exactly how I feel

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