Addicted to Anxiety

By: Owen O'Kane

Narrated by: Owen O'Kane

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

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