Includes bibliographical references (pages 513-518) and index.

1 What to Expect from This Guide 3 -- 2 Scientific Background 8 -- Part 1 Two Principles Underlying Mental Fitness 13 -- 3 Valuing Yourself 15 -- 4 Recognizing That You Can Change 20 -- Part 2 Seven Basic Skills 29 -- 5 Managing Yourself and Your Time 31 -- 6 Facing the Problem 45 -- 7 Treating Yourself Right 52 -- 8 Problem-Solving: A Strategy for Change 61 -- 9 Keeping Things in Perspective: Help from Cognitive Therapy 71 -- 10 Building Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem 89 -- 11 Learning How to Relax 104 -- Part 3 How to Improve Your Relationships 117 -- 12 Importance of Relationships 119 -- 13 First Key to Good Relationships: Be Fair to Yourself and to Others 127 -- 14 Second Key to Good Relationships: Recognizing Voices from the Past 144 -- 15 Third Key to Good Relationships: Relationships as Systems 158 -- 16 Anger in Relationships 170 -- 17 Sexuality and Intimate Relationships 190 -- Part 4 Twin Enemies of Good Mood 215 -- Anxiety -- 18 Getting the Better of Anxiety and Worry, or Defeating the Alarmist 217 -- 19 Overcoming Fears and Phobias 235 -- 20 Stress: How to Live with the Right Amount of It 254 -- 21 Dealing with Panic: Controlling the Alarm System 270 -- Depression -- 22 Depression-The Common Cold of the Mind 283 -- 23 Digging Yourself Out of Depression 294 -- 24 How to Become Less Vulnerable to Depression 315 -- Part 5 Traumatic Experience 323 -- 25 Loss and Bereavement 325 -- 26 Dealing with the Past 342 -- 27 Recent Traumatic Events and Their Aftermath 367 -- Part 6 Mind and Body 387 -- 28 Breaking Habits and Stopping Smoking 389 -- 29 Averting Problems with Alcohol 406 -- 30 Overcoming Sleep Problems 423 -- 31 Good Eating Habits 434 -- Part 7 Working Mind 447 -- 32 Fundamentals of Effective Study 449 -- 33 Key Study Skills: Reading, Taking Notes, and Using the Material 457 -- 34 How to Improve Your Memory: Part 1: The Palest Ink and Other External Memory Aids 470 -- 35 How to Improve Your Memory: Part 2: Internal Memory Aids 477 -- 36 Making Decisions 492 -- 37 Thinking Straight 502.