Anxiety as an Ally: How I Turned a Worried Mind into My Best Friend

by Dan Ryckert

After experiencing his first panic attack on New Year’s Day of 2003, Dan Ryckert began a 12-year process of learning how to channel panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder until they became driving forces in his life. Using anxiety as his ally, he was able to land dream jobs within the video game industry and vastly improve the quality of his personal life.

In this candid recollection, you’ll learn about how he went from having panic attacks during college roll calls to speaking in front of large crowds with minimal interference from anxiety. More importantly, Ryckert details the methods in which he channelled these once-negative conditions until they became a driving force in his life and something he wouldn’t get rid of even if he was given the chance.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Mental Health, Audiobook, Health, Personal Development

105 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2015

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a bit of a weird case. I like Dan a lot as a personality on Giant Bomb, and especially on his life advice podcast Danswers. While initially presenting himself as kind of an idiot, he has since uncovered layers of sweetness, perseverance, and a good-natured desire to see everyone reach their full potential. Unfortunately as a writer, he's pretty weak, his writing lacking rhythm or flair. It's all very simple and to-the-point.

As such, I didn't actually love reading this book. But, as someone who co-habitats with a person afflicted with anxiety disorders, it was HELPFUL. That's probably more important.

Dan is really doing a service here, using his large fanbase to bring transparency to mental health issues. By being a public figure willing to open up about his own struggles, he's able to bring these issues to light in a way that many other writers could not. In the end, its short length and matter-of-fact presentation turns it into an effective beginner's guide to anxiety disorders. While I don't think it's a particularly great read, it's altruistic and likely helpful, so I really can't hate on it too much.

[Robert Bevill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Dan Ryckert since years ago when he first appeared on the Giant Bombcast as a guest. He's quickly become one of the people whose opinions I consider the most when it comes to video games, and while on camera he always comes off as a goofy, laid-back sort of guy, I was not surprised at all when I found out he suffers from anxiety.

Personally, I don't suffer from it nearly the level Dan talks about in his book. I've never had a panic attack, I've never had to seek medication for it, and I've never felt as though I could die because of an anxious situation. That said, while reading, I could still relate to many of the experiences he talks about. It was really refreshing to read about all the moments where he was on-camera and suffered panic attacks, yet one underlying theme was that he suffered in silence, and most people were not even aware of it.

And that's the whole point of the book, really. This isn't some novel where the protagonist screws up in the most extravagant possible fashion and has to redeem himself by the end. Dan has to go out of his way to tell the people close to him about his condition, because it isn't something that's readily apparent. There have been points in my own life where people could not believe that I was shy or anxious in social situations, because around them, I had been nothing but a jokester who was happy to have a few drinks and be around people.

Dan also stresses in his book that there's no magic cure. Anxiety is still something he struggles with every day, but at least he has gotten to a point where he can manage it with meditation, exercise, and even medicine, if the situation is bad enough. It's scary that anxiety is an ongoing struggle, but it emphasizes that you can't let it defeat you.

I've already made some changes in my life in the days I've read this book. I tried a simple 10-minute meditation (which I sucked at, but Dan says it's easy to screw it up when you're just starting out), and I've already signed up for a gym membership so I can give yoga a try as well. It's not so much that I'm looking to Dan for a guide, but if it worked for him, the least I can do is see if it works for me.

Thanks, Dan, for writing this book. It was an easy read, and I'll happily recommend it to friends who I suspect may be suffering from anxiety. And keep up the good work on Giant Bomb!

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It gives such a personal account of a successful life lived with a pretty bad case of anxiety and pragmatic solutions for those who already have it. Inspiring read.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most helpful thing I've read on anxiety, giving real life situations and how to deal with them, super recommend if you suffer with GAD or panic disorders.

[Noninuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anxiety as an Ally: How I Turned a Worried Mind into My Best Friend. "How I wish I know how to do that", was what I first thought when I saw this book appeared on my Pinterest. I wasted no time and went on Scribd and looked if they had this title. I've no idea who Dan Ryckert and how famous he is.

Dan Ryckert in this memoir of his, suggested a few methods that seem to work with him. He started off telling the first panic attack that he experienced in his life to how being open about it helps him in a lot of situations. He also explained why he refused medicine except when absolutely necessary and how he embraced his condition and continued to learn about it.

I'd say this is another eye opener to me about anxiety. I am a worrywart but I don't think I have anxiety disorder. Sometimes, my mind cannot stop thinking of negative thought. I read most of the time to stop my mind from going wild but some days, I felt overwhelmed and my only option is go to sleep. That is my only method to calm my head. Now, I know that what I should do is to work around it and be positive.

[Evan Wachowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, simple read full of anecdotal anti-anxiety tips and hilarious stories by dan Ryckert. I definitely enjoyed reading this book, especially as a fan of Dans work with giant bomb, but I’m not sure how affected I would have been by it if it hadn’t been written by someone I already look up to. If nothing else, this book has opened me up to doing more research on the techniques dan uses for combatting anxiety, but those looking for a catch-all anti anxiety book will likely be better off looking elsewhere.

Dan’s inherent charm and voice as a writer are the highlights of this book for me, and make it worth reading for anyone looking for a lighthearted exploration of how a total goofball has combatted a very serious battle with anxiety and panic disorder.

[Rob Gruszecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything will be alright and you’re not alone

[Christopher Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Ryckert, a popular Internet Person, may be a professional idiot, but he DOES occasionally have lucid moments in which he seems like a real human being.

This quasi-memoir chronicles Dan's battles with anxiety, beginning when he was in college. This is not a touchy-feely self-help book, it is a frank look at what anxiety is, what it feels like, and how to live with it.

An easy, quick read, and a great entry point for those looking to understand their, or a loved ones, anxiety, perhaps before diving headfirst into the crowded pseudo-science "cures" out there.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Dan as an online personality and reading his personal accounts was really engaging. He writes in such an honest and comforting way, and I found that I have some similar symptoms that he listed. It's nice knowing you're not alone, and knowing someone you look up to has dealt with it makes it a little easier.

Some great advice in here, but I can see people giving this book a pass if they don't know who Dan is. I really enjoyed it though.

[Dawn Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

It's great to hear a success story of someone dealing with anxiety. I too became too complacent and got taken by surprise by anxiety.

[Skye Lansing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't personally suffer from any anxiety disorders, but became interested in the book after hearing someone on youtube mention that reading it helped them with their anxiety. Since I have friends that do struggle with anxiety, this caught my attention and I decided to give it a read in the hope that it would give me some perspective on what they deal with.

I can honestly say that some of the things I learned surprised me. I already knew how serious anxiety attacks can become (one of my friends has said they make her feel like she is dying), but I didn't realize how abrupt the onset for an attack can be nor how unexpectedly anxiety disorders can develop, and while I had noticed that some of my friends can have problems caused by worrying they may suffer an attack, I hadn't really understood the progression.

All that said, I also think the advice Dan Ryckert has will be useful for a lot of people. Even though I don't personally suffer from anxiety, I found myself thinking that many of his approaches to dealing with anxiety would help me with the normal day-to-day stresses I face, so it is fair to say that I ended up finding more than I went looking for.

[trill · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the actual advice itself can be boiled down to the "standard" stay centered, mindfulness, nothing in exaggerations, the fact that a fairly public figure threw their story out there that you can relate to, if you have any sort of anxiety, is worth the read alone.

Not everyone's journey is the same but I am super happy that Dan had the support network he did, to be able to talk about it and make it less of a wall and more of a moving target to try to get away from.

The title is all about them growing becomes of anxiety and the process to battle it made them take chances they might not otherwise have done and having to stay vigilante for such chances and "opportunities".

Good book.

[Joshua Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly helpful and approachable book from someone with extensive experience in dealing with anxiety. As someone who has dealt with intense generalized anxiety my entire life, I found comfort and validation in this book. Turns out, Dan and I have stumbled upon some of the same techniques for coping, as well.

This is well worth a read if you struggle with anxiety OR if you know someone who does.

[Andrew Hyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re looking at a man who just finished his FOURTH book of the year. Yeah, yeah I know, watch out!!!! I’m coming for that 30 book goal!!! Oh and to all 4 people I follow, I’m gonna catch up and pass all of you, GET READY

[Samantha Pauly · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This book is perfect for anyone who is or has been struggling with anxiety or panic. It reminded me to not be complacent in my recovery.

[Isabelle reads a book a day because she has no friends · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jacob Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Dan Ryckert is a unicorn of a human and his struggles with anxiety are so relatable and down to Earth that it is a joy to read this book and feel that sense of comraderie.

[Goob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan's honesty and ability to share his journey with anxiety gives me the strength to walk my own.

[David Drayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book because a duder on a video game podcast I liked wrote it and sounded like he had a similar fight with anxiety as I. This then lead me to 10% happier and now I am a full on mediator, and probably a little happier.

[Holly Gruszecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about Dan Ryckert that is just so damn charming. He quickly became my favourite video game personality with that charm and his experiences as a normal, ambitious dude, living with anxiety demonstrates it even more. An easy and interesting read.

[Brian Chorley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've struggled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder all my life. I never buy self-help books so this was an unusual purchase for me. I was intrigued by the notion of using anxiety as a 'positive' force in your life and was convinced by the overwhelmingly positive reviews. I was a bit disappointed with what I ended up reading, as is this gives pretty standard coping-with-anxiety advice and doesn't, I would say, convey the idea advertised on the back cover or sub-title that anxiety 'helped' the author in any way, especially with his career. Most annoyingly for me, it doesn't even convey the idea that anxiety was much of a hindrance to getting his dream job so I can't even relate to it that well (he had bad jobs for what, a couple of years after graduating before getting his dream job).... Indeed, he started his 'effective' coping strategies *after* he got his dream job; and the reason he got it, to begin with, had really nothing to do with the habits he tried to develop while coping with anxiety. Instead, he did things to get this job that most people with generalized anxiety would find unthinkable - he put himself out there and regularly met with people with connections with the work he was trying to do. I would say *this point* is probably the most valuable information in the book, if anxiety has in any way affected your job performance or career path.

So yeah, I was expecting something more in line with the idea that anxiety was used to spark creativity or something, but instead it was basically a log of trial and error where the guy finally decided that what reduced anxiety the most was meditation and exercise, along with a call to expose yourself to situations that cause panic attacks to train yourself into realizing that it's not a big deal and the panic will subside.

Not terrible advice, I guess, but nothing super insightful either.

It was interesting to read about how some of the same triggers for the author have been triggers for myself, especially the feeling of being 'stuck' in a crowded space where the attention of the entire room is focused on a performance, which has been a major cause of severe panic attacks for me. Interestingly, I've never had problems at movies per se, but I have had major issues at concerts, graduation ceremonies/weddings, church as a kid, and meetings with large numbers of people where attention is fixed on one speaker.

Overall, like I said, I was just mainly disappointed with what I thought was misleading advertising for the book. The theme is that anxiety caused him to develop some healthy habits to cope with it which ultimately reduced his anxiety, not that his anxiety was an 'ally'.

[Brittany Makufka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd say 3.5 stars. I'm having some trouble placing how I feel about this book.
Up front, I have no idea who Dan Ryckert is. I read the book because Justin McElroy suggested it on Twitter, and I'm dealing with my own anxiety issues. So, I read the book solely based on the fact that I thought the idea of anxiety as an ally was interesting.
That said, I found it to be a relatable book. I took his suggestions to heart. Those suggestions boiled down to - exercise, meditation, and facing fears head on. All of which I agree with. The end is where it got me a little squeamish, where he feels that you can't let anxiety control your life. Again, I agree with that, but I'm always put off by the idea of "you can change how you feel!" message. (Think of those memes on Facebook with a picture of the wilderness and then a picture of pills that says something like "this is an antidepressant" by the picture of trees and "this is not an antidepressant' by the picture of pills.) He makes it abundantly clear in the book that these are the things that work for him, and may not work for everyone. But, just the closing remarks left me feeling a little icky.
Other than that, I mainly enjoyed the book because I found it helpful to read someone else's anxiety journey, and how they tackled it. I wasn't really looking at this book as giving me tips on how to fight my own anxiety. It made me think more about meditation and exercise, and I think would be a good springboard for someone to jump into those areas to research more.

The premise of the book - Anxiety as an Ally is a really big one. I think he discusses how he *personally* uses anxiety as an ally or motivator, but I don't think the approaches he *personally* uses would work well for everyone. It's an interesting idea, though.

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My brother listens to the Giant Bombcast and, after hearing Dan Ryckert talk about his book, he bought it for me. I have a particularly dreadful cocktail of mental health issues, and my brother thought I might get some help, or insight, from the book - or at the very least enjoy it.

I did really enjoy reading Ryckert’s story, and seeing how, in some ways, his “descent” into anxiety mirrored my own (he had his first panic attack in a movie theater, for example, and so did I). It was fascinating to read someone telling their story in a very extemporaneous way, as if you’re sitting there with them, which I felt was to the book’s benefit (and was, I think, one of the objects of writing it). I found myself empathizing very much with the things Ryckert had gone through.

What I found most interesting, and probably the strongest point, of this book compared to others similar, was Ryckert’s take on having mental illness. Sure, the anxiety was debilitating, and can continue to be so if it resurfaces, or if there is a lapse in behaviours that keep it at bay. But he tells the reader that he turned his mind (as in the title) into his ally. By pushing against the fear and compulsive routine anxiety (and a bit of OCD) demanded, he was able to make big changes in his life, and have experiences he normally wouldn’t have been able to. Because of the anxiety, he was able to do more, challenge himself more, which is, ultimately, a positive thing. I’ve not read any book, or heard anyone talk, about mental illness in this way, and it was a refreshing perspective that gave me a lot of food for thought.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of a now successful man's struggle with anxiety and panic disorder.

It opened my eyes to the way someone with panic disorder manages their anxiety through meditation, exercise, and healthy living. I was struck by how often panic attacks can occur and impressed by how strong willed the author was about managing his disorder. How long he struggled with anxiety before he was able to manage it was upsetting. There should be more resources like this book for younger people to relate to. I would have benefitted from reading this book in high school or college. Mental disorders are only just beginning to get the attention and research they deserve. In the meantime, we need more people who are willing to share their experiences detailing how they were scared and how they learned to manage them. It gave me hope that I can learn how to manage my own anxiety and depression and one day feel successful.

This book is important, but it lacks flow and organization. Its impact is stifled by this. However, I commend the author for using his fan base and his success to break down stereotypes surrounding mental health. A big way to help others heal is to show them they aren't alone, that they don't need to feel ashamed of the way they have previously dealt with their mental health. This book offers those people hope for their futures. For that it deserves 4 stars.

[Ryan Hays · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anxiety is something I’ve struggled with, and simultaneously ignored for as long as i can remember. It’s only been very recently after some significant life changes that I’ve had the opportunity to reflect and realize how I’ve allowed it to mould my personality and habits over the years.

Part of this awakening stemmed from Dan Rykert, the author of Anxiety as An Ally. I’ve been a fan of his for some time through his work at giantbomb, and his openness regarding his own struggles tipped me off and made me conscious of my own concerns.

I’ve always had an aversion to self help books, so this felt like an easy half step In that direction. Dan outlines his history with anxiety and the many pitfalls and lessons he learns as he attempts to try and wrestle control over his problems. While there is nothing particularly ground breaking about Dan’s advice (meditation, exercise and tackling ones fears head on) it is nonetheless compelling told, and helpful to see his situation develop and improve.

My hope when I picked up this book was that it would be a gentle push to get me on a path of learning more about myself. It worked.

Thanks Dan.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boyfriend and I are familiar with Dan's work (and antics) at Giant Bomb, so I was very interested in reading this book. Overall, it was a good read, and I enjoyed it throughout.

Dan makes clear from the beginning that he is not a medical professional, nor an expert in mental health issues, so as long as you approach it with that in mind, it's an enjoyable read. It's also helpful to keep in mind that this is a self-published work. Despite all of that, the book read as extremely genuine -- Dan really opens himself up to talk about his experiences with anxieties.

As someone who is an anxiety denier -- that is, I deny my anxiety is a problem and that I need to do anything about it -- it's nice to read about someone going through similar situations. There were so many times where I was nodding along while reading because I empathized or flashed back to similar experiences in my own life.

I learned a lot about myself while reading, and I am hopeful that some of the things that worked for Dan could also work for me.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an anxiety sufferer whose symptoms are now mostly under control, this was a great book to read. At times I feel that Dan Ryckert was describing my life as he was telling his story. My first panic attack also happened in a movie theater. I was also initially reluctant to try medication. Some therapy, meditation, and medication helped me manage and get back to living normally. Dan's story is mostly the same.

If you're suffering from anxiety Dan Ryckert's advice would be to meditate, exercise, and do things that push you out of your comfort zone. I'd add to this that pharmaceuticals can be very helpful too and not as big of a deal as one may think to use them (read: don't be reluctant/ashamed to try it).

One of the best things books like these do is show that other people also suffer from (and manage) anxiety. So if you do, know that you're not alone, and know that you can feel better!

[Paul J · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're at all familiar with Dan Ryckert's work with Game Informer and Giant Bomb, it might come as a surprise to learn that he suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. Anxiety as an Ally details his history with those conditions and how he has managed to harness anxiety into a positive influence. Although I don't suffer with either of those afflictions, I found it an inspiring read and very motivational (particularly his rule of attacking situations that scare you head on) without ever getting into flowery, sugary-sweet territory.

[Tobias Langhoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book basically reads like a long blog post about the author’s personal struggle with anxiety, and how he overcame it. It’s not deep or profound, but it’s an easy read that might help some people. If you just want the author’s tips, without the stories from his life: Meditate, drink less alcohol and caffeine, and willfully enter situations that make you anxious so you learn how to master them. That last one is probably a hurdle that won’t help many serious sufferers of anxiety, but it worked for Ryckert.

I read this book because I know Dan Ryckert’s work in the video game community, where he doesn’t exactly strike me as the anxious type – quite the contrary. In that way, I think this book is important because it shows that even extroverted, famous people can suffer from anxiety. It’s not necessarily apparent to the outside world that they’re struggling inside.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book massively reassuring, it's very comforting to read about the things you struggle with described in ways you can relate to like this. And I found it very relate-able - like Dan Ryckert, despite everything in life going swimmingly and somehow stumbling into my dream job in games, anxiety (and the worry about how I come across to other people as a result of said anxiety) is still something I deal with often when interacting with others.

Just reading this put my mind at ease about a few things, and has given me a different perspective on how to approach the situations which are particularly problematic. Very glad I read it, and thanks very much to Dan for writing the book and sharing his experiences!