The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body's Fear Response

by Ellen Vora

From an acclaimed functional medicine psychiatrist, a groundbreaking approach to understanding and managing anxiety from a holistic perspective.

More than 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety in any given year, which has only worsened with the Covid-19 pandemic. To help patients cope with this often-debilitating mental health disorder, doctors tend to reach for the prescription pad, subscribing to the conventional wisdom that anxiety is "all in our heads." Ellen Vora, MD contends that what we need is an all-encompassing approach that looks beyond the brain and considers the whole person.

Backed by the latest scientific research and Dr. Vora's clinical work, The Anatomy of Anxiety offers a fresh, much-needed look at mental health, offering actionable strategies for managing our moods. Much of our anxiety begins in the physical body, often the result of seemingly innocuous states of imbalance, such as a blood sugar crash or sleep deprivation. This type of anxiety is far more preventable than we may realize, through straightforward adjustments to our diet and lifestyle, such as reducing caffeine intake, stabilizing blood sugar, prioritizing rest, and rethinking our relationship to technology.

Other forms of anxiety are not pathologic but come as a course correction to help nudge us back onto our paths. In this instance, anxiety is not what's wrong with us, but it's here to alert us to the fact that something else is out of balance--in our bodies, our lives, or in the world around us. This more intuitive version of anxiety, Dr. Vora suggests, is meant to be listened to and honored, and we can learn simple strategies for tuning into this anxiety and allowing it to protect and guide us. In The Anatomy of Anxiety, Dr. Vora walks beside us through a healing process to reframe our relationship with anxiety, and in turn create a more joyful and fulfilled life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Health, Mental Health, Audiobook, Science

288 pages, Paperback

Published March 22, 2022

Reviews

[Victoria Hirsche · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t write negative reviews often but I think a book about mental health issues should be held to a high standard, I didn’t find this book helpful and would warn people against it. This book is just a long list of things what are bad/scary about modern life, with little practical advice about how you could avoid them while living on planet earth.

Here is a non-comprehensive list of SOME of the things the author says could be causing anxiety: Sleeping less than 9 hours a night, sugar, alcohol, gluten, dairy, vegetarianism, looking at screens, secret mould in your house/workplace, your menstrual cycle, anti-anxiety medication, anti-depressants, birth control, non-organic foods, childhood trauma, your personal care products like makeup/deodorant, busy schedules, multi-tasking, cognitive behavioural therapy….The list goes on from here.

I’m not saying she’s wrong about all of these, and I’m sure many of them are causing anxiety. But there are no solutions provided for avoiding this laundry list of things. The author may have been better off picking a few key ideas and exploring them, rather than just rattling off a nightmarish list. I’m picturing someone reading this book and going off their medication while trying to find the invisible mould in their office and throwing away their makeup. It just feels irresponsible to stir up all these dubiously-scientific worries for readers who are struggling, and not offering any helpful solutions.

Maybe this book would be better for people curious about anxiety but not experiencing it? But if you’re looking for help while you’re in it, I think this book may make things worse.

[Paige Furniss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall there were some good thoughts and tips on how to manage anxiety in the world we live in, specifically around technology.... But I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. She definitely has that typical doctor attitude, and although she is slightly more progressive than many doctors in saying there are a multitude of different factors to anxiety, and that medication is not the be all end all of fixing it, I almost stopped reading a couple of times.
Specifically the food portion. She contradicts herself here a lot. Right before the chapter she talks about the benefits of intermittent fasting on sleep, then goes into a personal story about having binge eating disorder, then talks about how toxic our food is in the US, then talks about how it could be triggering to have people restrict their food, then says restricting food healed her. It was hella triggering and made me angry.
She left out some big pieces of the benefits of technology on community, connection and anxiety.

Pros:
Good overview of how complicated anxiety is
Some good tips about technology and anxiety
Talks about own experience

Cons:
Contradictory around food and eating
Triggering for people with ED
Tone at times condescending
Overwhelming amount of information, not conducive to someone with anxiety

Don't read this if you feel like you have mental health issues because you are doing everything wrong and should be eating perfectly, exercising perfectly, sleeping perfectly and have your hormonal issues, which we know little about, under perfect control. It will make you feel like you should be controlling every aspect of your life, regardless of position and privilege, and like therapy and trauma work is just a blip on the radar of dealing with anxiety.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Anatomy of Anxiety, Dr. Ellen Vora describes the myriad of sources that can cause anxiety in the body. She explains the difference between true and false anxiety and why it is important to make that distinction.

The author encourages her patients to take an introspective approach to alleviating their anxiety. We all know that we should eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, and cut back on social media. However, Vora details the physiological reasons why altering certain daily activities would be helpful. She also gives valuable concrete examples of how to modify anxiety-causing behaviors.

I found The Anatomy of Anxiety to be an informative book, and I plan to incorporate some of her ideas into my daily life. People who enjoy books like The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma may also appreciate this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

[Melanie McWhorter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hits it all 😭. I love the way she explains and connects all the science to make it digestible, but somehow doesn’t dumb anything down. It’s right up there with The Body Keeps The Score, but she expands in a tangible and gracious way that you can feel freedom and courage in entering into practices.
Every connection and thing I was curious about after reading so much about the body/mind, she covered. So thankful for this author and all her years of work, data, and staying curious about patterns in behavior. It’s truly brilliant. As someone who has felt the physical pain of disease, trauma, stress, and anxiety in my body for years, I can 100% say all these implications for the health of our mind and our body are crazy real. Jump on this info, run with it, plug in what works best for you specifically, and see meaningful change.

Mic drop, this book is a banger!

[ولاء شكري · Rating 4 out of 5]

قسمت الكاتبة القلق إلى نوعين:

♡ القلق الجسدي وهو ما اسمته "القلق المزيف"
(الجسم يلعب دوراً حاسماً في تحديد صحتنا النفسية)
في القلق المزيف ينقل لنا الجسد رسالة تتعلق بوجود خلل فسيولوجي والتى كثيراً ما تحاول أدمغتنا تبريره وتقديم قصة تفسر سبب عدم شعورنا بالراحة كإخبارنا بأننا قلقون بسبب العمل أو حتى حالة العالم.

من أسباب القلق المزيف:
▪︎الحرمان المزمن من النوم
(جسم الإنسان يعمل بشكل أفضل وفقاً لجدول زمني يتزامن مع الشمس)
▪︎سوء التغذية
(لقد وصلنا إلى هذه اللحظة الثقافية الغريبة حيث أصبح الغذاء أداة وسلاح في نفس الوقت)
فلا بد من اتباع نظام غذائي متوازن بعيد عن السكريات
▪︎التصفح السلبي على وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي في وقت متأخر من الليل
(تذكر، التكنولوجيا شيء غريب، يجلب لك هدايا رائعة بيد، ويطعنك في ظهرك باليد الأخرى)

فمن خلال تعديلات بسيطة نسبياً في نظامنا الغذائي وأسلوب حياتنا يمكننا تجنب استجابات التوتر غير الضرورية وتجنب وصول القلق إلى ذروته.
(يوجد احتراق نفسي لأننا جعلنا الراحة مكافأة وليست حقاً)

▪︎القلق النفسي الروحي وهو القلق الحقيقي.
ولا يشترط التعامل معه بالأدوية ولكن قد يخفف من وطأته ممارسة التأمل والإمتنان والإستماع الجيد لأنفسنا.

》بعض الناس لديهم استعداد وراثي للقلق فكما يقول المثل: (الجينات تُعبئ السلاح والبيئة تضغط الزناد)

هناك ثلاثة طرق رئيسية يُمكننا من خلالها التخلص من التوتر بنجاح والعودة إلى استقرارنا:
١) الحركة .. كالرقص والتمارين الرياضية أو حتى ممارسة تمارين الارتجاف.
٢) التعبير عن الذات عن طريق كتابة اليوميات.
٣) التواصل مع الآخرين
"إن معالجة مزيج المشاعر التي نحملها بصوت عالٍ، ومن ثم الشعور بأن شخص ما يشعر بنا ويفهمنا، والاستمرار في هذه الطريقة يمكن أن يكون علاجاً عميقاً لجهازنا العصبي"

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Vora, a psychiatrist, discusses the different manifestations of anxiety. She notes that many patients, particularly women, are often dismissed with a pill such as Lexapro, when they have not explored the root causes of their anxieties. Dr. Vora also discusses how hormones related to the menstrual cycle and childbirth, often contribute to anxiety, and discusses the impact of diet, alcohol, and caffeine. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some good general tips in here but also a lot of red flags for a book about mental health. I found the chapter about food to be particularly reductive and possibly harmful to people with a history of disordered eating. There also seems to be an overall assumption in the book that whoever is reading it has the executive function to bootstrap themselves to health which is another problematic take when it comes to mental health. If you have situational anxiety and no history of an eating disorder this book might be a helpful tool for you.

[Viktoria Altman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great premise and a dangerous execution. The book relies heavily on anecdotal evidence from the writers practice, instead of on established science. There is a lot for conclusion drawing from the sample size of one. As a scientist, she should understand that we don't make recommendations based on our subjective experience but on science. Fails to site studies even when studies are available, but especially when they fail to agree with her conclusion. Some recommendations are downright dangerous. Some good, science backed points in the book earns her two stars. Disappointing because the premise is great.

[Erin Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who has felt failed, shunned, or misunderstood by modern psychiatric practices - this is for you. This book is everything I have been learning for my own mental WEALTH the last 8 years. It is supported by the latest research, and it offers hope for those who didn’t find relief from talk therapy or medication alone. The tools in this toolbox are not a one size fits all solution, but they offer a range of options depending on each unique individual’s needs. We need so many more practitioners like Dr. Ellen Vora. Hopefully the shift is soon happening.

[Rowan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strongly suggest not reading this book, which goes beyond poorly researched and into actively harmful. There's so many things I could talk about here but in my opinion the two worst and most dangerous parts are a) in the chapter on diet, the author fully acknowledges that her approach to treating eating disorders (treating food as an addictive substance and making patients cut out wheat, dairy, and sugar) could exacerbate existing EDs or trigger orthorexia, but then she breezes past that issue as if it's of little consequence, and b) she pays lip service to the idea that it's okay to be on mental health meds, but then spends page upon page upon page demonizing them and insisting they make your health worse and that you need to stop taking them. The author alludes to vague "research" but often her advice boils down to her "gut instinct" (a phrase she used extensively in the diet chapter) on what's healthy. I really tried to push through the see if there'd be any useful advice at any point, but my break point was when she suggested infrared saunas and coffee enemas to help you "detox" from antianxiety medication, wtf?? (sidenote, maybe my math is wrong here, but in the earlier chapters she calls matcha over-caffeinated "rocket fuel" and says to avoid it because the caffeine will spike your anxiety; based on a peer-reviewed paper I found that found rectal caffeine absorption was roughly 1/3rd of oral caffeine absorption, and based on various psudo-medical websites recommending anything from from 900-1200ml of coffee for an enema, a VERY conservative estimate says you'll absorb 100mg of caffeine from your enema - which is notably more than the 60-80mg of caffeine in your matcha latte? like, yikes.)

[Emily Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible. Her outlining the different types of anxiety, how they show up in the body, understanding root causes and/or understanding how to harness the power and information in anxiety. I’ve gotten to a point where I’ve grown so much in my mental health journey, and I’m at the edge of having to do some hard things surrounding movement and food. This was the confirmation I need! Thank you, Ellen!!!

[Gabby · Rating 1 out of 5]

The definition of anatomy is “a study of the structure of internal workings of somethings.” My friends, let me tell you that this has ZERO structure. She contradicts herself in nearly every paragraph. “Try intermittent fasting” “but restricting food can cause anxiety.” “I respect those who eat ethically” “vegans would be healthier if they incorporated meat into their diet.” And her take on conventional medicine that I interpreted from some paragraphs is harmful. Conventional medicine has its place (a very big and important place) and holistic medicine has its place too. This book was utterly anxiety-inducing with its contradictions, disorganization, bold claims, and unrealistic expectations. My therapist will hear about this one!!!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't had great success with mental health self-help books, but keep reading them out of curiosity if nothing else. I picked this one up off the library's new acquisitions shelf. The author is a psychiatrist who turned to holistic medicine, which considers physical and mental health together. This is central to the book's thesis: a lot of clinical anxiety is actually physical illness and can be treated as such. Only the remainder, which she calls 'true anxiety', should be considered psychological. Initially I was inclined to be dismissive of the book due to generalisations in the first chapter. However I found that further in that Vora writes in a measured and constructive way about anxiety. Although the content is America-centric and occasionally raised my eyebrows (coffee enemas for antidepressant withdrawal?!), on balance I found it more useful than the last few such books I've read (e.g No Such Thing As Normal: What My Mental Illness Has Taught Me About Mental Wellness and The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide: Manage Worry, Panic, and Fear and Become Hopeful, Connected, and (Anxiously) Happy). This probably relates to my state of mind while reading it as well as the book itself, though.

The initial two-thirds go through potential physical explanations for anxiety symptoms, including inflammation, autoimmune response, blood sugar instability, lack of sleep, thyroid problems, and undiagnosed chronic conditions such as PCOS. While the interconnection between physical and mental health was not new to me, I found Vora's approach quite refreshing. She suggests lifestyle improvements around diet, sleep, and exercise in a pragmatic fashion. I hate it when self-help books suggest you cultivate exciting new eating disorder symptoms by adopting a severe exclusion diet. This book certainly talks up vegetables and talks down processed sugar, but also discourages dogmatism and emphases the importance of ease and companionship for good meals. Neither does the book come off like a supplement catalogue, another thing that annoys me. This is a fair point:

We need to reconcile the principles of body positivity mindset with the awareness that what we eat and the state of our physical health impacts our mood and how we function in our lives.
While there is indeed a patriarchy selling us diet culture and capitalising on body shame, there is also an equally powerful patriarchy lining its pockets by selling us addictive foods that damage our appetite and metabolism. And the body positivity movement has largely overlooked the Big Food patriarchy. [...]
So, yes, let's rebel against diet culture, but not against our own needs. To feel well, we need to eat well, but for none of the reasons that diet culture tells us to. How we feed ourselves should be an act not of self-negation but of self-love. And navigating the food landscape from a place of self-love means discerning when easy food causes a more difficult life.

Recently I've been forced to accept, after many years, that eating toast as the basis for my two largest daily meals nearly every day is actually not great for my digestion. I was extremely annoyed to find that eating wheat in other formats than toasted bread improved my painful digestion quite a lot. It's such a drag when boring food advice turns out to be legit. Vegetables are good actually, ugh. Anyway, I was pleased that Vora does not equate eating well with zero sugar, dairy, or gluten. That is a low bar, but I'm still scarred by the 'autoimmune paleo protocol' described in Period Power: Harness Your Hormones and Get Your Cycle Working For You.

I was much less appreciative of references to 'evolutionary times', which seem ubiquitous in current non-fiction (including the last book I read, The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World). I'm also highly ambivalent about attempts to reframe anxiety as a superpower (No Such Thing As Normal: What My Mental Illness Has Taught Me About Mental Wellness did this too), as a positive personality trait of sensitivity, and as giving you the societal role of 'canary in the coalmine'. I really don't want to be the canary in the coalmine, perpetually terrified about climate change while others blithely take long-haul flights! Anxiety doesn't feel like a superpower to me because a lot of the time it's really fucking stupid. Fear of climate change and covid is rational to a point; phobias are not. Awareness that you're irrationally overreacting is in itself of limited help, I find.

Nonetheless, The Anatomy of Anxiety: Rethinking the Body, Mind, and Healing of Anxiety did give me an idea for a lifestyle change that I'm trying this week: going outside three times a day around mealtimes. I live in Scotland and work from home in a windowless office most of the week, which means that I get very little exposure to daylight in autumn and winter. I'm hoping that deliberately going outdoors before starting work, at lunchtime, and after work will help my sleep patterns and mood. It's not a huge undertaking, but could have positive results. It's also more action than I've taken after reading other self-help books. Maybe I was more receptive just now than when I read the last few, perhaps Vora's wide range of advice contains something relevant to most anxiety sufferers, or it could be that this is quite a decent self-help book. Despite not agreeing with everything in it, I'm more inclined to recommend it than most books I've read on the subject and there have been a fair few.

[Mary Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was so below expectations. I was excited to read a holistic view on anxiety. I enjoyed the intro and first chapter or two, but when she started talking about foods, I started to get disengaged. When she put a blurb in that PCOS can be “cured” by diet and lifestyle choices, I closed the book. The author putting this short section in about PCOS with no mention of the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders for women with PCOS (not to mention the primal cravings for carbs making it extremely difficult for women with PCOS to make the changes she suggests off the cuff) shows her lack of understanding and compassion for this condition.

She mentioned orthorexia for a paragraph or two then goes on to demonize processed foods and sugar.

I DO NOT recommend this book to anyone with history of disordered eating. It will be largely triggering and unhelpful for you.

Overall, the book had some nice ideas from the authors clinical point of view, but lacked the nuance and compassion I feel is important and fair to be expected in a book on a mental health condition. Most people picking it up will be experiencing anxiety, and I do not believe this would be helpful for them.

[Christina DeVane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed many aspects of this book. The author is not Christian and has a liberal, humanistic worldview so there’s a good bit to wade through in that sense.

However, I love her holistic approach to anxiety and how she deals with her clients. She does not rush to medication or blaming your circumstances, past, etc. She first focuses on diet and lifestyle. So much of the American lifestyle has become very anxiety inducing and so many people think they have disorders when in reality our bodies were not made to be constantly stimulated by light, information, etc.
The US is one of the most if not the top most anxious country of modern, industrialized nations. 😯 wow

Proper sleep, exercise, balancing blood sugars, morning sunlight, light reduction at night, getting off screens are really basic tools, but go a long ways in reducing anxiety and stress. This is something I’m really focusing on in my own life, so I found much of this helpful.

The ending was very interesting as she said those with religious beliefs have less anxiety and believing in science along with a high power and afterlife is the best combination. Yes, lady, you’re right! 😁
She doesn’t come out and say she believes there is a real God of the universe, but for her to admit this much with her worldview was pleasantly surprising to me!☺️

[Elina Dlohi · Rating 4 out of 5]

īstajā brīdī saņēmu šo grāmatu, lai pārvērtētu savu ikdienu

Pēc sajūtas, ka dzīvē visa kā ir par daudz, un neko nepaspēju, manās rokās nonāca šī grāmata

Kurš gan mūsdienās nav dzirdējis daudz par stresu un tā menedžēšanu – kursi, podkāsti, raksti. Arī es esmu lasījusi daudz un zinu daudz par to, bet jāatzīst – tieši šī grāmata man šoreiz nāca īstajā brīdī, lai es nedaudz apstātos.

Izlasīju to divos vakaros, lai saprastu, ka es tiešām neprotu atpūsties, bet cik tas ir svarīgi.

Grāmatā teikts:
"Trauksme ar ķermeņa un prāta palīdzību uzstājīgi brīdina, ka kaut kas cits nav kārtībā. Tā liecina, ka ķermenī, prātā, dzīvē vai vidē nav līdzsvara, bet ar ieinteresētību un eksperimentēšanu šo nepieciešamo līdzsvaru var atgūt."

Interesanti, ka paralēli lasu Karla Gustava Junga grāmatu Atmiņas, sapņi, domas, kurā rakstīts:
"Neiroze ir apstāšanās zīme nepareiza ceļa priekšā un brīdinājums par personīgā dziedināšanas procesa nepieciešamību."

Grāmata piedāvā dziļu, personīgu un vienlaikus profesionāli pamatotu ieskatu tajā, kā trauksme ietekmē mūsu ķermeni, prātu un ikdienas dzīvi. Šī nav vienkārši pašpalīdzības grāmata – tā saruna ar lasītāju, kurā autore dalās ne vien ar psiholoģijas teoriju, bet arī ar saviem personīgajiem piedzīvojumiem un terapeita pieredzi. Turklāt grāmata lasās ļoti viegli.

Grāmata nesniedz atbildes kā dzīvot tālāk, bet liek aizdomāties, kā katram pašam dzīvot tālāk.

Man patika un kā autore norāde, savā ziņā mēs varam būt pateicīgi trauksmei, lai kaut ko pamainītu savā dzīvē

"Trīs galvenie veidi kā izlādēt stresu un atgriezties sākumstāvoklī ir kustības, pašizpausme un saskarsme"

[Ángel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contrary to many of the disappointed and flustered readers, I actually found this book extremely helpful, and I've lived with a panic disorder for 20 years.

I have tried benzos, meditation, yoga, different diets, herbal medicine, and many lifestyle changes such as no caffeine, no gluten, no alcohol, no refined sugar and processed food, you name it. However I've never cut down screen time, I live in NYC, I eat a lot of takeout, or have the same three meals on repeat, I do have problems with my digestion, I'm on hormone therapy, I am constantly under stress, and I'm a Neurodivergent, very sensitive person.

Why this book felt different and gave me less anxiety than most reads out there? It makes space for self compassion. It made me wonder if perhaps I'm not doomed to panic attacks. It gave me agency while people around me, including my doc, all they've suggested is to go back to meds.

Weeks prior to reading this book, I restarted a more intentional workout, with enough sunlight after waking up, kept all screens out of my bedroom, made it a goal to heal my gut, started taking a new supplement, went off the pill, and so far my anxiety is more manageable, and I can almost always avoid panic attacks. Reading this book in the middle of these changes really helped with staying focused. Is my disorder cured? Nah. But I feel more at ease knowing I have tools.

This is the only book on anxiety that didn't send me on a spiral. So, take reviews with a pinch of salt, understanding that everyone's anxiety triggers are different.

[Aya Alam Eldin · Rating 4 out of 5]

من حظي الجيد أنني قرأت هذا الكتاب بعد كتاب لماذا ننام؟ فهو على نفس النهج تقريبا ولكن بشكل موسع وأعم.
تصنف الطبيبة القلق لنوعين، نوع مزيف ونوع حقيقي.. النوع المزيف ليس سبة ولا ادعاءا بأن صاحبة لا يحمله ولكن المقصود من الكلمة أنه لا يحمل سببا نفسيا ولكنه يحمل سببا عضويا في البداية تحول إلى سبب نفسي.
فمثلا الذي يعتاد على عادات الطعام السيئة التي تسبب له مشاكل في الهضم يصاب بالقلق دون أن يدري مع كثرة مشاكل الهضم ، وهكذا عادات النوم السيئة وعادات استخدام الهاتف طوال اليوم والالتهابات والامراض المزمنة، كل هذه الاعراض قد يصاحبها شعور القلق ويكون علاجه بعلاجها أو بخلق طريقة للتعايش معها.
أنا القلق الحقيقي فهو النابع من سبب نفسي في البداية وهذا له شرح مطول قد تناولت الطبيبة بعض من الحالات التي تشرحه.
تحدثت أيضا عن الأدوية النفسية وآثارها والطرق العلاج التي نطلق عليها "الطب البديل" بمنظور المؤيد أحيانا والمجرب لها لم تكن ضدها على طول الخط كطبيعة الأطباء، ذلك كونها قد انغمست في هذه الطرق بنفسها وعرفت عنها الكثير.
الكتاب في مجمله مفيد لشخص بعيد عن هذا التخصص أو مريض قلق يحاول أن يجد بعض الاجابات لأسئلته كي يفهم طبيعة مرضه ولكنه بالطبع ليس بديلا عن زيارة الطبيب النفسي.

[Mohamed Metwally · Rating 3 out of 5]

يتناول الكتاب ظاهرة القلق من ناحية تحليلية، ومن زاوية مختلفة عن الأسباب النفسية، يركز الكتاب على دوافع ومسببات القلق المرتبطة بالغذاء والصحة الجسدية مع نصائح لتصحيح عاداتنا المعيشية من أكل، شرب، نوم، وأدوية لتقليل مسببات القلق.

قرأته ضمن تحدي أبجد للقراءة ٢٠٢٤

محمد متولي

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up for this nugget (amongst others): “… Anxiety is what it means to be human - to know the inherent vulnerability of walking this earth, that we can lose the people we love and that we, too, will one day die.”
Pretty much.
BUT, having lived with anxiety for over 30 years, I find this theory that most of it is due to poor diet (or other straightforward factors) ridiculously oversimplified and far-fetched.
Indeed, I do everything right (food, exercise, mindfulness, yoga, etc), and I STILL feel profoundly anxious in specific situations, situations that don’t affect other people the same way. I still have panic attacks in very specific contexts, and no amount of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy seems to have been able to convince my brain to stop having them. I understand why these intense and overwhelming feelings of discomfort occur, for I have done enough work on myself to get to that point, but this has done very little to make them go away. It is always so much work to simply live that way. I was hoping that this book, written by a real psychiatrist, would offer better answers.
According to the author, “… once we are able to target and eliminate the physiological sources of our distress, we can then more directly address the deeper anxiety - our true anxiety - that arises from having strayed from a vital sense of purpose and meaning.”
Although I so, SO wish it were that simple, I am not buying it 100%.

[Emily Florio · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book starts off with a somewhat reasonable tone and spirals slowly into more and more dangerous nonsense. The advice given is frequently contradictory and much of it would be triggering to those with eating disorder history. Ironically, the entire book seems perfectly calculated to *cause* anxiety, as it is essentially a laundry list of what she believes causes anxiety (nearly everything in life) and mostly vague or extremely difficult and risky methods of approach to treating it, like completely revamping one's diet to eliminate dairy, gluten, and non-organic foods to quitting birth control and psychiatric medications. She is dismissive of ADHD and recommends stopping ADHD meds as well. She gives a bad-faith argument against body positivity that completely misstates what body positivity actually is. She talks quite a bit about "detoxification" without ever specifying what toxins we're talking about here, always a bad sign. And she gives internally inconsistent advice- like you should eliminate drinking coffee, but apparently using it as an enema is great!

I really do not recommend this book to anyone actually experiencing anxiety. It's perfectly calculated to make you feel worse if you believe it, while offering very little in the way of evidence for its strident claims claims or practical solutions unless you're a mega-wealthy person with infinite resource for vague "wellness" activities and efforts.

Irresponsible of a physician to have published this, honestly.

[Mazen Mohamed · Rating 4 out of 5]

عمري ما كنت أتخيل إني هروح بنفسي اقرأ في أعراض الأمراض اللي بتحصل بسبب نفسيتنا وحزننا وقلقنا ومشاعرنا..
يعنى الأمراض العضوية والجسدية مرتبطين بشدة بحالاتنا ومشاعرنا.. وحاجة زي النوم وأسلوبنا في نظام التعايش في الحياة كل دي حاجات أدت لمشاكل نفسية إحنا بنعاني منها دلوقت من غير ما نحس.. والاجمل من ده كله إن الكتاب متقسم لجزئيات بسيطة ومواضيع غير مكرره يعني مش كلام بيتعاد فيه وخلاص.. ومع كل مشكلة بتحس إنها فيك ليها الحل بتاعها!

ولأني بعاني من فوبيا وسيرة الأمراض لكن بصراحة الكتاب ده حببني في إني استكشف واعرف الأسباب اللي ممكن يؤدي ليها شيء زي "القلق" والتوتر ونعمل ايه علشان نتجنب الاذى النفسي والجسدي وإزاي اقدر أفرق بين القلق المزيف اللي ناتج عن مجرد مشاعر متغيرة والقلق اللي بيديني إشارة بإن في حاجة محتاجة تتغير .. بمعنى أصح القلق الصحي اللي المفروض بيوجهك للصح مش الي بيجيلك في كل حاجة وبيعيشك في توتر طول الوقت!

الموضوع ممتع فعلًا وكتاب يستحق يبقى في يومك لأن قراءته مرة واحدة مش هتخليك تكتفي بيه إنما هتقرأه مرة واتنين وتلاته وكل مرة هتكتشف حاجة جديدة والأهم من ده إنك هتستمتع بيه!
بكل أمانه كتاب قوي وانصحكم جدًا جدًا بيه🤍

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am curious about a few of the negative reviews as it seems we got very different messages from reading the same book. The author is an MD who is pro medicine and also pro looking at ways to support people with anxiety without prescriptions (if the case warrants...again, she is pro medication too). Anxiety can be caused by an assortment of reasons which she describes in depth. Some of these reasons can be worked through without medication and some in tandem with medication. She outlines a lot of simple ways you can help support your body and alleviate your anxiety. Some of the ways are as simple as keeping your hunger levels very stable through regular protein consumption like nut butter. Will that help everyone? No, but it will help some. She also argues not all anxiety is bad and anxiety has an evolutionary reason for existing. I enjoyed her perspectives, knowledge, and experiences she shared.

[Emma Gilpin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I was curious - the main message I got is that literally everything in modern life (food, screens, work etc) is making you anxious which just made me stressed. Some interesting takes and some I tend to disagree with but hey I didn’t go to med school so I could hardly comment. I liked how she shared the stories of her patients and what they changed in order to make their lives less stressful but again it just seems kind of unrealistic. I didn’t really buy her whole holistic perspective (ie taking psychedelics) but it seems to have worked for some people. Her perspective meant well but seemed kind of offensive at times. Not sure I would recommend to be honest but I have taken a few things on board for sure.

[Joanna Kuang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this book taught me both the "why" behind why the way I'm thinking about my health and anxiety is misguided and the "what to do" in a very practical way. I'm also a reader that typically shies away from "self help" genre books because they typically shame the reader; however, this book felt like a welcoming embrace of where I am now in managing my mental and physical health and a gentle nudge towards being intrinsically motivated to better take care of myself in a realistic, day-to-day way.

[Stephanie Capecchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thorough work on anxiety from many useful perspectives. As a therapist, I both learned new things and saw reflected the things I’ve witnessed in practice. Ellen’s writing is easy to read yet beautiful. My one piece of feedback is that she does not acknowledge that intuitive eating includes gentle nutrition, but seriously, that’s me complaining about one paragraph. I love it and I will recommend it to many!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did enjoy this- as someone who struggles with anxiety I feel like I learned things about anxiety and healing that I didn't know before. It is a book that definitely deserves a reread with a highlighter.

[Sandra Koka (pielasit_sirdi)]

" "atriebīgā kavēšanās iet gulēt"-, un tā raksturo "cilvēkus, kruiem pa dienu nav kontroles pār savu laiku, tādēļ viņi atsakās iet gulēt ātrāk, lai vēlu vakarā atgūtu zināmu brīvības sajūtu"." (61.lpp.)



Pēc Elenas Voras grāmatā izmantotās literatūras saraksta, var tikai apjaust, cik apjomīgu un plašu tēmu medicīnas zinātņu doktore ir mēģinājusi apskatīt. Tajā pat laikā "Trauksmes anatomija" ir sarakstīta ļoti viegli uztveramā un parastam lasītājam "ārpus zinātnes un medicīnas" viegli lasāmā valodā, izvelkot svarīgākos atslēgas vārdus un savā ziņā izvelkto esenci no tēmas, kura patiesībā ir kompleksa un daudzdimensionāla. Līdz ar to man tā dod pavisam īsu ieskatu šajā trauksmainās pasaules labirintā, kurā arī es ik pa laikam atrodu sevi apmaldījušos. 



Lai arī grāmata nedod vienkāršotas atbildes, kas atrisinātu ikdienas trauksmi, tomēr šeit ir dažādi komponenti, kurus ikviens var savā dzīvē ieviest lielākā vai mazākā mērā. Piemēram, tik plaši izslavētā meditācija. Es teiktu, ka Vora norāda iespējamos virzienu, kuros doties un pašam pētīt tālāk. (Par pamatu ņemot jau iepriekš pieminēto izmantotās literatūras sarakstu). Meditācija, miega higēna, pilnvērtīga pārtika utt ir tikai daži no virzieniem, kuros lūkoties. Lai arī tie nebūt nav nekāda novitāte vai jaunatklājums, tikai kārtējais apliecinājums, ka pie savas labsajūtas ir jāstrādā un trauksme nepazudīs pati no sevis. 



Tā kā ši grāmata ir rakstīta primāri ASV publikai, amerikāniskums bieži izlaužas arī piemēros. Piemēram, latviešiem fermentēšana ( skābi kāposti ) vai raudzētie piena produkti ir ikdienas ēdienkartes sastāvdaļa, tāpat kā aknas un citi dzīvnieku orgāni. 

Es domāju, ka ņemot vērā, ka ASV daudz ko mēģina atrisināt ar zāļu palīdzību, šī grāmata ir kā acu atvēršana, ka trauksme un mentālā veselība nav tikai terapija un nebeidzams zāļu izraksts. Tas ir komplicēts process, kuru apzinoties, mēs varam mazināt, pievēršot uzmanību savam dzīvesveidam- gan sportam, gan pārtikai, gan miegam, gan sociālo tīklu patērēšanai, meditācijas prakšu piekopšanai un apzinātībai. 

"Ja trauksmes mazināšanai veicat tikai vienu korekciju uzturā, ieteiktu risināt attiecības ar cukuru." (90.lpp.)





Ps. Marihuāna kā piemērs trauksmes mazināšanai gan grāmatas nobeigumā iededzināja visas sarkanās trauksmes lampiņas, kas sāka apšaubīt visu, ko autore ir paudusi. 





Zelta padoms tiem, kuri dzīvo ar "trauksmainajiem"- "Tā vietā, lai teiktu nemierīgajiem cilvēkiem, lai viņi "beidz būt tik jūtīgi", vajadzētu cienīt to, kas viņiem ir sakāms." (41.lpp.)



Pats svarīgākais- ne jau grāmatas izlasīšana atrisina mūsu problēmas, bet principu ieviešanai, ko mēs reāli pielietojam ikdienas praksē, pēc grāmatas izlasīšanas. Tāpēc atbilde, vai šī grāmata spēj novērst tavu trauksmi, ir jāmeklē tevī pašā. 



3.7 zvaigznes

[Shane Moore · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this for a book club, and if I wasn't going to talk about it with pals, I wouldn't have finished it.

Not recommended.

The author begins by offering her bona fides as a medical doctor and psychiatrist. Over the course of the book, it becomes clear that she has moved away from modern medicine and become primarily a naturopath and "functional medicine doctor." She recommends, for instance, that people experiencing thyroid problems seek alternative medicine rather than going to an endocrinologist.

I was skeptical about the author's claims that "inflammatory foods" can cause anxiety, and the book did not convince me to change my view.

I found the idea of true anxiety vs false anxiety to be generally valuable, though the author's idea of "true anxiety" is existential anxiety about one's relationships and place in the world, where the idea of true anxiety that resonates with me is more like financial insecurity in a poor person. Anxiety as a response to a serious threat is natural, and can help a person be alert to danger and to think of solutions.

"Our true anxiety can place us on the front lines, alerting others to threats that may be just out of view. And the collective voice of true anxiety shepherds us in the right direction as a society."

Some of the book's advice was practical and intuitive, like go camping to reset your sleep clock. Go to bed the moment you feel tired, before you begin to feel overtired, and it will be easier to get to sleep.

If you feel that the last forty-five minutes of putzing around on your phone at night is your only “me time” or opportunity to decompress, you’re not alone. [T]here is a Chinese term for this behavior—報復性熬夜, which roughly translates as “revenge bedtime procrastination”—that occurs when “people who don’t have much control over their daytime life refuse to sleep early in order to regain some sense of freedom during late night hours.”

Some of the advice was a bit ridiculous and impractical, particularly for anyone who is not very wealthy. Giving up caffeine is doable, and maybe advisable for an anxious person. Abstaining from gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed foods would be very challenging for most people. I don't buy her arguments for all of those being universally unhealthy either.

With respect to optimizing physical health, I usually recommend adopting a diet that approximates that of your ancestors. What that diet looks like will vary depending on where you descended from geographically.

This was surprisingly and deeply offensive to me. Denying most foods to most people is spitting in the face of all of the generations who developed those foods. Wild bananas are full of sharp seeds! Wild apples are tiny and bitter. Hundreds of years of careful cultivation gave us the gift of the potato! Nutrient-dense! Healthy! Delicious! I will not turn my back on the potato. All of us humans are closely related in the grand scheme of human history. Our ancestors ate what was seasonally available, and in lean times they were hungry. We have delicious abundant food as a result of their collective toil.

"[S]ome cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are caused by inflammation."

A subset of my patients has found coffee enemas to be particularly helpful. These involve using room-temperature coffee inserted in the rectum to elicit a thorough evacuation of the large intestine and promote detoxification. While this is nobody’s favorite activity, I have witnessed it rescue many of my patients from challenging tapers.

For someone who spent a long time talking about how people should quit caffeine, the author is awfully enthusiastic about putting coffee in a place where caffeine would go straight into the bloodstream in a sudden rush.

I have seen reputable doctors recommend against non-medically-necessary enemas generally, as they can harm your butt in the short and long term.

[elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's some good stuff here-- an assertion that physiological responses play a role in anxiety, it's not all in one's head, for example-- but the food chapter gave me real pause for being too extreme. Also quoting the creator of Whole30 more than once 🤔