August 1, 2021
After the sorrows and demands of 2020, we could all use a little help with stress and anxiety. As a neuroscientist at New York University, Suzuki has a unique view on the effects of these related states. Everyone is looking for a way to banish stress, she observes, but it is not in itself a bad thing. It's a force that was designed to safeguard us, and it can be redirected for positive outcomes. Suzuki begins by explaining the science behind the the brain's response to stress, making its complexities fairly accessible. As for how to live with these emotions, Suzuki shows readers how to identify triggers, acknowledge anxieties, and use them to promote such superpowers as resilience, compassion, creativity, and empathy. The trick is to have an activist mindset and to approach challenges as learning opportunities, a perspective Suzuki demonstrates using her own and others' struggles and successes. The final segment of this reassuring book includes tests to help readers rate their anxieties and hacks to guide us in turning negative thoughts into positive actions. A solid library purchase.
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August 30, 2021
Neuroscientist Suzuki (Healthy Brain, Happy Life) proposes that anxiety is not only useful, but essential to living in the modern world in this helpful self-guide guide. In the first part of the book, Suzuki delves into the science behind anxiety, educating readers on where anxiety comes from (“an automatic reaction to possible danger”) and how to differentiate common anxiety from clinical disorders (such as rapid breathing, persistent feelings of danger, or gastrointestinal upset). She goes on to explain that anxiety can be controlled due to the plasticity of the brain, primarily through removing anxiety from a negative categorization and regulating emotions: “We can learn to use awareness to reframe a situation, remove the perception of danger, and reappraise it.” In the second half, Suzuki digs deeper into the details of using anxiety to fuel resilience, ambition, activism, and productivity. Some of the coping mechanisms come across as simplistic—like finding a hobby or playing with pets—but the overall message shares research-backed methods to manage anxiety. While Suzuki primarily writes to readers without diagnosed clinical disorders, her techniques will be helpful to those trying to navigate low-level anxiety.