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horfhorfhorf's review against another edition
2.0
This isn't a book about anxiety so much as a trip through the author's unchecked mania and type-A personality quirks. As unreadable as Matt Haig's books on depression, which is, of course, quoted by Wilson multiple times.
mansize3141's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
amo22's review against another edition
5.0
This book is phenomenally written. Integrating vulnerable story with investigative journalism, Sarah weaves a new more hopeful picture of anxiety. Truly a must read for anyone who has anxiety or knows someone who does.
jwinchell's review against another edition
3.0
Woooh buddy, I could not finish this anxiety-inducing book. It’s a 137 point argument about why she is right about anxiety. Sure, it’s honest and forthright and imperfect and raw, but I couldn’t handle the structure of 1st, 2nd, 17th, 49th, 137th- it’s like a one sided conversation about all the ways a neurotic person insists that they are confident in their neuroticism. There are some illuminating moments, like this at the end: “I am anxious often. But it’s kept in check if I don’t get anxious about being anxious. And while ever I’m learning more, understanding more, this is entirely possible. Yep, the journey is what matters most. It’s everything.” Let’s just call it a day right there and not talk about the mess that came in the previous 136 arguments/points.
macbeckyton's review against another edition
3.0
There was (perhaps ironically) something missing. I liked the chattiness, though, and the science mixed with memoir.
annalisenak97's review against another edition
4.0
This was interesting. I haven't read any books on anxiety before, so I don't have anything to compare this to, but as far as I could tell this was a good and interesting new perspective on anxiety. Wilson encourages her readers not to run from their anxiety, but to sit in it and accept it, encourages them to recognize what they are experiencing as their brain trying to protect them. Essentially, Wilson reframes anxiety as something positive (even necessary) for those who have it. It's an interesting take, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. There is a big emphasis on meditation and some interesting points from Buddhism and Hinduism. The places where Wilson shares her own journey with anxiety are honest and raw. I especially like her emphasis on grace. I do think some of the thought exercises/patterns she suggests could be destructive for some people, but overall this book helped me to understand my friends and loved ones who struggle with anxiety, which was my hope in reading it.
jfkaess's review against another edition
4.0
Actually 3.5 stars. This review will be longer than my usual reviews because this was, for me, an unusual book. I listened to the audiobook. Sarah Wilson is Australian, and she narrates the book herself. Most authors are not good narrators, but she does ok, and her Australian accent makes the book slightly more appealing than it would otherwise have been.
The author comes to this book with some excellent creds having written the book "I Quit Sugar" along with several other books tied to that book (how to's, cookbooks, etc). She has a reputation for doing thorough research and for writing well. Those things apply to this book about anxiety. That's the good part. She sites studies, gives numerous examples, quotes many reputable and highly regarded writers, scientists, experts in meditation, psychiatrists, yogi's and others.
So what's the downside? She writes the book in the first person, it's emotional, autobiographical, frustrating, depressing, somewhat scattered across time, place, events, aspects of her issues and problems and more. I'm tempted to say that the first half of the book (about 4 hours of the audiobook) is just a hot mess. She is a basket case with numerous physical and mental issues. Most of those issues somewhat relate to anxiety, but they are not typical for the average person. She has Hashimoto's disease. She has ADHD, she has depression, she's attempted suicide several times. This makes the book an emotional roller coaster, and i found myself often saying "I don't have those problems, i'm just overwhelmed by anxiety sometimes".
Half way through the book, the author finally settles down and talks more directly about anxiety, her experiences, and things that have helped her. That part of the book was helpful. I also found myself saying "Well, if she found hope and help with all her physical and emotional problems, then there is hope for me and for others". That's what makes this a book worth wading through. I just want anyone reading my review to know that the trip through this book will not be easy or at times, seem at all worthwhile. However, there is good information once you get through her self-centered expressions of poor me, i'm such a mess, and into the more useful part of how she has come to deal with her life.
The author comes to this book with some excellent creds having written the book "I Quit Sugar" along with several other books tied to that book (how to's, cookbooks, etc). She has a reputation for doing thorough research and for writing well. Those things apply to this book about anxiety. That's the good part. She sites studies, gives numerous examples, quotes many reputable and highly regarded writers, scientists, experts in meditation, psychiatrists, yogi's and others.
So what's the downside? She writes the book in the first person, it's emotional, autobiographical, frustrating, depressing, somewhat scattered across time, place, events, aspects of her issues and problems and more. I'm tempted to say that the first half of the book (about 4 hours of the audiobook) is just a hot mess. She is a basket case with numerous physical and mental issues. Most of those issues somewhat relate to anxiety, but they are not typical for the average person. She has Hashimoto's disease. She has ADHD, she has depression, she's attempted suicide several times. This makes the book an emotional roller coaster, and i found myself often saying "I don't have those problems, i'm just overwhelmed by anxiety sometimes".
Half way through the book, the author finally settles down and talks more directly about anxiety, her experiences, and things that have helped her. That part of the book was helpful. I also found myself saying "Well, if she found hope and help with all her physical and emotional problems, then there is hope for me and for others". That's what makes this a book worth wading through. I just want anyone reading my review to know that the trip through this book will not be easy or at times, seem at all worthwhile. However, there is good information once you get through her self-centered expressions of poor me, i'm such a mess, and into the more useful part of how she has come to deal with her life.
stralins's review against another edition
5.0
i know why folks gave this poor reviews, but i needed this content and i needed to highlight the shit out of this book.
beateisabella's review against another edition
2.0
oef, where do i even start..
first of all, this book got me in a reading slump >twice<
the first time after about 50-ish pages, the second time probably around half way.
second, i thought this was a self help book, but it was more written like a memoir and that was really confusing to me. especially in the first part of the book Wilson completely lost me. the timeline did not make any sense and things kept going from worse to worst and her coping suggestions were largely based around spirituality. this left me unable to relate to her struggles and solutions.
which leads me to my third point, the privilege. at some point in the book Wilson literally said she fixed one of her worst breakdowns by disappearing for eight months in a cabin in the woods. at another point she fixed her problems by going to her personal meditation guru. massages, spa days, choosing to care about the things you want to care about etc. for a book that is supposed to be a self help book this is an incredibly privileged point of view which she did not address ones. it made me feel super irritated and even more closed off to any of the other things she had to say. to be honest there was this overall insensitivity in her writing that i did not really appreciate.
lastly i felt overwhelmed by all the namedropping and vague research references. it is impossible to fact-check all of the things she referenced and because i read in another review that some of the numbers where intensified i felt like i wasn’t always in the position to trust Wilson’s vagueness. but the namedropping also got a bit out of hand in my opinion. she writes roughly 3 paragraphs about her meeting up with Oprah’s meditation coach or something and this whole section, i felt like, did not add anything to the book other that yet another name to be thrown around.
overall i felt very frustrated with it all, the only reason i gave it two stars is because there were about ten things in there which i thought were helpful tips, inspiring quotes or uplifting messages. i bought this book in 2018 because zoe sugg (also known as zoella) recommended it in one of her videos. after reading the book i can see why she, as an upper-class woman, would do so. no shade to her, but i would not consider recommending this book to any of my anxious friends, because i know, being in the position they are in, this book will not help them in the slightest. an assumption, but i reckon it won’t help many people in the slightest, because disappearing for an x amount of months is not a regular persons way of trying to fix the overwhelming aspects of life.
first of all, this book got me in a reading slump >twice<
the first time after about 50-ish pages, the second time probably around half way.
second, i thought this was a self help book, but it was more written like a memoir and that was really confusing to me. especially in the first part of the book Wilson completely lost me. the timeline did not make any sense and things kept going from worse to worst and her coping suggestions were largely based around spirituality. this left me unable to relate to her struggles and solutions.
which leads me to my third point, the privilege. at some point in the book Wilson literally said she fixed one of her worst breakdowns by disappearing for eight months in a cabin in the woods. at another point she fixed her problems by going to her personal meditation guru. massages, spa days, choosing to care about the things you want to care about etc. for a book that is supposed to be a self help book this is an incredibly privileged point of view which she did not address ones. it made me feel super irritated and even more closed off to any of the other things she had to say. to be honest there was this overall insensitivity in her writing that i did not really appreciate.
lastly i felt overwhelmed by all the namedropping and vague research references. it is impossible to fact-check all of the things she referenced and because i read in another review that some of the numbers where intensified i felt like i wasn’t always in the position to trust Wilson’s vagueness. but the namedropping also got a bit out of hand in my opinion. she writes roughly 3 paragraphs about her meeting up with Oprah’s meditation coach or something and this whole section, i felt like, did not add anything to the book other that yet another name to be thrown around.
overall i felt very frustrated with it all, the only reason i gave it two stars is because there were about ten things in there which i thought were helpful tips, inspiring quotes or uplifting messages. i bought this book in 2018 because zoe sugg (also known as zoella) recommended it in one of her videos. after reading the book i can see why she, as an upper-class woman, would do so. no shade to her, but i would not consider recommending this book to any of my anxious friends, because i know, being in the position they are in, this book will not help them in the slightest. an assumption, but i reckon it won’t help many people in the slightest, because disappearing for an x amount of months is not a regular persons way of trying to fix the overwhelming aspects of life.