My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind by Scott Stossel (Mini Review)

A panic attack is crippling. All the body’s defense mechanisms are triggered at once, leaving a person frozen and in utter fear.  Combine that with the fact that the stigma of mental health continues to plague our society, and dealing with these issues can be nearly impossible.

Scott Stossel, current editor of The Atlantic magazine, has dealt with anxiety and panic his entire life. He discusses how he comes to terms with his illness in his book My Age of Anxiety. From the environmental to genetic to neurological factors, he helps the reader wade through the bevy of research, therapies, and medicine available. He also provides some good depth into the history of anxiety and panic diagnosis. This is not Jung and Freud (the only psychology people I know) stuff; I saw Stossel as a passionate guide and a credible source. He has lived with these ailments since early childhood and has been subject to the many treatments and drugs thought to be cures.

Stossel’s account is honest and very well written. He provides great insight and shows substantial courage in relating this very personal story.