Book Review: On Edge

“Fear ambushes me… I feel fine… And then, a second later, I’m not,” writes Andrea Peterson. Her new book, On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety, is an exploration of her life with anxiety, from her first panic attack, to realizing that she had an anxiety disorder, to sorting out the dizzying array of treatments and ultimately discovering for herself what anxiety is and how to live with it. While it is estimated that one in three Americans will have at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetime, it took Peterson multiple trips to the emergency room, EKG tests, blood tests, CAT scans, MRIs and multiple other suspected conditions before she was finally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Part of the reason for this, Peterson discovered, was that depression tends to claim most of the headlines and media attention. Yet anxiety can be deadly. “Recent research has found that it is anxiety disorders and other illnesses, like problems with impulse control and addiction that are more likely to lead to suicide attempts,” writes Peterson. As her anxiety began to spiral out of control, Peterson experienced often confusing neurological symptoms that bewildered her and scared her parents. Like many who suffer from anxiety, Peterson tried to hide her symptoms. “Trying to hide my terror and appear normal was exhausting so I came up with a cover story. I told my roommates and others that I was recovering from mono, the quintessential college “kissing” disease,”...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Anti-anxiety Book Reviews Healthy Living Mindfulness Personal Stories Women's Issues Source Type: news