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thecaitlinedit's review against another edition
2.0
While there were some good ideas in there as to things you can do to help or habits you should set, the majority of the book was a personal rambling anecdote that felt exclusive if anything to those who feel anxious. It also felt as though a large section in the middle could have been cut out and chapters narrowed down to get the ideas across clearer.
As this was someones personal experience, it feels a little dangerous to be looking at this as what anxiety must feel like across the board. Feeling something different to whats described is anxiety inducing itself and is a bit frustrating to read.
As this was someones personal experience, it feels a little dangerous to be looking at this as what anxiety must feel like across the board. Feeling something different to whats described is anxiety inducing itself and is a bit frustrating to read.
undermeyou's review against another edition
5.0
I rarely leave reviews of anything. Especially books. It’s too easy to not be obtuse about personal preference vs the actual content. That being said. I wanted to leave one here because I read most of the one and two star reviews on this book, and saw that many said this book made them more anxious. I want to say that I understand that. And. Warn anyone about to read this book of a few things. It contains triggers and is scattered (which is frequently exactly how I and many other anxious people think). I found that when reading this in a quiet place I was able to concentrate on it, read slowly, and find large amounts of insight and comfort. When I read it in my living room with my kids running around and me rushing to get to the next page, I couldn’t get anything from it. Don’t go into it expecting it to be a scientific review of facts, or a coping plan. It’s neither but a mix of both along with many anecdotes. To me it was more about how to cope with what anxiety does to your life and how to explain it to others. I had my boyfriend read this after I finished it and he said that he recognized so many things about me that he has never been able to piece together on his own even though we have been together almost ten years and he felt that he had it figured out.
Takeaway - it’s not for everyone. But you’re more likely to appreciate it in a calm space where you can focus on what it is trying to tell you.
Takeaway - it’s not for everyone. But you’re more likely to appreciate it in a calm space where you can focus on what it is trying to tell you.
lore13's review against another edition
3.0
Good insights, but I really don't like the conversational writing style.
thingsreadinbed's review against another edition
3.0
I probably wouldn’t return to a 3 star book in usual circumstances but this one I will. The lack of stars are for editing and structure and the inaccessibility for some of the solutions (which can work if it’s just a memoir, but if it’s a self-help book having a week to ourselves to think: ashram or sans ashram is pretty unrealistic). However, she approaches anxiety from so many angles, peppered with thoughts of so many great thinkers and has many accessible thoughts and solutions I want to go back to the book from time to time and check in with what I’ve learned.
hannah_banana_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
erikaellr's review against another edition
4.0
A lot of the criticism that I've read for this book is that it fails to be things that, honestly, I don't think it's even trying to be. This book has some elements of the science of anxiety and self-help, but if you're looking for a self-help book, or a rigorous scientific explanation of anxiety and its treatment, this isn't it.
This book, instead, is a memoir of the author learning about what helps and what doesn't for her anxiety, and learning to appreciate and even love her relationship with her anxiety. It's also a fond and knowing love letter to anyone else running around, sometimes in circles, on their own path with anxiety. I listened to the audiobook, which the author narrates herself, and I loved it - I don't think reading the text would have felt as personal and intimate. My experience of the book was listening to a friend commiserate, tell her story, share tips and encouragement, and mostly, just express curiosity and appreciation and love, and welcome me to feel those things too, about the ways in which our brains work that we so often greet with angst and meta-anxiety instead of curiosity and acceptance and fondness. I will definitely re-listen to parts of the book here and there, anytime I feel like it would be nice to just take a break and get coffee with a slightly crazy, sometimes hyperbolic, but actually fairly grounded, and wholly likeable Australian friend.
This book, instead, is a memoir of the author learning about what helps and what doesn't for her anxiety, and learning to appreciate and even love her relationship with her anxiety. It's also a fond and knowing love letter to anyone else running around, sometimes in circles, on their own path with anxiety. I listened to the audiobook, which the author narrates herself, and I loved it - I don't think reading the text would have felt as personal and intimate. My experience of the book was listening to a friend commiserate, tell her story, share tips and encouragement, and mostly, just express curiosity and appreciation and love, and welcome me to feel those things too, about the ways in which our brains work that we so often greet with angst and meta-anxiety instead of curiosity and acceptance and fondness. I will definitely re-listen to parts of the book here and there, anytime I feel like it would be nice to just take a break and get coffee with a slightly crazy, sometimes hyperbolic, but actually fairly grounded, and wholly likeable Australian friend.
allabaranovsky's review against another edition
1.0
Sarah Wilson is likable enough. That’s where my praise for this ends. Most of the book is dangerous, self-centered bunk. Very white, very middle class. She actually advises people go off their meds, just to try it out and see what happens. Waste of time unless you are the type of person who enjoys eating, praying and loving all at the same time.
juniper_b_jones's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a really lovely read. A lot of what Wilson talks about was very familiar, and some of it was brand new, but all of it really rung true to me. I can totally see how this may not be a good resource for everyone, but I really enjoyed the journey myself, and now have a lot of resources that I am interested in looking at in more depth (from her lists at the back of the book).