I’ve run into Dr. Suzuki’s videos on the Ted channel multiple times. My own journey through mental and emotional well-being drew me to her presentations on how the brain works. This book appealed because I have struggled with anxiety from time-to-time. Thankfully it’s not a permanent/chronic thing for me, but I know more than a few people that it is a nearly constant issue for. It led me to want to understand it more and Dr. Suzuki’s take on the subject was refreshing.

Listen to Dr. Suzuki talk about anxiety and her book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNKApPrhlew

I have to start this review off by saying I am a nerd. Academic things are interesting to me. But there are a LOT of practical applications here, not just material to feed my inner dork. It turns out there a lot of things I hadn’t thought of.

The first big idea was that anxiety isn’t just a debilitating or irritating malfunction of our brain. It serves a purpose. It is a natural response to stress and pressure. It can actually be helpful if we recognize it for what it is, harness the energy and focus it on positive things. For anyone that lives with terrible chronic anxiety this probably seems like little comfort, but for me it was a bit of a revelation. It’s the tension that helps some of us get motivated.

Dr. Suzuki shares that the flip-side of anxiety can be a superpower. If we learn to recognize and channel anxiety it can help:

Increase productivity

Boost performance

Sharpen Focus

Increase empathy

I think this last point is important. We risk becoming callous if we feel like we are immune to a particular mental or emotional condition. My own episodes of depression have made me so much more empathic for people with similar struggles. If you’ve endured seasons of anxiety, it helps you understand others and motivates you to support those in similar circumstances.

But on to the key point of rewiring our response to anxiety; Dr. Suzuki reminds us that our brains are pliable, even well into adulthood, although not so much as when we are young children. This is evident in people who have had mild strokes. It is very possible for them, with proper therapy, to learn and re-wire their brains to compensate for the stroke damage. I saw this in my own father. This flexibility, called Neuro Plasticity means we can rewire our responses to anxiety and use it to our advantage. We need to have an Activist Mindset, meaning we take an active role in our approach to dealing with anxiety and rely on our cognitive flexibility to effect change.

Of course change is often slow and comes in small increments, but by focusing on our response to stress and anxiety it’s possible make use of that energy, rather than letting it hurt us.

Overall, I’ve found this book very interesting and helpful in its perspective. Putting these concepts into practice, of course, takes effort and reinforcement, but it’s worth it. If you suffer from severe, debilitating anxiety, a book won’t be enough. Please seek profession counsel, advice and even medication if it’s indicated. We’re not meant to go through life immersed in stress and anxiety.