The book dives into why we have alarm in our body, how it’s different from anxiety of the mind, and what the heck to actually do about it. RUSSELL KENNEDY, MD is a physician, neuroscientist, certified yoga and meditation teacher, and a professional stand-up comedian. I have every one of these letters from my childhood, and had to skip parts of the ALARMS section because it was too overwhelming. I wrote this book to make my father's suicide and the suffering of my family mean something: to help others who experienced chronic worry to understand and fix the pain that is sucking the life out of them.

Kennedy offers not just a unique look at and approach to anxiety; he offers actionable steps to help right now.I don’t browse self-help genre anymore and something written on psychology is a no go area for me as I have found that most of it is toxic psychology which cajoles readers into believing that being self-centred, self-absorbed, self-loving and walling themselves within a fortress of boundaries are the ways to live a fulfilling life. It has a very unique way of explaining the psychological mecanisms to break free from blocking anxious patterns. The author’s high regard of his ‘own’ knowledge can be recognised by the fact he keeps on repeating himself, eventhough he seems to be aware of speaking nonsense sometimes. The author prefaces the book stating he likes the format of having 108 chapters, and to his detriment wrote enough content to fill this number of chapters when the same amount probably could have been said in half. And also representations on what is take to build trust and build faith for ourselves so we can reintegrate our bodies and our minds and minimise our reactions and create space for responses.

Kennedy’s stories and personal experiences make it clear that he knows exactly what he’s talking about. What was really useful was to hear someone say what I’d been saying, that you can’t think your way out of anxiety. Kennedy also has a podcast of the same name where he tackles similar concepts, and I think I prefer his podcast over the book since it just isn’t as long-winded.That source is in a place most doctors and psychologists fail to explore, and that oversight is why the positive effects of most anxiety therapies tend to wear off over time. Kennedy at a conference over the course of several days - and he sure knows how to make a lasting impression: professional through and through, sharp, witty, and kind. If you ever feel anxious, whether that’s a low-level worry, a sudden fear, or full-on panic, can you sense where it’s coming from in your body?