A Brief History Of Anxiety

The millions of North Americans who silently cope with anxiety at last have a witty, articulate champion in Patricia Pearson, who shows that the anxious are hardly “nervous nellies” with “weak characters” who just need medicine and a pat on the head. Instead, Pearson questions what it is about twenty-first century American culture that is making people anxious, and offers some surprising answers—as well as some inspiring solutions based on her own fierce battle to drive the beast away.

Drawing on personal episodes of incapacitating dread as a vivid, often hilarious guide to her quest to understand this most ancient of human emotions, Pearson delves into the history and geography of anxiety. Why are North Americans so much more likely to suffer than Latin Americans? Why did Darwin treat hypochondria with sprays from a hose? Why have we forgotten the insights of some of our greatest philosophers, theologians, and psychologists in favor of prescribing addictive drugs? In this blend of fascinating reportage and poignant memoir, Pearson ends with her struggle to withdraw from antidepressants and to find more self-aware and philosophically-grounded ways to strengthen the soul.

Read a sample chapter from the book here.

Advance praise for A Brief History...

“If only more psychology were written with the literate intelligence of this book. It is a weaving of stories that accomplishes a great deal: cultural analysis, psychological insight, and personal reflection. You will enjoy it and learn from it. If you are ever afraid of the dark, crowds of people, heights, and the insanity of your fellow humans, as I am, you may find comfort here.”
– Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and A Life's Work

“In this meditation on anxiety, shot through with bright insights and shafts of illumination, Pearson has subtly interwoven her personal story with the history of anxiety in a manner that left me revisiting both the book and my memories of it long after I had finished. A Brief History deftly conveys a sense of where we have come to, offers succour to anyone afflicted with nerves, and may yet take a place beside some of the cultural landmarks in the field.”
– Dr. David Healy, author of Let Them Eat Prozac and The Anti-Depressant Era

“A beautifully sustained riff on the link between our beliefs and our symptoms. The world is inscribing us with anxiety and Pearson—sensitive, eloquent, and very funny—is the perfect palimpsest. Captivating, thought-provoking and filled with original scholarship.”
– Jeff Warren, author of The Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness

“A bubble bath of a book to lift your spirits and make you laugh. Pearson's wry and illuminating insights into this modern state of mind are better medicine than Effexor.”
– Marni Jackson, author of The Mother Zone and Pain: The Science and Culture of Why we Hurt

A Brief History of Anxiety is published by Random House Canada/Bloomsbury USA.