The anatomy of anxiety : understanding and overcoming the body's fear response
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages [275]-323) and index.

"A new theory of understanding how anxiety manifests in the body and brain, and how it can be treated" --,Provided by publisher.

Anxiety affects more than forty million Americans, a number that continues to climb in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While conventional medicine tends to view anxiety as a "neck-up" problem - that is, one of brain chemistry and psychology - the truth is that the origins of anxiety are rooted in the body. In The Anatomy of Anxiety, holistic psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Vora offers nothing less than a paradigm shift in the understanding of anxiety and mental health, suggesting that anxiety is not simply a brain disorder but a whole-body condition. In her clinical work, Dr. Vora has found time and time again that the symptoms of anxiety can often be traced to imbalances in the body. The emotional and physical discomfort we experience - sleeplessness, stomach pain, jitters, and a sense of doom - is a result of the body's stress response. This physiological state can be triggered by challenging experiences as well as seemingly innocuous factors, such as sugar, caffeine, and technology. The good news is that this body-based anxiety, or, as Dr. Vora terms it, "false anxiety," is easily treated. Once the body's needs are addressed, Dr. Vora reframes any remaining symptoms not as a disorder but rather as an urgent plea from within. This "true anxiety" is a signal that something else is out of balance - in our lives, in our relationships, in the world. True anxiety serves as our inner compass, helping us recalibrate when we veer off course. Practical, informative, and deeply hopeful, The Anatomy of Anxiety is the first book to fully explain the origins of anxiety and offer a detailed road map for healing and growth.