SELF-HELP

Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety

by Arash Javanbakht
Rowman & Littlefield. Sept. 2023. 196p. ISBN 9781538170380. $32. SELF-HELP
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This in-depth title on fear from psychiatrist and neuroscientist Javanbakht (director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic, Wayne State Univ. Sch. of Medicine) discusses complicated medical terminology but also makes it understandable for laypeople. Packed with information on the history of evolved fear and how it impacts situations in the present, the title also discusses how others use fear to manipulate situations, and even the advantages of having a healthy, protective amount of fear. There are only a few pictures or illustrations to break up the text, but it is still a digestible academic read. It would have been handy to have citations listed within the text, but there’s a bibliography broken down by chapter at the end of the book, as well as an index.
VERDICT A must-read for those diagnosed with anxiety, OCD, and PTSD to better understand themselves and how their brains behave. The book is also helpful for a general audience looking to learn more about how fear can influence their lives. A valuable acquisition for undergraduate academic libraries with psychology programs.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Chandler , Oct 01, 2023
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