Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life presents readers with an overview of the condition that affects approximately sixteen million Americans and provides a comprehensive list of the wide variety of integrative holistic treatment options available. Dr. Eudene Harry combines her experience in modern medicine and passion for holistic care in this handbook for anyone who suffers from anxiety.Harry notes that in a society that desires a pill for every ill, "it is important that we learn the root causes behind a patient's anxiety in order to form both a proper diagnosis and treatment regimen" (46). Anxiety 101 is intentionally structured to appeal both to patients who suffer from anxiety and medical professionals who treat the disorder. This easily readable book includes current statistical information from reputable medical studies as well as real-life "case studies" gleamed from the author's extensive experience as a traditional medical practitioner in a hospital setting and her current career as a holistic healthcare provider. Readers from a variety of backgrounds will appreciate her extensive overview of the biological history of the anxiety problem our society is now facing. For those who read Anxiety 101 in an attempt to learn more about their own disorder, Harry suggests that "arming yourself with the basic, physiological facts about how the anxiety response works is one critical step in the right direction" (102), and she provides such facts in simple terms using relatable examples.In the later chapters of Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life, Harry expands her belief that a "holistic approach to wellness is about creating a harmonious relationship with all aspects of your life" (78) by providing readers, both patients and practitioners alike, with a comprehensive list of treatment options, how they work, and their specific benefits. In addition to a refreshingly unbiased review of the pharmaceuticals commonly used to treat anxiety (serotonin boosters, GABA boosters, and beta blockers), a long list of alternative therapies are described: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), nuerofeedback, exercise, herbs, nutrients and vitamins, nutrition, meditation, visualization, essential oils, massage, probiotics, laughter, sleep, and weight loss.Anxiety 101 proves to be a valuable tool for anyone who seeks to understand the causes of anxiety disorders and learn how to employ holistic treatment options to improve health and happiness.
