Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind

Written by Judson Brewer, MD, PhD

Narrated by Judson Brewer, MD, PhD

A step-by-step plan clinically proven to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety and addictive habits

We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone. 

We think of anxiety as everything from mild unease to full-blown panic. But it's also what drives the addictive behaviors and bad habits we use to cope (e.g. stress eating, procrastination, doom scrolling and social media). Plus, anxiety lives in a part of the brain that resists rational thought. So we get stuck in anxiety habit loops that we can't think our way out of or use willpower to overcome. Dr. Brewer teaches us map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfulness and other practices that his lab has proven can work.

Distilling more than 20 years of research and hands-on work with thousands of patients, including Olympic athletes and coaches, and leaders in government and business, Dr. Brewer has created a clear, solution-oriented program that anyone can use to feel better - no matter how anxious they feel.

*This audiobook includes a PDF of the behavioral tendencies questionnaire from the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9780593409466

Reviews for Unwinding Anxiety

[kavinay-677830 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Anxiety as a habit.

[Daina · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

At first, it is interesting, but then it becomes a bit repetitive and confusing; I got a little lost with the topic of the first and second gear, it’s somewhat unclear, perhaps I should have read more carefully or at some point gone back in the reading because I feel like I didn’t fully grasp something. The example cases are interesting, but it feels like it would be necessary to have a session with the author of the book to break out of the loops of anxiety, and besides, he constantly promotes a mindfulness app, which comes off as a bit pushy and commercial. (Translated from Spanish)

[knightlight777 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A book that dissects and builds methodologies for taking on anxiety and negative habits. There certainly is a lot of useful information here written by a credible doctor, but I found it gets kind of wonky in how he classifies and delivers his solutions to the problem.

The doctor himself had suffered through panic attacks as a younger man in med school and so has first hand experience in what is going on. I would say if someone studied his principles and methods they would certainly make progress. I however just read the book and came up with just one of his core principles which was, "hmmmm."

[pattylee-621744 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although anxiety is the title topic, the overwhelming examples and discussions are about two major addictive behaviors- smacking and binge eating. The lessons and techniques apply to anxiety, but I was expecting more on anxiety itself. The techniques are not new, but the applications are interesting. And, quite intriguingly, the author acknowledges the binge nature of social media in a small part of the book.

[seschend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very grounded, approachable, and relevant book that will help those seeking help curbing incessant worry, anxiety, depression, or other mental issues.

Listened to the audiobook and the author's voice is calming in itself.

The associated apps for anxiety and breath exercises also effective.

Recommended.