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Anxiety Rx
From physician and neuroscientist Russell Kennedy, MD comes an award-winning book that offers a revolutionary, life-changing approach to healing anxiety.
Dive into the refined and practically upgraded second edition.
After years of trying different therapies for his debilitating anxiety without success, Dr. Russell Kennedy had an anxiety does not start in the brain.
Anxiety starts in the body, where trauma is stored and physical and emotional perception begin. Alarm bells originating in the body are what trigger those anxious thoughts that we call anxiety, and Russ realized that true healing starts only when we learn not to conflate the two. He understood that existing therapies focused only on the mind would never get to the root of the problem—at best, they could help manage symptoms, but they’d never truly heal anxiety.
Wanting to make a difference for the millions who suffer from anxiety disorder, Russ created Anxiety Rx, a book that blends his personal story with medical science, neuroscience, and developmental psychology. Readers learn how to sever the connection between the somatic alarm and the flood of anxious thoughts—in the process they begin to heal old trauma and gain a sense of control previously unknown.
Russ offers techniques not only for our thinking minds, but for our feeling bodies, changing not just our mindset, but our “body-set.” Unraveling the intricate relationship between anxiety, the body, and the mind, Anxiety Rx offers a profound path toward healing and growth.
Dive into the refined and practically upgraded second edition.
After years of trying different therapies for his debilitating anxiety without success, Dr. Russell Kennedy had an anxiety does not start in the brain.
Anxiety starts in the body, where trauma is stored and physical and emotional perception begin. Alarm bells originating in the body are what trigger those anxious thoughts that we call anxiety, and Russ realized that true healing starts only when we learn not to conflate the two. He understood that existing therapies focused only on the mind would never get to the root of the problem—at best, they could help manage symptoms, but they’d never truly heal anxiety.
Wanting to make a difference for the millions who suffer from anxiety disorder, Russ created Anxiety Rx, a book that blends his personal story with medical science, neuroscience, and developmental psychology. Readers learn how to sever the connection between the somatic alarm and the flood of anxious thoughts—in the process they begin to heal old trauma and gain a sense of control previously unknown.
Russ offers techniques not only for our thinking minds, but for our feeling bodies, changing not just our mindset, but our “body-set.” Unraveling the intricate relationship between anxiety, the body, and the mind, Anxiety Rx offers a profound path toward healing and growth.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
1116 people are currently reading
9611 people want to read
About the author
Russell Kennedy, MD
1 book7 followers"The Anxiety MD"
Physician- Retired - Burned out
Neuroscientist
Stand up comedian (no joke)
Yoga and meditation teacher -
Guitar player - strats over Les Pauls
Divorced (twice) Married 3 times — winning!
Grandfather to Avie and Angus
Father to stepsons, dogs, daughter
Golfer, club thrower
Clairsentient
Hypochondriac (elite level)
Dog lover to Buddha and Riley, his dogists
Ex Olympic Level Worrier
Learning to feel more than think
Waits until laundry is out of control to do it
Has an aversion to cooking
YouTuber (THE ANXIETY MD)
Twit(ter)
Rescuer/fixer/doctor
Raconteur
Author - this is new. we'll see how it goes....
Physician- Retired - Burned out
Neuroscientist
Stand up comedian (no joke)
Yoga and meditation teacher -
Guitar player - strats over Les Pauls
Divorced (twice) Married 3 times — winning!
Grandfather to Avie and Angus
Father to stepsons, dogs, daughter
Golfer, club thrower
Clairsentient
Hypochondriac (elite level)
Dog lover to Buddha and Riley, his dogists
Ex Olympic Level Worrier
Learning to feel more than think
Waits until laundry is out of control to do it
Has an aversion to cooking
YouTuber (THE ANXIETY MD)
Twit(ter)
Rescuer/fixer/doctor
Raconteur
Author - this is new. we'll see how it goes....
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
October 6, 2023
Ok, full disclosure: I am Dr.Kennedy’s daughter, so I may be slightly biased! My dad has always lovingly helped me with my own anxiety and I have learned more about relieving it from him than from any other means bar none. I LOVE this book. So much of it I have used over the years and has helped me immeasurably. His method has helped me beyond what I can express to you in words. The book has a storytelling theme to it, in which both the neuroscience and the wisdom are shared in compassionate and ultimately practical ways. They involve his own direct experience of his healing, and the healing of his patients. Chances are you are someone or know someone dealing with anxiety. Read it for you, or read it to help someone you love. This book will show you exactly what is happening in the mind and body—and what you can do to relieve it. It’s funny to boot! Happy healing :)
February 26, 2024
What a mess. Author begins by telling us his favorite book is Eat Pray Love (wtf), and it all goes downhill from there. A 500 page hyper-indulgent jungle of repetitive, vague psycho-nonsense about "having faith in yourself in order to re-connect with your inner child", etc. This guy claims-- in all seriousness, not a metaphor-- that his anxiety takes the form of a purple diamond shaped object that resides in his solar plexus.
The thesis of the book is: 1- anxiety is trapped 'in the body', 2- stop thinking, focus on your body and breath. Despite asserting it hundreds of times, he never defines what it means for anxiety to be 'in the body', let alone back up the idea with any scientific evidence. His practical guidance for how to treat anxiety is a lazy CBT-light technique he calls "the ABC's" where you A) stop and pay attention, B) breathe, C) something something about being 'conscious'. So, basically, his solution to anxiety is to breathe. Just like the message on that sofa pillow you bought at Target.
Another obnoxious feature is the 'jokes' sprinkled throughout (the author claims to be a comedian). That's fine in theory but nothing he says is funny. Mr. Kennedy really shouldn't be attempting jokes.
True to the genre, there are no citations, no references to research. And, naturally, on his website, like any good wellness grifter, he's got all manner of 'hypno meditations', courses, webinars, and whatnots to sell you.
I'm sure focused breathing is a good thing. I think everyone agrees on that. However, this book is not going to solve anyone's anxiety.
The thesis of the book is: 1- anxiety is trapped 'in the body', 2- stop thinking, focus on your body and breath. Despite asserting it hundreds of times, he never defines what it means for anxiety to be 'in the body', let alone back up the idea with any scientific evidence. His practical guidance for how to treat anxiety is a lazy CBT-light technique he calls "the ABC's" where you A) stop and pay attention, B) breathe, C) something something about being 'conscious'. So, basically, his solution to anxiety is to breathe. Just like the message on that sofa pillow you bought at Target.
Another obnoxious feature is the 'jokes' sprinkled throughout (the author claims to be a comedian). That's fine in theory but nothing he says is funny. Mr. Kennedy really shouldn't be attempting jokes.
True to the genre, there are no citations, no references to research. And, naturally, on his website, like any good wellness grifter, he's got all manner of 'hypno meditations', courses, webinars, and whatnots to sell you.
I'm sure focused breathing is a good thing. I think everyone agrees on that. However, this book is not going to solve anyone's anxiety.
February 16, 2023
It’s so rare that I give up on a book, particularly on this topic. The concept had potential, and I was intrigued by the lack of citing studies, etc because at first, it read like having coffee with a knowledgeable friend sharing their own personal experiences in their journey with anxiety. I was fine with that in principle, but here is where it went wrong:
1. I cannot describe the level at which this book is repetitive. Hundreds of pages should have been 50. It has no real identifiable structure within each part, and it feels like one person droning on about his own personal experiences.
2. As I said, there was value in his personal experiences - but if your anxieties manifest in different ways, his failure to use enough meaningful, detailed examples from people other than himself starts to make it hard to relate to.
3. His aha moments stem from psychedelic use. I don’t begrudge him the potential of these drugs, but a lot of his musings about it feel esoteric and not particularly grounded in reality.
The bottom line is that some people may enjoy his personal musings, and he certainly makes some very interesting points that you won’t read elsewhere. For me, though, it was rambling, detached from reality, and difficult to get through.
1. I cannot describe the level at which this book is repetitive. Hundreds of pages should have been 50. It has no real identifiable structure within each part, and it feels like one person droning on about his own personal experiences.
2. As I said, there was value in his personal experiences - but if your anxieties manifest in different ways, his failure to use enough meaningful, detailed examples from people other than himself starts to make it hard to relate to.
3. His aha moments stem from psychedelic use. I don’t begrudge him the potential of these drugs, but a lot of his musings about it feel esoteric and not particularly grounded in reality.
The bottom line is that some people may enjoy his personal musings, and he certainly makes some very interesting points that you won’t read elsewhere. For me, though, it was rambling, detached from reality, and difficult to get through.
December 23, 2022
Repetitive and slow
I'm on pg 140 and have to stop as way to repetitive and extremely slow in making the same points over and over. It's almost like an infomercial so far.. The author keeps promising to reveal how to release the trauma. Shame coz it looks like it would have interesting concepts if it was well written
I'm on pg 140 and have to stop as way to repetitive and extremely slow in making the same points over and over. It's almost like an infomercial so far.. The author keeps promising to reveal how to release the trauma. Shame coz it looks like it would have interesting concepts if it was well written
October 29, 2020
5 stars!! This book is different from other self help in many ways as the author is a doctor who has the condition and treats it in others. Dr Kennedy suffered with anxiety growing up with a schizophrenic father and my dad was bipolar, so I could relate immediately to a parent who was compromised. Dr K is funny! Many times in this book I burst out laughing. He used stories from his own life (some quite sad, others funny) and those of his patients over the years (I loved "The Tuna Lady!"). The book is quite different from the "change your thoughts" school of anxiety relief that 99% of anxiety books seem to follow. Dr K really gets you to focus on connecting to your body and out of your head. There are certainly aspects of using your mind, but his main premise is you cant stay in the burning house of your mind and try to put out the fire, you must get out and then objectively look from outside back into the burning house once you are safe. Get into your body and truly connect with yourself physiologically and then the anxious thoughts don't seem so overpowering. This book has given me more confidence in myself and not looked down on myself for having anxiety. It showed me where I was being a victim to myself. Im not healed by any means but for the fitst time I feel my healing is possible and up to me. Highly recommended if you have anxiety and are sick of it!
December 12, 2022
I have mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, when I downloaded my kindle highlights and notes from this book, it totaled 9 pages, so obviously I got a lot of insights out of this book, and I think they will be helpful to me for a long time. On the other hand, this book was waaaaaaaay too long and repetitive. I found myself skimming huge portions of it. The author really needed an editor. Also, I couldn't get past his endless reference to LSD (and other mind altering drugs) as the key to his personal anxiety cure. But we don't have to do LSD, because we can just take his word for it that what was revealed to him is applicable to us. I don't know, I just don't think that that entire part of the book was at all necessary; I think his insights would have stood up without going on and on about LSD.
All in all, if you struggle with anxiety, I think you will probably benefit from reading this, as I have, but be prepared for a long read and a lot of eye rolling along the way.
All in all, if you struggle with anxiety, I think you will probably benefit from reading this, as I have, but be prepared for a long read and a lot of eye rolling along the way.
September 17, 2023
I couldn’t get through this. Very repetitive, information is primarily based on the author’s lived experience. This was a let down since I assumed more actual science would be consulted for the book.
As much as I read (pg. 90) his science is rooted in outdated Freudian Id, Ego, Superego and he pulls a few quotes from Carl Jung. And in the beginning he writes how no medication or therapeutic intervention helped him other than LSD…really inspiring for those that also have anxiety.
Written as only a white male could. For clinicians, this book is not worth your time. For those who want this guys specific story and opinion, read on.
As much as I read (pg. 90) his science is rooted in outdated Freudian Id, Ego, Superego and he pulls a few quotes from Carl Jung. And in the beginning he writes how no medication or therapeutic intervention helped him other than LSD…really inspiring for those that also have anxiety.
Written as only a white male could. For clinicians, this book is not worth your time. For those who want this guys specific story and opinion, read on.
December 14, 2022
Wow. This book is absolutely amazing.
I have struggled with anxiety(+ alarm) for many years, and this book has given me so much clarity, insight and hope that I can HEAL my anxiety and not live my life coping with it.
Dr. Kennedy’s lifelong personal experience with anxiety is a real beacon of hope for all those with chronic anxiety and his narrative proves relatable and beneficial.
Not only is he experienced with anxiety, but as a MD + neuroscientist, you’ll find insightful information about both the scientific side of anxiety and the emotional side.
There is also good humor throughout this book, ‘cause he is also a stand-up comedian!
I’ve read a few reviews from some people who say they didn’t finish the book ‘cause they found his writing to be slow and repetitive and were “anxious”(haha) to get to the answer or exercises that will help.
Yes, a lot of information is repeated throughout the book, but I find this pretty helpful because we’re reminded of this important information consistently in order to remember it and use it in the healing of our anxiety.
And there IS an answer!
At the end of the book, you will not find yourself lost or without knowledge, direction or answers.
Instead, I found I had more strength, knowledge, confidence and faith in myself to walk a path of growth to healing, and to have so much compassion and love for others and, most importantly, myself.
Definitely recommend!!!
I have struggled with anxiety(+ alarm) for many years, and this book has given me so much clarity, insight and hope that I can HEAL my anxiety and not live my life coping with it.
Dr. Kennedy’s lifelong personal experience with anxiety is a real beacon of hope for all those with chronic anxiety and his narrative proves relatable and beneficial.
Not only is he experienced with anxiety, but as a MD + neuroscientist, you’ll find insightful information about both the scientific side of anxiety and the emotional side.
There is also good humor throughout this book, ‘cause he is also a stand-up comedian!
I’ve read a few reviews from some people who say they didn’t finish the book ‘cause they found his writing to be slow and repetitive and were “anxious”(haha) to get to the answer or exercises that will help.
Yes, a lot of information is repeated throughout the book, but I find this pretty helpful because we’re reminded of this important information consistently in order to remember it and use it in the healing of our anxiety.
And there IS an answer!
At the end of the book, you will not find yourself lost or without knowledge, direction or answers.
Instead, I found I had more strength, knowledge, confidence and faith in myself to walk a path of growth to healing, and to have so much compassion and love for others and, most importantly, myself.
Definitely recommend!!!
December 25, 2022
I’m not even halfway through, but I already have to force myself to continue reading. The author’s high regard of his ‘own’ knowledge can be recognised by the fact he keeps on repeating himself, eventhough he seems to be aware of speaking nonsense sometimes.
I’m wondering which parts of the book are about this wonderful ‘new’ prescription for anxiety…. It’s fundamental knowledge of psychology that negative thoughts influence affect/emotion, which in turn affects behaviour. Also the notion of trauma being stored in the body is not new? I would not recommend this book to anyone, because combining existing knowledge and claim it as your own just seems fraudulent and wronng to me.
I’m wondering which parts of the book are about this wonderful ‘new’ prescription for anxiety…. It’s fundamental knowledge of psychology that negative thoughts influence affect/emotion, which in turn affects behaviour. Also the notion of trauma being stored in the body is not new? I would not recommend this book to anyone, because combining existing knowledge and claim it as your own just seems fraudulent and wronng to me.
April 2, 2023
Extremely repetitive, as other reviews note. However, that’s what us worriers need. That’s how we’ve lived. Repeatedly worrying, trying to predict the future over and over. Of course we need repetitive teaching. It’s going to take me endless times to reread highlights or certain chapters to help get out of the “alarm grooves.” Thank you, Russell and Rusty for #1 putting words to my struggles #2 sharing the solution, again and again.
Read
September 21, 2025I haven't finished this and may come back to it. What I read helped me to understand where my anxiety originated and how to calm myself down when it starts. I may return to this book again in the future.
October 27, 2024
Okay this is a complicated one. Personally I did not like the book. The author took useful tools such as mindfulness and (maybe useful) psychedelic drug therapy and totally ran with them. Meditation and mindfulness works, that’s apparent, drugs work (if used responsibly), even though the author doesn’t recommend doing the drugs ourselves, his thesis seems to be wholly based on an experience he had while undergoing LSD therapy. I’ve always wanted to try psychedelic therapy (psilocybin) but I’ve always been afraid of turning into a weird hippy that believes in chakras and spiritual energy, I like my hard sciences and atheism, thank you.
From what I gather, he believes that he has some kind of crystalline structure in or around his solar plexus, and I’m pretty sure he is talking about the “spiritual” solar plexus associated with chakras and other pseudoscientific bull crap, not the bundle of nerves behind the abdomen (okay, maybe he is using it as a taxonomical reference…). There are signs that he is empathetic to homeopathy because he calls himself a allopathic doctor (a term fake homeopathic “doctors” often use to make give their own trade legitimacy), just call yourself a doctor, or if you want to be hip with the kids, a “trad doctor”.
The author goes on to talk about energy pathways in the body, and I don’t believe he is talking about the energy pathways that science affirms, the blood streams which transport oxygen and other goods, or nerves that transport electric signals… he does talk about hormones and chemicals like endorphins, but the energy that he seems to believe in seems more like “chakra” BS energy to me, because he says the energy is a messenger of trauma and whatnot.
The book was extremely repetitive, the author mentioned LSD every other page and his unfortunate upbringing every other other page (sorry to hear about his dad). He is obsessed with Alice Millers theory of childhood trauma leading to adult anxiety. Although I don’t totally discount it I think the author bases his whole existence on the fact that he had a traumatic childhood. Personally I have 2 siblings, all raised the same (a single mother that suffered from depression and couldn’t work and thus we were quite poor) and we all turned out completely different). The author does what a lot of self help authors do, which is lump large amounts of people into the same category. The Walt Whitman quote, “We contain multitudes”, comes to mind whenever I read books by self help gurus with alluring one size fits all narratives.
Okay, now I can go on to why I gave this book 3 stars and not just 1 (to be mean) or 2 (just to be polite), I think this book can help people who don’t care about the science, arguably most people. I agree that we all have some form of anxiety (probably as a result of evolution) and I agree that many of us tend to victimize ourselves and descend into a vicious cycle. Mindfulness about these tendencies are useful tools and conscious effort should be made to tackle them.
I have yet to find a book on psychology that really convinces me that we know anything about what goes on in the human brain. Philosophy seems to be my go to. So if anyone is triggered by this review I’d say maybe this book just wasn’t for me…
From what I gather, he believes that he has some kind of crystalline structure in or around his solar plexus, and I’m pretty sure he is talking about the “spiritual” solar plexus associated with chakras and other pseudoscientific bull crap, not the bundle of nerves behind the abdomen (okay, maybe he is using it as a taxonomical reference…). There are signs that he is empathetic to homeopathy because he calls himself a allopathic doctor (a term fake homeopathic “doctors” often use to make give their own trade legitimacy), just call yourself a doctor, or if you want to be hip with the kids, a “trad doctor”.
The author goes on to talk about energy pathways in the body, and I don’t believe he is talking about the energy pathways that science affirms, the blood streams which transport oxygen and other goods, or nerves that transport electric signals… he does talk about hormones and chemicals like endorphins, but the energy that he seems to believe in seems more like “chakra” BS energy to me, because he says the energy is a messenger of trauma and whatnot.
The book was extremely repetitive, the author mentioned LSD every other page and his unfortunate upbringing every other other page (sorry to hear about his dad). He is obsessed with Alice Millers theory of childhood trauma leading to adult anxiety. Although I don’t totally discount it I think the author bases his whole existence on the fact that he had a traumatic childhood. Personally I have 2 siblings, all raised the same (a single mother that suffered from depression and couldn’t work and thus we were quite poor) and we all turned out completely different). The author does what a lot of self help authors do, which is lump large amounts of people into the same category. The Walt Whitman quote, “We contain multitudes”, comes to mind whenever I read books by self help gurus with alluring one size fits all narratives.
Okay, now I can go on to why I gave this book 3 stars and not just 1 (to be mean) or 2 (just to be polite), I think this book can help people who don’t care about the science, arguably most people. I agree that we all have some form of anxiety (probably as a result of evolution) and I agree that many of us tend to victimize ourselves and descend into a vicious cycle. Mindfulness about these tendencies are useful tools and conscious effort should be made to tackle them.
I have yet to find a book on psychology that really convinces me that we know anything about what goes on in the human brain. Philosophy seems to be my go to. So if anyone is triggered by this review I’d say maybe this book just wasn’t for me…
October 5, 2024
Very comprehensive and thorough - it’s sort of a complete therapy package all in one. Scope is quite wide and some parts are glossed over or only in a short section- like the bit about dissociation- but it also is user-friendly with lots of practical bits to implement immediately mainly to do with grounding techniques. Recommend and good one to have as a reference and not just read it as a one and done.
June 5, 2024
I can see why people who haven't read any books about anxiety would like this but I would not recommend this for myriad reasons, not only because Kennedy is highly unoriginal and takes ideas as if they are his own, but he is also inconsistent and unbelievably self-absorbed. This book would have been better as a memoir, but he makes it an advice book throughout which he speaks in absolutes. I could write an essay on all the issues in this book because reading this book as a therapist, there are so many things that are red flags (honestly, DM me if you want the whole list) but mainly it is because he claims to have "invented" mindfulness (just reading the title gives you all you need to know about how he perceives himself) and proceeds to take ideas from researchers and presents them as his own. He rarely gives credit and I would recommend that you check out other authors and actual qualified people such as Stephen Porges (Polyvagal Theory), Francine Shapiro (EMDR), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing), Kristin Neff (Self-Compassion), and Bessel van der Kolk (Trauma), to name a few.
February 7, 2021
It helped. What more can I say? I've suffered anxiety for decades. I feel like I am at the start of something new.
August 22, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Sept. 14, 2024
“Anxiety Rx: A Revolutionary New Prescription for Anxiety Relief―from the Doctor Who Created It" by [author:Russell Kennedy|8089425 is an updated version of the 2020 book with the same name. In this version, Dr. Kennedy, a life-long anxiety sufferer, uses his medical knowledge, as well as the knowledge he has honed through his meditation and yoga practices and even (gasp!) hallucinogenic drug use to introduce a new way to manage anxiety.
This book is long and, as Dr. Kennedy purports himself, it is repetitive in a lot of places. Kennedy states this was an intentional move, designed to drive home the important aspects of his theory, and ensure that readers are comfortable and familiar with his methods. Kennedy was inspired to write this story after the death of his mentally ill father, by suicide, not wanting to suffer the same fate. An “Eat, Pray, Love” journey to India helped him develop and perfect his meditation practices and, of course, a few different hallucinogenics helped him figure out what the root cause of his anxiety was. (Obviously, Kennedy doesn’t encourage or support the use of mind-altering drugs, but he is open and honest with his experiences and shares what he learned, allowing readers to experience the “trips” vicariously through Kennedy).
Kennedy provides a unique viewpoint, labeling anxiety as “alarm” throughout the book, and identifying its root cause being in the physical body, as opposed to the mental mind. Kennedy speaks to the common “anxiety cures”, such as mindfulness and meditation, and touts their praises and usefulness, which is absolutely nothing new and, in fact, seems to be the go-to anxiety solution these days. It is not Kennedy’s solution to “alarm” that intrigued me, as I’ve heard it over and over, but the way he described anxiety and his personal experiences with it, that kept me interested.
“Anxiety RX” is humorous in parts (as Kennedy is also a stand-up comedian) and it is generalizable and easy to read for those of us outside of the medical community. Although intentional, I found the story repeated things too much, and it dragged on far too long. For those of us who have read many other self-help books on anxiety, Kennedy doesn’t provide anything new treatment-wise, but his unique look at the disorder definitely helped me see anxiety in a different light and, perhaps, that’s one step closer than I was before.
Expected publication date: Sept. 14, 2024
“Anxiety Rx: A Revolutionary New Prescription for Anxiety Relief―from the Doctor Who Created It" by [author:Russell Kennedy|8089425 is an updated version of the 2020 book with the same name. In this version, Dr. Kennedy, a life-long anxiety sufferer, uses his medical knowledge, as well as the knowledge he has honed through his meditation and yoga practices and even (gasp!) hallucinogenic drug use to introduce a new way to manage anxiety.
This book is long and, as Dr. Kennedy purports himself, it is repetitive in a lot of places. Kennedy states this was an intentional move, designed to drive home the important aspects of his theory, and ensure that readers are comfortable and familiar with his methods. Kennedy was inspired to write this story after the death of his mentally ill father, by suicide, not wanting to suffer the same fate. An “Eat, Pray, Love” journey to India helped him develop and perfect his meditation practices and, of course, a few different hallucinogenics helped him figure out what the root cause of his anxiety was. (Obviously, Kennedy doesn’t encourage or support the use of mind-altering drugs, but he is open and honest with his experiences and shares what he learned, allowing readers to experience the “trips” vicariously through Kennedy).
Kennedy provides a unique viewpoint, labeling anxiety as “alarm” throughout the book, and identifying its root cause being in the physical body, as opposed to the mental mind. Kennedy speaks to the common “anxiety cures”, such as mindfulness and meditation, and touts their praises and usefulness, which is absolutely nothing new and, in fact, seems to be the go-to anxiety solution these days. It is not Kennedy’s solution to “alarm” that intrigued me, as I’ve heard it over and over, but the way he described anxiety and his personal experiences with it, that kept me interested.
“Anxiety RX” is humorous in parts (as Kennedy is also a stand-up comedian) and it is generalizable and easy to read for those of us outside of the medical community. Although intentional, I found the story repeated things too much, and it dragged on far too long. For those of us who have read many other self-help books on anxiety, Kennedy doesn’t provide anything new treatment-wise, but his unique look at the disorder definitely helped me see anxiety in a different light and, perhaps, that’s one step closer than I was before.
December 12, 2022
I don’t browse self-help genre anymore and something written on psychology is a no go area for me as I have found that most of it is toxic psychology which cajoles readers into believing that being self-centred, self-absorbed, self-loving and walling themselves within a fortress of boundaries are the ways to live a fulfilling life.
This book is different, I came across it on Instagram feed. I agree with a good chunk of what has been delivered. It presses on the idea that everything is perception and we can alter our perceptions through faith and gratitude. All anxiety is separation anxiety, separation from the self initially which gradually magnifies into separation from what is not the self. The ego—which is not the proverbial enemy contrary to what we have been told—tries to protect us from every sort of harm and thus keeps us at a safe distance from every stimulus that can trigger our anxiety. The ego has many tricks and tools in its repertoire to do its bidding. We carry traumas from childhood stored in the nooks and crannies of our bodies and we try hard to find our way out of mental agony, worry and pain—that is feeling, one way or the other—through thinking. He suggested grounding into our bodies by first locating our traumas and with incremental attempts metabolising them by the transformative touch of compassion and feeling. This can be achieved through holotropic breathwork or other breathing techniques in conjunction with somatic therapies and if necessary, psychotherapy. Moreover, he emphasised on polyvagal theory and social engagement system. Our nervous system or I rather say ego, forces us to detach, dissociate and regress into survival mode but we are built for the connection with other people; facial expressions, eye contact, touch and other ways of bonding disarm our ego.
Self-awareness is the path that leads to the exit from the dungeons of anxiety. Making unconscious conscious and showing compassion to your inner child because s/he didn’t know any better, will release trauma and suffering. Integration of the self—your inner child and adult self—by embracing its fractured parts and directing compassion towards it. Author speaks of reverting back to our innocent disposition, we are born with; a pure clean slate—I believe he is talking about Fitra.
The book is superfluous though which distracts and disengages the reader. Nevertheless, it has dispensed the right prescription for anxiety.
This book is different, I came across it on Instagram feed. I agree with a good chunk of what has been delivered. It presses on the idea that everything is perception and we can alter our perceptions through faith and gratitude. All anxiety is separation anxiety, separation from the self initially which gradually magnifies into separation from what is not the self. The ego—which is not the proverbial enemy contrary to what we have been told—tries to protect us from every sort of harm and thus keeps us at a safe distance from every stimulus that can trigger our anxiety. The ego has many tricks and tools in its repertoire to do its bidding. We carry traumas from childhood stored in the nooks and crannies of our bodies and we try hard to find our way out of mental agony, worry and pain—that is feeling, one way or the other—through thinking. He suggested grounding into our bodies by first locating our traumas and with incremental attempts metabolising them by the transformative touch of compassion and feeling. This can be achieved through holotropic breathwork or other breathing techniques in conjunction with somatic therapies and if necessary, psychotherapy. Moreover, he emphasised on polyvagal theory and social engagement system. Our nervous system or I rather say ego, forces us to detach, dissociate and regress into survival mode but we are built for the connection with other people; facial expressions, eye contact, touch and other ways of bonding disarm our ego.
Self-awareness is the path that leads to the exit from the dungeons of anxiety. Making unconscious conscious and showing compassion to your inner child because s/he didn’t know any better, will release trauma and suffering. Integration of the self—your inner child and adult self—by embracing its fractured parts and directing compassion towards it. Author speaks of reverting back to our innocent disposition, we are born with; a pure clean slate—I believe he is talking about Fitra.
The book is superfluous though which distracts and disengages the reader. Nevertheless, it has dispensed the right prescription for anxiety.
January 1, 2023
It’s a great premise presented by someone with lived experience with anxiety. It feels genuine and true. It didn’t get 5 stars because there is so much repetition throughout the book. I’m sure it could be half as long and that would only make it better. But the principles are great. Best book I’ve ever read on anxiety.
September 14, 2022
I resonated with the author on feeling your alarms. I’m still struggling with writing anything because that is an alarm for me. “And I love that about myself!” 🤭. One day at a time. Thank you for your insight.
Read
December 18, 2022Dnf @ 34%
November 20, 2024
Nie. Kolejny wellness guru i coach, którego metody nie mają umocowania w żadnych badaniach. Ta książka mogłaby by być serio wpisem na fejsie.
February 27, 2025
This book was very helpful for me at a time in my life when I have really needed it. I think if you or anyone you know struggles with anxiety you should give this book a read. I didn’t agree with 100% of what was written, but I do feel like it was helpful for me to change the way I see anxiety in my body.
March 12, 2023
The author prefaces the book stating he likes the format of having 108 chapters, and to his detriment wrote enough content to fill this number of chapters when the same amount probably could have been said in half. It was really hard for me to finish this book because the first two sections were extremely repetitive. Like, extremely repetitive. To the point where I wanted to quit reading multiple times. BUT, luckily I didn’t quit 1) because I never let myself quit on a book holding out hope that it gets better and 2) because the best part of this book comes in the last 36 chapters. That being said, I’m simultaneously glad I stuck it out because the value of the last section I’ve been able to use in my own life and it has helped quite a bit, and I’m glad I’m done reading this so I can move on to something else.
January 19, 2023
Excellent book. Read it even if you don’t suffer from anxiety. I saw a review that the book is repetitive. This is intentional. Repetition is how we learn. While the techniques described in the book are simple, it is not easy to change the way you think and approach situations that trigger anxiety. I highly recommend the book. If you are fortunate enough not to have anxiety, you will gain a better insight and appreciation for those who live with it daily.
March 5, 2024
I listen to Dr Kennedy’s podcasts, I now have read this book and i have completed his class and do his guided meditations regularly, to help myself heal from anxiety. I have found all of this to be very helpful. I will continue on this path.
The book was repetitive but I thought this was intentional to drum the message into us. I liked how he shared stories, jokes and personal experiences in the book.
I do recommend this book if you are on a journey of healing and self discovery.
The book was repetitive but I thought this was intentional to drum the message into us. I liked how he shared stories, jokes and personal experiences in the book.
I do recommend this book if you are on a journey of healing and self discovery.
October 24, 2024
Yes he rambles, but it’s just so true. Our thoughts set off our alarm, and vice versa. Heal the alarm by connecting with yourself, over and over and over. His modalities to healing just feel so intuitive. Could be condensed into a smaller book, but maybe the points hit home with repetition?
July 11, 2023
This was a DNF. I got over 10% and it was reading like a really sad memoir; I was expecting to get something concrete out of it by that point. Really sad I spent money on this.
August 10, 2023
Ok so I don’t get why people would write so many beautiful reviews on this awful book . This book is just so simply awful that at the end of the book I had to put my audible to 3.0 x so that it could finish earlier . The key word in this book is : REPETITIVE ( yes , capital letters ) , every chapter tells the same story of the previous chapter , did I also mention that he frequently talks about how he used LSD? Actually , who cares ? I am still pretty disappointed that I had to read it and that the reviews confused me .
August 12, 2023
Hmmmmm…nope.
April 17, 2024
I hardly ever write reviews, but after seeing a few low-star ratings, I felt compelled to share my perspective, which differs significantly. Reading this book prompted me to pause and reflect deeply on my experiences with anxiety, or as Its called, "background alert." I found myself revisiting the same questions: Am I an introvert because I have anxiety, does being an introvert make me anxious, or are they completely unrelated? This book brought many such thoughts to the surface, and for its role in advancing my journey, I do so grateful to both the book and the author.
This isn't a book for the beginning of your journey. Just as you wouldn't walk into an advanced mathematics class without any prior knowledge, you shouldn't tackle this book without some foundational understanding. It’s best suited for those who can analyse their anxiety on a cellular level, have undergone or are undergoing therapy, practice meditation or daily exercise like yoga or cardio, and are not afraid to start loving themselves.
Although I'm not a spiritual person and struggle immensely with gratitude—I only manage to use my gratitude journal two to three times a week—I still found the advice approachable and life-affirming, as if it were a matter of life or death.
What resonates most from this book is the potential impact it can have on one's life and the lives of their loved ones. It did just that for me. It not only offered me numerous insights and questions to consider but also gave me a genuine sense of hope. Coping with anxiety often seems like a pipe dream, but this book made me believe that gaining control is indeed possible. The fact that most of the situations discussed by the author mirrored experiences from my own childhood made it all the more relatable—a real winner in my eyes!
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This isn't a book for the beginning of your journey. Just as you wouldn't walk into an advanced mathematics class without any prior knowledge, you shouldn't tackle this book without some foundational understanding. It’s best suited for those who can analyse their anxiety on a cellular level, have undergone or are undergoing therapy, practice meditation or daily exercise like yoga or cardio, and are not afraid to start loving themselves.
Although I'm not a spiritual person and struggle immensely with gratitude—I only manage to use my gratitude journal two to three times a week—I still found the advice approachable and life-affirming, as if it were a matter of life or death.
What resonates most from this book is the potential impact it can have on one's life and the lives of their loved ones. It did just that for me. It not only offered me numerous insights and questions to consider but also gave me a genuine sense of hope. Coping with anxiety often seems like a pipe dream, but this book made me believe that gaining control is indeed possible. The fact that most of the situations discussed by the author mirrored experiences from my own childhood made it all the more relatable—a real winner in my eyes!
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