Review | Anxiety is the major mental-health issue of our age, says psychology professor Graham Davey
- In his book, The Anxiety Epidemic, the academic argues that to find suitable solutions, we must also understand the root of the problem
The Anxiety Epidemic
by Graham Davey
Robinson
Anxiety has risen to epidemic proportions, rivalling depression as the world’s main mental-health problem. If reading that makes your heart pound, try this book by psychology professor and anxiety expert Graham Davey.
Finger tappers will probably head straight for the “how to manage” chapter. Don’t, he urges. It’s important to understand the causes of the problem before choosing a course of action – which is how this publication differs from the many self-help books on the subject.
Davey explores 21st-century reasons, including social media, of course, and the reality that many make themselves available 24/7. But although environmental factors may have changed, anxiety is nothing new. Also, he argues, no one is a born worrier, although explanations are not always obvious (actor Billy Bob Thornton has no idea why he fears antique furniture).
Davey shows how caffeine may be behind “existential dread” and why Donald Trump’s hostile tweets may be another person’s Xanax.
Interestingly, we see cultural differences in the understanding and treatment of anxiety. In traditional Chinese medicine, the condition is often attributed to organ dysfunction, and “weak kidney” is said to be associated with catastrophic thinking.