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POE'S HEART AND THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER --- EXPORING THE HEART OF ANXIETY AND OUR BRAIN AND OUR CULTURE by Richard Restak. Harmony Books, 2005

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INTRODUCTION (p1-8)


Learning to live with increasing levels of anxiety means learning to take it in stride, becoming comfortable with the concept that feeling anxious is a "normal" part of living since the 9/11terrorist attacks. What is needed is a new, more empowering approach that involves thinking in "counterpoint," which involves simultaneously processing one stream of thought --- our activities, goals, and plans at the moment --- while at the same time neither avoiding nor panicking at the secondary thought that we live in dangerous times in which total security is impossible.

The question is, are we going to build up our tolerance for anxiety and get on with our lives, or are we going to allow our anxiety to overwhelm us?


1) TRIGGERS FOR FEAR --- our anxious culture (p9-26)



2) ANXIETY VERSUS FEAR --- Mr. Snagsby meets the Grand Inquisitor (p27-46)



3) THE ORIGINS OF ANXIETY --- scampering sea hares and "inhibited children" (p47-70)



4) THE BRAIN CIRCUITRY OF FEAR AND ANXIETY --- startle responses and Halloween cats (p71-90)



5) THE EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATION OF ANXIETY --- Nobody messes with Dave (p91-100)

6) THE AMYGDALA AND THE FRONTAL LOBES --- Balancing act (p101-118)

7) ANXIETY DISORDERS --- Over the edge (p119-170)

8) DEFYING FEAR AND ANXIETY --- Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing at all (p171-184)

9) ANTI-ANXIETY DRUGS --- Something I had never seen before (p185-200)

10) THE GENETIC FRONTIERS OF ANXIETY --- Binge drinkers and coffee nerves (p201-212)

EPILOGUE (p213-224)

BIBLIOGRAPHY (p225-228)

INDEX (p229-235)

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