On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety

Wall Street Journal reporter Petersen has lived with anxiety for 25 years, and this thorough and lucid investigation combines her personal experiences, current research, and the general history and treatment of the disorder. Peterson was a college sophomore in 1989 when her anxiety “spiraled out of control,” which led her to drop out of school for a time. Her parents insisted she return, which ultimately turned out to be the right thing; she later learned that exposure therapy can be an effective way of combating this “invisible” affliction, and avoidance can reinforce anxiety. In her research, Petersen tracks the role of genetics (her grandmother was a schizophrenic who once set fire to the house) but finds that the link to her “marked genes” is complex. According to Petersen, 40 million Americans (twice as many women as men) have chronic anxiety; she also reveals that anxiety diagnoses among children and young adults are increasing. Now married and a mother, Petersen reflects upon how anxiety disorder affected her relationships with friends, family, and former lovers, and how it can tarnish (or, surprisingly, enhance) career, travel, and other aspects of life. While concluding that there is “no one way” to deal with anxiety disorder, she describes the various medications that may be helpful as well as such habits as getting adequate sleep, meditating, and doing yoga. Readers with anxiety disorders will find useful info as well as validation in Petersen’s intertwining of reportage and life story. (May)