Afraid

Fear is one of the oldest survival tools in the human brain---in today's world, it's everywhere and shapes how we live, think, and connect.

Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Arash Javanbakht explores the world of fear from its primal origins to its modern manifestations in anxiety, trauma, politics, and media. Drawing from two decades of cutting-edge research and clinical work with refugees, first responders, and survivors of human cruelty, Afraid unpacks how fear rewires our brains and hijacks our thoughts and then explains how we unlearn fear, master anxiety, and even turn fear into a powerful ally. Afraid provides a roadmap to living with more clarity, less reactivity, and greater courage---in a world that profits from keeping us scared.