Anxiety in the News

From the pages of USA Today by Korina Lopez

 He has crippling fears of public speaking, flying, fainting, heights, closed spaces, germs, vomiting and cheese.

Author Scott Stossel lives with his family in Washington, D.C.(Photo: Michael Lionstar)

 

Story Highlights

• Scott Stossel has been struggling with phobias since he was 10
• 'My Age of Anxiety' is part memoir, part medical science journal, part history book

 

As the editor of venerable magazine The Atlantic, Scott Stossel, 44, is often described as a level-headed leader who is cool, even unflappable, under pressure. But with the release of his second book, My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind (Knopf), he yanks aside the curtain, revealing a shivering, nervous man who has been riddled with phobias since he was 10 years old. He has crippling fears of public speaking, flying, fainting, heights, closed spaces, germs, vomiting and cheese. He's now on his second book tour, so he's flown, spoken in front of people, been in closed spaces and perhaps even encountered a cheese platter. He spoke with USA TODAY's Korina Lopez.


On how he keeps his wits about him during public speaking events: I have my pre-game ritual. I'm pretty good at titrating the dosage of my pre-speech medication. Four hours before the event, I take half a Xanax. Then an hour before, I will take the other half, often with a shot of vodka, possibly two, depending on my level of stress. Even if that speaking event is at 9 a.m., I will still do a shot of vodka. It's usually vodka because it's harder to detect on the breath. I was on Colbert to talk about this book, and I was fine. So far, and I'm knocking on wood right now, that method has worked. But one of these times, I'm liable of overdoing it.

For the full story go here http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/01/29/a-chat-with-author-scott-stossel-age-of-anxiety/4931307/