Author: Fredrick Backman
Genre: Fiction, humour
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis: A bank robbery turns into a hostage situation. To any normal man it would seem that the hostages are in need of help and support, but in reality it's the bank robber who's in dire need of help and support, thanks to anxiety.
Anxious People is one of the greatest books I have read. Never have I ever related to a book so much.
Unfortunately I think most people would still get more sympathy from their colleagues and bosses at work if they show up looking rough one morning and say, "I'm hungover" than if they say "I'm suffering from anxiety." But I think we pass people in the street everyday who feel the same as you and I, many of them just don't know what it is. Men and women going around for months having trouble breathing and seeing doctor after doctor because they think there's something wrong with their lungs. All because it's so damn difficult to admit that something else is ... broken. That it's an ache in our soul, invisible lead weights in our blood, and an indescribable pressure in our chest. Our brains are lying to us, telling us we're going to die. But there's nothing wrong with our lungs, Zara. We're not going to die, You and I.
I think it's so important to acknowledge how there's so many people in the world who get wrongly diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, or lung problems, when in reality the problem in not in their stomachs or lungs, it's in their brains.
People who suffer from anxiety and depression have pain just as intense, valid and painful as a person with a physical illness. Maybe even more. Because not only are they at war with themselves, they also have to listen to people say, "man, just think positively" "you're crazy" - whereas a person with a physical illness has people's sympathy, and is sure that everything will be okay once his treatment is complete. But is a person with social anxiety ever going to step out of his house without feeling as if his lungs have collapsed and that there's a tornado taking place in his stomach?
If you have pain in your leg you simply call your friend say you can't come because you're injured; and nothing is said about you. In fact, you get prayers and the friend's sympathy. But if you have anxiety, it's quite impossible to cancel plans without the other person getting all upset since he thinks you're making excuses to not hang out with him, or that you're shy and need to grow the confidence to face a crowd. Man, this world and its logic sucks, doesn't it?
I hope I live to see a time when therapy is normalised in Pakistan - and a person who does go to therapy isn't called "pagal"
Anyways, back to the book. Everything; starting from the characters and ending with the language; is very well done. I felt attached to each character. The humour was perfect, the analogies were perfect, the plot was perfect, the characters were perfect, and can we just take a minute to talk about the twists!?
This is one of the greatest mystery novel out there, yet it feels like anything but. Thrillers and mystery novels always have an eerie setting, but this is the first light hearted mystery i've read.
It's weird. It's so light hearted and humorous and yet it talks about the important and heavy topics of anxiety, depression and suicide.
The author has done an amazing job. He tackles with these heavy topics so smoothly.
Can't wait to read more of his books!
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