The Fear Cure

Lissa Rankin M.D.

Not many people in the medical world are talking about how being afraid can make us sick-but the truth is that fear, left untreated, becomes a serious risk factor for conditions from heart disease to diabetes to cancer. Now Lissa Rankin, M.D., explains why we need to heal ourselves from the fear that puts our health at risk and robs our lives of joy-and shows us how fear can ultimately cure us by opening our eyes to all that needs healing in our lives. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies and powerful true stories, The Fear Cure presents a breakthrough understanding of fear's effects and charts a path back to wellness and wholeness on every level. We learn: - How a fearful thought translates into physiological changes that predispose us to illness - How to tell true fear (the kind that arises from a genuine threat) from false fear (which triggers stress responses that undermine health) - How to tune in to the voice of courage inside-our 'Inner Pilot Light' - How to reshape our relationship to uncertainty so that it's no longer something to dread, but a doorway to new possibilities - What our fears can teach us about who we really are At the intersection of science and spirituality, The Fear Cure identifies the Four Fearful Assumptions that lie at the root of all fears-from the sense that we're alone in the universe to the belief that we can't handle losing what we love-and shifts them into Four Courage-Cultivating Truths that pave our way to not only physical well-being, but profound awakening. Using exercises from a wide range of mind-body practices and spiritual traditions, Dr. Rankin teaches us how to map our own courage-cultivating journey, write a personalized Prescription for Courage, and step into a more authentic life. The Fear Cure PBS Special Dr. Lissa Rankin has an all-new PBS special that will be airing nationally starting February 27, 2015. Please check your local listings for airdates and times. "As a culture, we are so scared, we're not just making ourselves miserable; we're making ourselves sick . . . By all measures, we are the healthiest, smartest, richest, safest people in human history. And yet, we have never been more afraid." THE FEAR CURE WITH LISSA RANKIN, M.D. is a 60-minute lecture shot before a live audience, addressing how being afraid can make us sick—the truth is that fear, left untreated, becomes a serious risk factor for conditions from heart disease to diabetes to cancer. In this compelling program, Lissa Rankin, M.D., explains why we need to heal ourselves from the fear that puts our health at risk and robs our lives of joy—and shows us how fear can ultimately cure us by opening our eyes to all that needs healing in our lives. When Fear Is Your Friend Most of the fears that plague us today exist only in our imagination. They are not real threats, but the amygdala in the primordial brain can't tell the difference, so the nervous system gets stuck in unnecessary stress responses. Our warning mechanisms malfunction, and we wind up feeling inappropriately afraid, which harms our health and leads to unnecessary suffering. If fear can harm you and make you unhappy, you might assume that fear is something you need to get rid of. You might imagine you should add "Cure fear" to your list of New Year's resolutions, along with "Eat healthy" and "Exercise more." But that's not what I'll be suggesting in this book.