Mindfire: Diary of an Anxious Twentysomething

When your mind is on fire, how do you extinguish the flame?

Here’s one thing college doesn’t teach you: Adulting is hard. Studies show that approximately 50 percent of adults ages eighteen to twenty-four suffer from anxiety. Mindfire takes readers along on the emotional journey that is growing up, and the anxiety that comes with it. Written by twenty-two-year-old journalist and influencer Carrie Berk, this book is a raw and vulnerable exploration into the parts of being in your twenties that aren’t always pretty.

Berk, who was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and OCD at eighteen, provides intimate diary entries that unveil what it’s like learning to cope in her adulting era. What do you do when panic strikes unexpectedly? Or when you’re plagued with intrusive thoughts on vacation, even when everything is seemingly fine? How about when you lose someone for the first time? Anxiety can make you question your core beliefs and leave you more confused than ever. Mindfire is a road map for anyone who has ever struggled with their mental health and felt alone.

The book dives into the much-misunderstood category of mental health. Packed with real-life therapy definitions and self-care suggestions, Mindfire shows how you can level up and learn to love yourself—anxiety and all.