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Freedom from Fear: Taking Back Control of Your Life and Dissolving Depression Paperback – March 24, 2005
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- Print length160 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateMarch 24, 2005
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.37 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100975999605
- ISBN-13978-0975999608
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Product details
- Publisher : Peyton Quinn Publishing (March 24, 2005)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 160 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0975999605
- ISBN-13 : 978-0975999608
- Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.37 x 8 inches
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I have to add that Peyton Quinn is not a friend of mine although I have met him briefly. I am not biased in this review. This is an honest assessment for any well-read individual be that Seneca, Montaigne, or any of the other contemporary self-helpers. Quinn milks out the essential fundamental elements of what makes for a happier human. I like that. No digging for the gold.
The book stands as one of the best, if not the best book written for all people. Read this as if it's your ticket to a greatly improved way of living because it will deliver you...if you can only keep it always right there in the moment.
Here's to you Mr. Quinn, for your talent and your candor. Keep writing.
Bill D.
Anyway, with that out of the way, here is my critical examination of this book.
This is one oddball of a book, because it doesn't really know what it is, and walks a bizarre line between self-help, mental health and instructional self-defense. It is stated early on that the theme of the book was how our "frog" or limbic brains interfere with our functioning, in the context of a modern reality that they have not evolved to deal with. An intriguing subject matter. But I felt like it wasn't properly executed. It was too specific in scope to be of broad interest, and too broad to be of much use to whoever it's specific audience actually might be.
It's a shame really. I feel that with a bit of work and perhaps some firmer editorial guidance, this book could have been visionary - unlike the majority of self-help, a book focussing on adrenal stress as it relates to life's problems (taking into account that life exists largely beyond the sphere of inter-personal aggression) would be a welcome and useful thing to possess, if well-written.
I'm not saying that Peyton Quinn doesn't know what he's talking about, and I've no doubt that he would be a fascinating person to converse with, but his strengths reside beyond the written word. If you're looking for work on self-defense I would recommend instead the work of Rory Miller.
I sincerely would like to thank Mr. Quinn. Your book really turned my life around.
BUT WORTH THE READ ANYWAY
Psychological strategies for effective living, self esteem and self defense.
If you remove the title, the out of date chapter on SSRIs, and a misguided paragraph about AA being an effective antidote to addiction (rather than taking credit for the standard alcoholic non-recidivism rate) then this book is actually a rather good take on how to be a more rounded, happy, successful person by learning how to handle your own fear and anger responses in high stress situations whether it's a boardroom or bar room brawl.
What it is is actually a very concise summary of cognitive behavioral therapy and the kind of self defense training that trains you with realistic fighting scenarios and high stress emotional states. I covered these subjects and high stress training in my own book How to Drive a Tank and Other Everyday Tips for the Modern Gentleman but this has a very neat summary of the main points that I know I'll be referring to at a later stage because they're really rather good.
Some other books you might want to look at are The Complete Book of Five Rings which the author recommends for understanding tactics for overcoming the adrenalized time-dilated states you experience with violence; and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook For Dummies would be my own recommendation for furthering your work with CBT.
[I just downloaded the Book of Five Rings and read it in one sitting - it's very short and very good]. On the Five star review debate in the comments I give this five-stars because I believe the author's intent to write an informative book was genuine and I really enjoyed it. I've been using the non-reactive state he derives from the Five Rings book already this week and to good effect. Good stuff.
There's another Adrenal states trainer with a Five Rings outlook I'd recommend from the UK, who is occasionally in the states, Mick Coup of Core Combatives. They're singing from the same hymn sheet.
Peyton starts the introduction of his book off by asking you the following simple and direct question, "What are you really after in life?" This question must be answered honestly and after great deliberation in order for it to have the desired effect. If this book could be summed up in one simple all encompassing statement, it would have to be this, "Don't allow fear to run your life."
The first chapter, entitled, "The Frog Brain and the Self-Image" Peyton covers numerous psychological areas such as;
1. A persons various reactions to fear are pretty much the same, regardless of the situation.
2. Adrenal stress and the role it plays when confronted by fear.
3. Irrational vs. Rational Fear.
4. Bullies and how they are basically the same regardless of the environment they are in.
5. Our basic survival instincts.
6. By our very nature, we are all salesman to certain degree.
7. Our emotional responses.
"Mind Controls Body" is the next chapter and deals with the effects our mind has on our physical well being. This chapter covers such areas as;
1. Pre-conditioned responses.
2. A very unique reading test on page #68.
3. Negative self-image.
4. Our basic need for approval from others.
5. Perfectionism.
6. A fascinating and very educational armed robbery story involving the author.
This next to last chapter is mental icing on the cake so to speak. In this chapter, "Power of Mind Over Health," Peyton explains how the power of the mind has a great deal of bearing on the health of the body as a whole. Some of the subjects covered in this section are;
1. Pre-conceived notions.
2. Various types of stress.
3. The effects of stress on the mind and body.
Peyton concludes this book with a chapter on the effects of drug, alcohol, and tobacco addiction. This chapter I found surprisingly good and very insightful.
As much as I wanted to do a detailed review on this book, I found that in good conscious I couldn't. Not that this wasn't a terrific book, but I just felt that this was one of those books where the individual person needed to purchase it and read it with the knowledge that if they did just that, that this book had the potential to make a tremendous positive impact on their lives. What I did was merely provide you with a brief overview, rather than an actual review. The best thing I can say is this, "If you are reading this, STOP right now and order this book and read it several times. It will impact your life in a positive way."
You have to take a very long and deep look into whom and what you really are if you ever want to change.
The only thing that I can find about this book that remotely resembles anything negative is this: From reading the title alone (or glancing at the cover), you may get the impression that this is "merely" a self-help book - dealing with how to reduce stress, dissolving depression etc. Yes, it is that too, but it is so much more. In fact it is a brilliant book about a lot of "stuff".
With my background and way of looking at things, the most interesting part here (for me) is the in-depth look at the stress/adrenal reactions concerning self-defense, conflicts, and a host of other related situations. With a "been-there, done-that" background both as a bouncer and a successful businessman, Peyton Quinn shows how much is common ground when dealing with troublemakers, bullies and potential violent personalities - be it on the streets, at work, in relations or within the board rooms.
Here you will be presented with a lot (and I do stress a LOT) of useful and clarifying information. Almost like magic, the author manages to pull it all together into one coercive unity. That unity, and overall target is to deal with depression, fear and stress, but it is done by looking at themes like adrenal reactions, self-defense, violent and negative behavior, how bullies "interview" their intended victim, what causes fear and anger, how to respond to it, sales and presentation, communication, reality based training, facing your troublemakers and much more. Throughout the book Quinn relates to his own and other researchers findings, but without getting too technical or "deep" (in a mumbo jumbo way). Very refreshing, and very easy to follow and relate to!
Thankfully, the author shows very little of the usual machismo attitude that you may find in books stemming from people with a real-life fighting background. This is a person who has lived a while, and who obviously has done a lot of soul searching, and who has come up with some profound knowledge - not about violence per se, but about living and leading a better life. This is a very clear, very positive and very practical book - bravo!
Rather than listening to me rambling on about all the good stuff here, I urge you to go out and buy it. Beg, borrow, or almost steal if you have to, just get the book! Your martial arts, well-being and safety will be benefit from it, and you will find many interesting things to reflect upon.
I recently bought Quinn's three books, Freedom from Fear, A Bouncer's Guide to Barroom Brawling, and Real Fighting, and all of his videos on these subjects and on RMCAT. They are each superb, rational, well explained, and thoroughly plausible. I know from experience (and instinctively) that what he says is right. His Freedom from Fear, offered on Amazon, is an excellent general and specific guide to the reality of physical intimidation and how to realistically deal with it and come out mentally more prepared and thinking better of yourself. His books and videos have no nonsense whatsoever. Everything he says is plausible, workable. What he presents takes training and focus but doesn't require that you be a superb athlete or devote twenty years to martial arts. What he says about the attitudes of intimidators, the reality of actual confrontations, the matter of alertness and sizing up a threat, and what one must do in order to deal with the threat--and over the long term, how one must train oneself mentally in order to deal instinctively with physical threat--is all right on the mark. His discussion of the adrenal stress response and how one trains in order to use it for rather than against oneself is beautifully presented with many good examples and, again, no nonsense whatsoever. IT WORKS! And it is all coupled with a sane view of proper respect and decency toward others while maintaining one's selfrespect.
I strongly reccomend Freedom from Fear and all of Quinn's books and videos. The RMCAT scenarios, the realistic choreography of situations in the videos (or Are they choreographed?), the perfect discussion of the open hand techniques (the only plausible, workable way for an ordinary person to, first, keep from getting hurt by a powerful and skilled attacker). He's very clear about the reasons for the open hand (only one of which involves the critical speed of response). His is the best presentation I've ever seen of the need for continuous attack when attack is called for. And he carefully explains and shows why things work and why other things will not work. He avoids fantasy. This IS the reality.
Buy em!
Peyton shows how we have seperated ourselves fron an important part of our very being through our personal socialization. Yet you can't read this book wihtout seeing that Peyton is not only a very intelligent and observant individual, but also a very empathetic person as well.
Some of the examples he gives made me think, "That is exactly what happend to me, that's the reactive mind trap that I was caught in,so why didn't I see it at the time?"
The book is worth every penny and more. This guy has lead quite an extraordinary life and he provides us with the lessons he has learned from that extraordinary experience and very clearly and in an easily digestable way. It is practical hand book that once you read and think on bit, then you can start applying these ideas to almost every aspect of your life that involves people.
Most of all perhaps, the book gives you the tools to mainatain a positve,personal self-image when one's day to day 'dramas'and employment can otherwise often "drag you down" mentally.
It is also a fun read, the guy has quite twisted sense of humor sometimes. I have never read anything like this book before, he truly lays it out and puts it all together as far as how to deal more effectively with difficult and even aggresive people.
Peyton shows clearly that a "bully is a bully" and a "predator is a predator" and they can be found in a bar or in the highest levels of the corporatte world too. This guy has worked both sides of those streets and knows where of he speaks. Buy it!
He shows you how to avoid being selected as sutiable victim by predator types of all stripes and how to spot them from square one!.


