Acknowledgment

Breaking free from the grips of anxiety, panic and an out-of-control mind is a personal journey, one that no one else can take except for the person suffering from their effects. But others can play the roles of providing support and believing in the person going through the extensive, yet rewarding journey toward managing and controlling one of the most intangible and powerful tools a human being can have – the mind and its thought processes.

In my case, it was my wife who first helped me identify my problem, encouraged me to overcome it, believed that I would persevere and become a better person for it, and stopped me from giving up along the way when the going got tough. Although she could not do the exercises for me or control my thoughts – things only I could do for myself – she held my hand the entire time and cheered me on from the sidelines. At times what I needed was a kind word and a hug, and at times I needed tough love; but at all times, she was there to provide me with whatever it was that I needed.

When my anxiety and panic were so bad that I could hardly function, it was my wife who singlehandedly took care of our home and four young children, all while dealing with whatever was going on in her own personal life at the time.

More than anything, she never allowed me to feel like a lesser man or a weaker person. When I was down and out, living in a world of darkness, and felt less than human, she never lost her vision of the man she married, who I am as a person, and of the person I could become. And when I finally did emerge on the other side, she was there to welcome me back to my life and to hers, having not lost a single ounce of respect for me, and in fact admiring me even more for having had the conviction and determination to confront my demons head on, and for persevering.

While I was shrouded in complete darkness and gloom while battling what felt like the devil itself, she constantly reminded me that the light was not too far off, that the light in the distance was infinitely brighter than the light behind me, and that she was confident that I could and will make it there.

And for all of that, I am eternally grateful to her.