The Small Book of Big Nerves

Book excerpt: It has been months or even years since you felt normal. Every day is a challenge - getting up from bed, feeling tired and disoriented, worried about yet another repetitive day, in which you have to cope with that omnipresent feeling of anxiety, that horrible energy within you, which prevents you from sitting down calmly, watching a movie with your family, meeting friends or going to the shop. Yes, that dreaded place, where your feet turn into jelly and you fight to stay upright, your vision blurs and everything looks crooked, that damned milk is nowhere to be found, your heart is racing, your palms get wet, your head gets numb and finally that lump in your throat says what you've been fearing all along: "Oh, God, it's happening! It's happening right here, in front of all these people!" You know very well what I am talking about. And you can't stand it. You don't want one more minute of it. You want to feel normal right now. At least for a while, just a quick relief from all these hours, days, months and even years of suffering. Instead you are overwhelmed by a multitude of dreadful symptoms (which I will later address in detail and help you with): high heart rate, shallow breath, sweaty and trembling hands, "jelly" feet, problems with your digestive system, muscle tension, especially in your head, neck and upper shoulders, loss of sex drive, vision and auditory disorders, poor sleep, irritability and aggression - particularly toward your closest ones, withdrawal from social events, fatigue and lack of any desire to engage in physical activities or exercise, obsession and compulsion, claustrophobia and agoraphobia, hypochondria, addiction, feelings of dissociation and unreality, panic attacks and depression. Does it sound familiar? Well, I can promise two things. First, you won't get better now. I know it's hard to tell someone who suffered for many months, even many years, that he needs to set aside even more time. But that's the reality of the situation. If you break your leg, it needs a couple of months to recover. Your overworked nerves are waiting to heal in very much the same way - just give them the time they need! Second, and most important, if you follow the advice in this book, you will recover. Yes, you will be that old carefree fellow that didn't think about himself all the time, but instead enjoyed his life, his friends, his family, going out to the movies and standing calmly in line, at the shop. Not in a hurry to anywhere, content with life. I've tried to make this text as concise as possible - reading long books, when you can't concentrate on anything is hard, I know. I've also made sure to rephrase and repeat the most important parts, so my advice gets through that heavy mental fog you've been experiencing and guides you on the right track. It will be worth it, I promise. And you will also learn how not to fall into the same trap again.