Panic: One Man’s Struggle with Anxiety

As a lifelong sufferer of anxiety, Floyd is all too familiar with panic, whether on the first day of school, in the days before a cross-country race, or simply during everyday tasks. He shares a journey of battling anxiety and panic from youth to adulthood, offering reflections that will appeal to anyone who has ever experienced even the smallest tinges of worry. After opening, in media res, with one of Floyd’s many memories of anxiety, the book’s first part proceeds chronologically through his life. “Fifth Grade” recounts how panic plagued Floyd as a young child, and how he slowly came to understand his body’s reactions; “Time to Perform” tells how, as a growing child, Floyd learned to recognize his cues and triggers, and specific manifestations such as trichotillomania, the compulsive desire to pull out one’s hair. Eventually realizing he needed professional help, Floyd started taking fluoxetine (aka Prozac). The book’s second half charts the author’s progress through counseling, behavioral therapy, and self-assessment, closing with the crucial tools and goals that equipped him to overcome and manage his anxiety. In the book’s last sentence, Floyd tells the reader, “Get to know yourself,” which, as his own story amply demonstrates, is sage advice. (BookLife)