When Obstacles Limit Freedom

PRAISE FOR WHEN OBSTACLES LIMIT FREEDOM

"Alex Kirkland shares an intimate version of his lived experience with anxiety. I appreciate the honesty, the down-to earth approach, and the resiliency that he showed to not let anxiety win." -Dona Dubbs, M.A., LCPC, CCMHC

"When Obstacles Limit Freedom is a poignant, honest, authentic memoir of the author's continuous struggle with a life riddled with panic attacks. It's a cogent mix of storytelling, fact-based data and tools, hopes and dreams" -Lee Schutter

"What sets this book apart is its ability to comfort those who struggle with anxiety disorders while also educating those on the outside looking in. Alex's journey underscores the importance of persistence, even when stumbling through life's challenges, and highlights the power of resilience and hope." -Bruce Schutter, author of 53 Mindset Rules of a Mental Health Warrior

"What struck me most was the author, Alex Kirkland's ability to break down what anxiety *feels* like-the racing thoughts, the physical manifestations, and the pervasive sense of overwhelm. These descriptions are not just relatable but deeply validating for readers who may feel isolated in their experiences." -Deanna Bugalski

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EVER FELT LIKE ANXIETY AND PANIC ARE OBSTACLES LIMITING YOUR FREEDOM?

Alex Kirkland has. He's dealt with it in more ways than one. Anxiety doesn't fit nicely into a 'one-sized, fit-all' box like some online gurus preach. 'It's all in your mind,' they would say. False. However, there is one truth: being stuck in constant anxiety turmoil with no means nor understanding of how to get out, is brutal.

Even before he knew what it was or had a name for it, Alex was experiencing it: the clammy hands, the pounded heart, the tightening chest, the pale face, the fear, the worrying. And when he partied in his twenties, as most twenty-something-year-olds do, he was introduced to "hanxiety," which he hid from others for fear of being seen as weak. Instead, he coped with the hangover-altered neurotransmitters and got used to the feeling...sort of.

But when December of 2020 rolled around, circumstances that would never in a million years send him into a panic attack, were indeed sending him into a panic attack. Slam of a door. Panic attack. Dog barking outside. Panic attack. Driving. Panic attack. Almost dropping something. Panic attack. The normal hangover situations that had sent him into "fight-or-flight" before were no longer relevant. A new demon was at his door. He had to face...

When Obstacles Limit Freedom