I’m very quickly becoming a fan of Chris Hardwick. First, I read an article written by him in Wired where he attempted to use a number of different self-help books to get his shit in order. The article is fantastic; entertaining and informative. I’ve read a few of the books he references, and his descriptions are dead on. Then I noticed in that article that he was involved with Hard ‘n Phirm, (he’s the Hard part – get it, Hardwick?) which until I read this article had been a bit of a mystery to me.
You see, I have this track in my iTunes that I’ve completely fallen in love with, and I have listened to it regularly for years. It’s called Rodeohead, and it’s a tribute track to Radiohead done in a bluegrass style. But I have no idea how it got there.
The thing is, it’s amazing. Like really, truly amazing. Faithful to the bluegrass style, and yet totally valid re-interpretations of classic Radiohead songs. As Ferris Beuller might say, “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one it up”.
Anyway, what was this about again? Right – panic attacks.
I, like Chris, used to suffer from panic attacks, or if you prefer their more sophisticated name, anxiety attacks. If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, take 5 minutes and sit down with a cup of herbal tea (not coffee) and read Chris’s post about panic attacks at his site, Nerdist.
Chris’s advice is perfect, and I just wish that I had had this article to read about 16 years ago when panic attacks were bothering me. A lot of people think that panic attacks are “just in your head”, and to be honest until they happened to me I was pretty much of that opinion. Now I have a real soft spot in my heart for people suffering from anxiety, because I know how real it can be, and I have to commend Chris for taking the time to explain it in a straightforward way.
So Chris Hardwick is a guy that writes about Getting Things Done, is an accomplished musician, writes a nerdy website, and takes the time to write entertaining articles to help people with anxiety. Oh, did I mention he’s also a stand-up comedian? I hate to say it (and my wife hates it more when I say it), but I think I have a bit of a man-crush going on here.
Please note: I've moved my active blogging over to a new site, called Jason Clarke - Infinite Bass Line. I will leave this site up indefinitely, but if you're interested in my latest posts please consider visiting the new site.