Hidden Demons: How to Overcome Fear, Anxiety and Addiction to Thrive in Uncertain Times

By David Clive Price Ph.D.

‘David has crafted a beautiful narrative of what it means to be an addict. He takes a fearless moral inventory of his life without being cynical or grandiose. He shares tools and techniques based on personal experience and painful self-investigation that really matter and, more importantly, work.

‘All of us fail and dishonour ourselves at times, in worlds of our own making. We throw away our potential that resides in every sunrise whilst mourning at sunset the loss of our days. We are all free to change our stories and the world we have made for ourselves. David shows us how.’

—Paul Sinclair, emotional intelligence and addiction coach, NLP Master

‘This book is written 100 per cent from the heart, and if like me, you have read some of David’s other books, you too will find that he writes in a way that you feel he is talking to you personally. Hidden Demons doesn’t hold back on the graphic past of his life, however hard to digest, and perfectly reflects the message it portrays so effectively: accept the truth, for only then will you be able to change.’

—Tony Jeton Selimi, human behaviour expert specialising in the psychology of maximising human potential, TEDx speaker, co-creator of Living My Illusion documentary series, and Amazon international bestselling author of A Path to Wisdom http://tonyselimi.com

‘In his work with senior leaders and in his powerful books, David shows us that the ‘vulnerable’ future is already upon us: more open and connected societies, more outreach, and more resilient and responsive leaders.’

— John Mattone, bestselling author and world's top executive coach (Global Gurus 30)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984595041

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 by David Clive Price Ph.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 06/25/2020

Xlibris

800-056-3182

www.Xlibrispublishing.co.uk

812955

For Simon and David, who have always stood by me

and helped me through the darkest moments

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

PART ONE

FEAR OF FAILURE

1 Tokyo Tremors

2 Early Signs

3 First Love, Then Anxiety

4 Failing (or Falling) Upwards

5 Out in the World

PART TWO

LISTENING TO INNER VOICES

6 Italian Idyll

7 The City That Never Sleeps

8 The Spiral Reverses

9 The Honeymoon Isle

10 Fragrant Harbour

PART THREE

RECOVERING YOUR LIFE

11 Deathly Pale

12 Leave to Remain

13 Battling Through

14 Road to Recovery

15 Transforming Yourself

16 The Hidden Demons Method™:

Discover Your Superpower

17 Conclusion

What Next?

About The Author

FOREWORD

T he word splendid is overused but is spot-on for this astounding book that offers practical lessons for those suffering from anxiety, addiction, and fear of failure, which the author David Clive Price learned through the most arduous circumstances.

I first met David at a Panoma Press authors’ party organised by Mindy Gibbins-Klein, our mutual publisher, and instantly I knew the man I was talking to was shaped into a great coach by life’s most significant adversities. Then I read Bamboo Strong: Cultural Intelligence Secrets to Succeed in the New Global Economy. I was delighted to hear that he had written a new book, and eagerly awaited it. Well, I wasn’t disappointed; as you will find out, it’s simply an inspirational book to read.

As someone who comes from a very traditional upbringing and a culture where homophobic abuse is considered macho, I know how difficult it can be to exist and find your equilibrium in a hostile world. David’s mental-health struggles arising from his sexual identity crisis throughout his life and from being a people pleaser are familiar to us all.

The truth is, from a very young age, just like the author, many of us struggle to find our place in the world. To satisfy our sense of belonging, acceptance, and contribution, we start to change our persona to enable us to fit in. We develop an array of coping mechanisms that later in life create ever more significant problems, since they give rise to the voices of hidden demons that make us do things that fuel our addictions, fears, and the fear of failure itself.

Every story that the author tells while living in Switzerland, Italy, New York, Japan, Hong Kong, and the UK will make you question your life choices and yourself. There are so many lessons to take away from David’s culturally rich and personally hard, yet adventurous life. His approach to orienting himself to failures and obstacles can be applied to anybody, in any field.

As a human behaviour specialist who has helped thousands of people break through addictions and maximise their human potential, I know that for many of you reading this book, anxiety, addiction, and fear of failure are like a constant whisper in the back of your head. In today’s extremely demanding work environment, the self-critical voice is louder than it has ever been. Many of you may feel the tightness swelling up in your chest and burning in your core, as your mind turns your thoughts upside down like in a hurricane.

You may imagine people you’ve made mistakes with in your relations humiliating and embarrassing you. You may see yourself as worthless and broken. There is a constant voice of those hidden demons in your head that tells you how pathetic you are and how much you don’t matter. At one point, you may see yourself stepping into the path of a car, jumping off a building, or even hanging from a tree. From personal experience, I know this cynical self-loathing is an accurate portrayal of how many of you suffer from painful life experiences.

Indeed, self-loathing is what drove me to enter the wretched caves of solitude and, at one point, even to contemplate suicide. This is a story that you can read about in my multi-award-winning book entitled #Loneliness—The Virus of the Modern Age.

RAW AND STRAIGHTFORWARD

David’s book Hidden Demons is raw and straightforward. Just like many of us, the author battles with hardships as he searches for a way to self-acceptance, overcoming alcoholism, and finding his true love. It is the story of David’s life, yet it is also a story of humanity. It is my story and your story and the ambition of each one of us to overcome adversity and become the best that we possibly can be.

David gives you the tools to overcome fear, anxiety, and addiction and makes you believe you can break through any hardship that life throws at you. Learn the six life strategies the author has created so you can plan for overcoming your own stress, addiction, or fear of failure. Through compelling storytelling of his adventures in extraordinary places around the world, you as a reader can learn the symptoms, the treatment, and the relapse prevention strategies that will change your life.

This book is for you if you are yearning to learn new coping skills along with step-by-step instructions on how to use them to break through your mental challenges. The six life strategies will help you get started, take the first step, and plan the next level.

Modern-day culture places mental health at the very bottom of its agenda. David implores you to do the opposite. Strive, strive, and strive again to bring it to the top of your personal or company priorities. He inspires you to be the best that you can be, not because of someone else’s expectation of you but simply because you deserve to live your best life.

Each chapter will teach you how to analyse the story you tell yourself and embrace the pain and suffering that inevitably accompanies any effort to transcend mediocrity.

This book is not the first about overcoming addictions, anxiety, and severe hardships to achieve success, but it is undoubtedly one of the most compelling. By beating the odds, becoming sober, being his true authentic self, finding true love, and mastering his destiny, David will inspire all of you to reach a little higher and give a little more.

This book is written 100 per cent from the heart, and if like me, you have read some of David’s other books, you too will find that he writes in such a way that you feel he is talking to you personally. Hidden Demons doesn’t hold back on the graphic past of his life, however hard to digest, and perfectly reflects the message it portrays so effectively: accept the truth, for only then will you be able to change.

Following David’s six life strategies turns you into a healthy masochist, seeking out everything that keeps you up and haunts you at night, running towards the hidden demons, not away from them. And I can personally attest to the fact that when you run towards all the things that scare you the most, and you face them, there’s a fantastic feeling of saying, ‘Yes, I did it—what’s next?’ as well as an acceptance of adverse events through a ‘calloused mind’.

LIVING IN THE PRESENT

My favourite aspect of the book is the emphasis on ‘One Day a Time—Living in the Present’, which perfectly summarises David’s story and message. He shows that to overcome and master yourself, you must become quiet and go into your own mind, which is a challenge today where social media and low-quality, instant entertainment steal everyone’s attention. Aspects of mental health that affect many of us are explained well, especially why people get stuck in their addictions and negative ways, as well as how to break these habits.

By the time you finish this book, you’ll have kicked your victim mentality in the butt. Where you go from there is entirely up to you—as the author makes clear in this entertaining and poignant memoir cum inspirational how-to-really-live.

As someone who is on a mission to inspire a positive change in the lives of one billion people, I can tell you this—there are no excuses in life, only reasons to try harder. Throughout my thirty years of research, study, running multibillion-pound technology transformation programmes and consulting the CEOs of some of the most public corporations in the world, I know that a bright, balanced, and focused mind is an essential requirement for the cessation of the suffering caused by inner discord, ignorance, and self-delusion.

You can see how you too can achieve this through following David’s compelling life journey. His life has not always been easy, and as you will read, he has experienced constant challenges along the way. However, he transparently shares in every paragraph of this book what his hidden demons were—and as you read the entire book, you will discover that this manuscript is not about addictions and bringing hope and comfort in the darkness. It is so much more; it is a flashlight we all need on our journey to awaken our true greatness.

We intuitively know that struggles can make many of us a slave to our history, but in the author’s case, he has chosen a different path. It is one where the road he travelled did not define him. Instead, like a phoenix that has risen from the ashes, he becomes a living testament to the fact that the natural human state is love.

His message is clear; no matter how lost or defeated you feel, there is a road out of the darkness, and that road is open to you now. You are the captain of your ship, and your life has meaning. You are here for a reason, and you are here to live lovingly.

When you meet David, you are immediately drawn into his ready smile, warmth, and infectious joie de vivre. He has a unique ability to restore harmony in any situation. From his work as a leadership coach and inspirational speaker to his role as a cultural connector on the international stage, he radiates joy, kindness and a great love for humanity. He doesn’t ask you to take a leap of faith in the dark. Instead, he holds the torch aloft and invites you on the journey back to you, one step at a time.

Having read his story and the things he has done proves that with sheer determination and belief, you can establish a healthy relationship with your hidden demons and accomplish things you never thought possible.

You only have to choose to make a choice, take the first step to recovery, and allow David’s wisdom written in every chapter of this book to be the conductor who directs the symphony of your life.

To redefine your reality, break free from your addictions, rediscover your purpose, and return to a natural state of joy, I encourage you to read this book and follow David’s global mission.

***

Tony Jeton Selimi—human behaviour expert specialising on the psychology of maximising human potential, TEDx speaker, co-creator of Living My Illusion documentary series, and international bestselling author of A Path to Wisdom

http://tonyselimi.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are such stuff as dreams are made of, and

our little life is rounded with a sleep

—William Shakespeare

I have gathered together the stories in Hidden Demons from personal experience and from my memory. The names of partners, family members, friends, and mentors are real, even if I have identified them by their first name alone. The names and details of clients, employers, and others have been changed to observe confidentiality. If I have described anyone within these pages who has another version of events, I welcome their insights and feedback. Only by embracing different viewpoints and making ourselves vulnerable can we learn and grow.

I would like to offer thanks to the many people who have guided and supported me through a lifetime of hopeful travels and extraordinary experiences, as well as in the dark times when I was not myself. First and foremost, to my partner Simon, who was always ready with a supportive word, an endless supply of coffee and snacks, and the occasional hug as I wrote this book flat out in my study. You are truly my secret superpower.

This book is also in loving memory of my father Bill and my mother Muriel, who didn’t always have it easy but gave me an example of how to approach life’s ups and downs with fortitude and a life-saving sense of humour. I would like to thank my sisters Judy and Jenny and their children, for showing me so much love and affection and for not giving up on me. To the many people in many countries who have helped and mentored me: all the teachers, healers, friends, colleagues, spiritual healers and guides, as well as my loyal readers, subscribers, and online community.

A special thanks to my brilliant literary team and all the wonderful folks at Xlibris publishing. To David Streiff: I will always be thankful that you continued to help me out at exactly the right moments in my life as if the universe was responding to my deepest and most heartfelt prayers.

As for my support team of friends and colleagues who have inspired me with their expertise and loving guidance, a huge heartfelt thanks to Karin Volo, Vivien Hunt, Pearl Peng, Nadine and Paul Sinclair, Dr Marshall Goldsmith, John Mattone, René Carayol, Rachel Henke, Devorah Spilman, Eric Vidal, Curtis Smith, Grant Hall, Dr Oleg Konovalov, and Dr Thomas D. Zweifel.

And finally, to all my extraordinary clients who have given me the privilege of helping them translate their dreams into realities: You are my inspiration, and I applaud you for your courage to look within and hear your voices!

PREFACE

E ven before the outbreak of Covid-19, many people all over the world were struggling with their mental well-being. The emphasis of governments, scientists, and clinicians is quite rightly on physical health and survival, flattening the curve of infections, finding a vaccine, and some day managing the horrendous economic fallout and effects