Awakening

A True Story A young man's triumph over mental illness My heart was racing, pounding loudly in my ears, and my sheets were so wet with sweat, it felt like someone had poured a cup of water over my bed. I tried to reassure myself. You're safe, Nachum. You're in your new apartment in Eretz Yisrael. Aliza is safe—she's fast asleep. You have nothing to worry about; just turn over and go back to sleep. But I couldn't. I felt an overwhelming sense of panic, of impending doom. Something terrible was about to happen. I just knew it. *** Nachum Vidal and his new wife, Aliza, are looking forward to beginning their life together in Eretz Yisrael. But their excitement is tempered by ominous rumblings. Though Nachum tries valiantly to keep up his happy-go-lucky facade, underneath he is crumbling to pieces...and their fragile marriage is crumbling as well. Nachum hits rock bottom before he finally begins to claw his way up and out of the quagmire of mental illness. But with iron determination and grit, as well as a devoted family and therapist, he sets out on a journey to true healing and inner peace. In Awakening, originally serialized in The Voice of Lakewood, Nachum shares his true story in the hopes of inspiring others on their journey to mental health and removing some of the stigma surrounding the topic. Now you can join the thousands of readers who followed Nachum's odyssey with bated breath, sharing in his heartache and silently celebrating his victories. Bonus Content! 15 additional Chapters. As told to Tzippy Kestenbaum by Nachum Vidal