Michael J. Fox on the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

"Honestly, my first reaction was," You made a mistake. You do not know who I am, "acknowledged the actor in Closer Weekly.

"I just thought," It's absurd that it's happening to me. "I had this diagnosis, and he panicked me, and I fled."

The Parkinson's Foundation describes the disease as a neurodegenerative disease that develops slowly over the years.

People with PD may experience tremors, balance problems and limb stiffness, among other side effects. The cause of PD is relatively unknown and there is no cure. However, treatment options vary and may include medications and surgery.

the Back to the future shared star, he faced the news by turning to alcohol.

"I responded by drinking too much," he said. "I drank to remove it, make it disappear. [But the abuse] has caused tension in my marriage, which has always been good and amazing since. "

Fox is married to actress Tracy Pollan since 1988. The couple share four children. At 58, he was determined to stay with Fox.

"My wife is just an amazing person," Fox said. "I attribute to him a lot of my ability to handle that – and to stop my initial attempts to do it in a non-productive way by drinking or getting angry."

The magazine adds that Fox's children have also provided support.

"If I had to use a word to describe my children, it's" nice, "Fox said. "They take it into account – it's all natural. I do not know how lucky we were to have this chance, but they apply it to everything they do.

"They were not worried by [my disease]. They got peace and that kept them honest. They pour orange juice for me. It's good. You understand that there are more important things than yourself. "

The revelation had scared Fox, but at 57, he refused to let the disease stop him from enjoying life. These days, he prefers to live in the moment.

"It's good to understand where I am today, but I do not need to spend a lot of time thinking about what I will be tomorrow," said the president. Back to the future movie star.

"I do what I need to do – exercise, manage my medication, or rest – but I do not do it to make it better tomorrow. I do it if today is good. "

Today, Fox hopes to inspire others with Parkinson's and show them that they too can live life to the full.

"Someone once said," One day there will be a cure for Parkinson's, and it will be because of you, "he said." It was the first time that really hit me .. If that happens, it's much more special than any movie or TV show. "

This is not the first time Fox has explained how his diagnosis was in camera.

Fox told People magazine earlier this year that he had realized for the first time that something was not going well in 1990 when he woke up one morning and noticed that his left little finger was shaking so badly. uncontrollable. It was not until 1991 that a neurologist told Fox that he had Parkinson's disease.

Fox said that after announcing the news to Pollan, they held each other in tears. He then used alcohol to try to alleviate the pain and hid the empty bottles of his wife at home.

Then, in 1992, Pollan and their son Sam, then three years old, discovered that Fox had fainted on the living room couch and that a beer can was running down the carpet next to him. This glbad would be the last for Fox.

The publication adds that Fox became sober and began to consult a therapist to help him accept a new life with Parkinson's.

Life then became smoother for Fox, who welcomed his twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler in 1995 and Esme in 2001.

"It's very easy to be optimistic," Fox said. "It's my life." What's complaining?

This story was originally published on Fox News and is republished here with permission.