Just imagine for a moment that you are trapped by a huge gang of wicked and sadistic captors. You believe 100% that there is no chance of escape – ever – ever! Even a brief look at any one of the gang sends shivers down your spine, adrenaline rushing through your body, absolute terror into your heart. You know that they are going to harm you, to hurt you in some way, but you have no idea when or how. Every moment you follow the orders they give as you tremble all over your body. Have you said something wrong? Did you say something the wrong way? Did they misunderstand what you meant and now you’ll pay the price? You wonder over and over in your mind, “is this the moment they set upon you?” Fear pounds your brain when you hear your name called by one of the unscrupulous leaders. Terror races through your veins causing your heart to beat so hard that you can hear it beating inside your head. The sweat pouring from your brow as you struggle to breath from the shear panic inside. You feel like you are suffocating, like your heart is going to explode, like your stomach is being minced from the inside.
You know without doubt that you are worthless, pathetic, the lowest form of life. You know that you’re a disgrace to your family, a burden to your friends, that you blight society. No-wonder they want to harm you so badly, torment you for their pleasure, and punish you for ever daring to exist.
At night you lay there unable to sleep, like you’re waiting in purgatory for that one voice to call you to your demise… and why shouldn’t they? You are not fit to be part of the human race.
You hear their loud voices laughing like an evil chant. Are they talking about you? Are they planning ways to torture you – ways to trick you into thinking you may actually be safe only to rip you apart the moment your back it turned?
The utter despair rages war on every ounce of your being. As you lay there you know that your life is over already, that this is your everyday, your tomorrow, your forever. You know that you are trapped, that you are totally helpless and completely at the mercy of people whose sole purpose is to thrive on the misery of others.
The sadness in your soul darkens every minute of your existence. Your spirit crushed beyond repair. You will not escape! There is nothing you can do! You know that every day will lead to more terror, more torment, and more torture of your mind as the uncertainty destroys your spirit and quashes every bit of hope you ever had of help, of being free again.
Then it suddenly becomes clear. You feel calm. You know how to get away – how to end the slow and terrifying annihilation of the very fabric that made you the person you once were. There is a way to escape. You do know how to be free – the one way to make sure that they cannot hurt you. After all, your life is already over so why are you living in this hell? You can end it now. There is no point in being alive… is there?
Welcome to the world of mental illness. How do you think you would fare if you were captured?
Understanding is the start of helping sufferers. It is as much an illness as any other. It is very real. It can be crippling. It can be terminal! Don’t you think it’s time the world accepted these facts?
Please give help where you can. Even a tiny gesture can make a massive difference.
©2016 – Adam Hunter