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I Declare War
“There is nothing I can do to stop it. My stomach flutters, and my skin is glistening with sweat. Thinking about all the different ways I could possibly die by my own hands, I lurch from sleep with a sickening quickness, like an unbuckled crash test dummy in a simulated collision. My mind races, and my eyes burn. The voice in my head telling me I am going to kill myself sounds like me, but it is not on my side. Helplessly I watch myself moving toward a path of self-harm—and I have no emergency brake to pull. Panicking, disoriented, and scared, I stumble out of bed and pace the hall, trying to figure out where I am and why I am so afraid. Under my breath, I mumble a trusted Bible verse from my arsenal over and over. (Hang with me until the end, and I will let you look at the weapons I keep in my war chest for specific situations just like this.) Eventually, I’m able to bring down my mind’s RPM from a scream to a dull roar. The fear that hung in the air like a thick, acrid smoke soon dissipates, and I start to feel like things will be all right. I peel my T-shirt and towel off my damp skin before crawling back into bed. Variations of this 2:00 a.m. ritual have played out as far back as I can remember. ”
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