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How Do You Write the Chaos of Mental Illness?

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There’s no way to get it organized. That’s the thing about depression, about anxiety. There’s no way to put it all out cleanly, clearly, on paper.

The big picture, with words in line with the way we feel. Because there are no words.
How does one write chaos? How does one draw emptiness?

There is no order in here. No control. A mind of frenzied bees and slithering snakes does little but burst in all directions, the soul screaming so loud in silence, for it has no words for this.

This headfirst spiral we tumble, the specter reality, it drenches and drowns us in despair, then hands us flowers and forces us back up again.

And so we write down words like “positive,” “can” and “will” on paper… “do,” “strong” and “survivor.” Until we find ourselves staring at the word “chaos.”

How does one write chaos?”

Image via Thinkstock.

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Originally published: October 20, 2016
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