Long-term trauma changes the body as much as the mind. A reflection on hypervigilance, chronic stress, and the exhausting reality of living in permanent survival mode.
Acceptable Addictions
Society only condemns self-medication selectively. Some addictions are labeled destructive, while others are praised as ambition, discipline, or devotion. A sardonic reflection on coping mechanisms, trauma, and the addictions that “photograph well.”
Self-Medication in the Wasteland
Long-term stress changes more than your emotions. It changes your body, your brain, and eventually your survival instincts. A reflection on narcissistic relationships, chronic cortisol exposure, PTSD, grief, and the dangerous comfort of self-medication.
You Can’t Go Home Again
A visit to a newly opened emergency department forces reflections on grief, regret, lost careers, unhealthy coping, and the painful realization that some versions of home can never truly be returned to.