Racing Mind

Dear Delyara, It’s 3:00 a.m. and my heart is racing for no reason at all, convinced that something terrible is about to happen. I’ve checked the locks four times, but it’s the locks inside my head that are broken. Anxiety feels like being chased by a predator that only you can see, through a crowd of people who think you’re just 'stressed.' I cancel plans not because I don't want to go, but because the energy required to pretend I’m okay is more than I have. I’m tired of my own brain being my least favorite place to be. I just want one hour of quiet without the 'what-ifs'.