We’ve all heard the well-meaning advice: “Just think positive,” or “Pull yourself together.” But what happens when the person you need to pull yourself together from is you? For months, that was my reality. I was a fortress, and the siege was coming from within. The stress was a constant, low hum in my veins, manifesting as a short temper, sleepless nights, and a growing chasm between me and everyone I cared about. I was losing my grip, and the worst part was the crushing loneliness of the battle.

It was a friend I trusted—one of the few I hadn’t managed to push away completely—who finally saw through the cracks. He noticed how withdrawn I’d become, how the light had left my eyes. One evening, over a drink that I was using more as a sedative than a social lubricant, he cut through the noise. He said quietly, “You look like a man at war with himself. You don’t have to fight this alone. I know someone who can help, Dr. Bokko.” Read more.