I hate being alone, because when I’m alone, bad thoughts start to flood my mind. They start by trickling in, tricking me into thinking that I’m fine. That I don’t need to shut myself down. But eventually they work up to a stream, and as hard as I may try, it is too late to stop. Eventually, they flood my entire head. These bad thoughts poke, and kick, and punch, and hit until my reality completely shatters. And then I am struck by the realization that no, I don’t live in reality. Just in the reality that I have created for myself. To stay sane. And I am left to build a whole new reality, and hope that this one is too strong to be broken.