Simply Eric: My Second Bible Study (Part 9)

   ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

Today is Wednesday morning and the day is already starting off horribly. This place has a point system just like the mental hospital did. However, the maximum amount of points you can earn in one day is 250 and that is a really good day. The more points you earn in a week, the higher you progress in the levels. Each level also has different privileges, but this time there are five levels instead of three. Apparently, every Friday we can use our points to purchase items from the "Point Store" but I am not sure what that is about yet. So, what is so wrong about this system? Well, last night while we were all sleeping, the staff member on duty went around to each of our chore areas and messed everything up. For instance, in the bathroom, he marked the toilets with permanent marker and in the hallway, he emptied the staff hole puncher all over the floor. I understand his intention is to make sure we actually do our chores. However, when we wake up first thing in the morning, the last thing we are thinking about is cleaning. So, he wakes us up at 6:30 in the morning and tells us to do our chores. That's fine, but then when we come to tell him we are finished, he goes to check our chores. If he finds the markings he made, he asks us again if we did our chores. If we say "yes", then he says he is taking 150 points off of our day. This means half our day is ruined. Anyways, that just happened to me this morning, and now I am fuming angry. I feel as if I should just mess around and forget about the rules since now half of my day has been taken from me. However, I know that that wouldn't be beneficial, so I decide to just "suck it up" and be good. 

We line up in front of the door and count off our numbers and line expectations. Then, we begin our transition to the cafeteria for Breakfast. I hope we actually have something good, unlike the previous mornings. I could really go for some good food right about now. We arrive in the cafeteria and right away get in line to receive our food. To my disappointment, the food is not good. We have instant scrambled eggs, instant plain oatmeal, hard bacon, and a granola bar. The only thing appealing about this meal is the granola bar, so that is the only thing I eat. David sees me and asks me for my oatmeal. I readily give it to him because the sight of it is making me nauseous. 

After Breakfast, we line again and count off with line expectations, and then head to the Medical building. By now, all of this is so monotonous that I could practically do this in my sleep. As soon as we get into the Medical building, we all take our seats and wait for the kids who take medication to get called up one by one. Travis takes this opportunity to talk to me and I really wish he did not. I just want to be left alone. 

"I hear you put the whoopin' on Enrique' the other day," He says with a smile. I do not say anything because I do not feel like this is something to brag about. Believe it or not, I honestly do not like to fight. I much rather people leave me alone and let me do me. After a moment of silence, Travis speaks up again. 

"That's pretty cool, man. That douche needed a serious butt-kicking," He says rather joyfully. I wonder what Enrique' ever did to him for him to feel this way. I decided to ask him that and he told me a story about when he was new here Enrique' began bullying him for no reason. 

"I think he might be racist against white people," He says in a rather quiet tone and I understand why. Enrique' is not too far from us. I wouldn't be surprised if he heard us talking about him, but I do not care. If he tries anything with me, I'll beat him up again. Needless to say, Enrique' does not dare say anything to me. After all of the kids get their medication, we stand in line once more, count off our numbers, and say our line expectations. Then, we make our way over to the School building. 

The classes are split up by age group. This means that I am in class with other sixteen and seventeen-year-olds. Everyone seems to be decent here. There is not any drama in my classes. First, we have an English class with a woman named Mrs. White. She is a funny, obese white woman. I think she is great. Next, we have Social Studies with Mr. Jesse, and he seems very uptight for no apparent reason. I honestly couldn't care less for the dude. After that class, we have Science class, and the teacher there is named Mr. Green, and he seems like an alright guy. He loves to show us Myth Busters episodes for some reason. Finally, there is Math class with Mrs. Thompson. This class is my favorite because I love Math. She is actually quite surprised at how much I excel at this subject. After School is over, we line up once more, count off our numbers and line expectations, and then transition back to the unit. 

Once we are back in the unit, we have to sit in the Day Room for a therapy group with Mr. Tony. This time the subject is Thinking Errors. I am not entirely sure what that means, so this topic does pique my interest. Mr. Tony begins by telling us about Emotional Reasoning, which means we let our emotions dictate how we feel and do. Then, he mentions "all or nothing thinking", which is when we think something is always this extreme thing or that extreme thing, but there is no in-between. He mentions other "Thinking Errors", but I tune him out because I quickly lose interest. It all seems like psychobabble to me anyway. He, then, passed out papers concerning this topic. He says he wants us to work on these worksheets by tomorrow's group. Great, we have homework to do. Perfect. 

After the group ends, we have to get in line once more, count off our numbers and line expectations, and then transition back to the cafeteria for Dinner. Again, I hope we have something good because I am literally starving. Once we get into the cafeteria and are in line to receive the food, I see that we have cheeseburgers, chocolate pudding, a banana, and chocolate milk. It seems that the gods have finally smiled upon me and gave me what I wanted. As I am taking my food, one of the girls from the girl's unit, who is helping the cafeteria staff today, hands me a note. I secretly take it and place it safely in my pocket. I look forward to reading later tonight. 

As I am sitting down and eating my dinner, Travis sits with me and begins talking to me. I really hate this because I do not feel like he is my friend now just because I beat up his bully. I actually do not want anything to do with this loser. 

"Do you play any sports?" He asks me and I wonder why, "You look like you play Football". I nod my head while I am chewing on my cheeseburger. He smiles and tells me he loves Football but he has always been too small to play. How pathetic. But, then again, I know that not everyone is equipped to play sports. 

"You got to be good at something, though, right?" I respond to him nicely, but really I just want to be left alone. He nods his head as his face lights up with joy. He then tells me that he is good at making origami. Great, how did I end up making friends with this loser? Is my luck really this bad? I tell him that is great as I stand up to go put my empty tray in the dishes section. After dinner time is over, we line up yet again, count off with line expectations, and then head back to the Medical building. This time as we were waiting for the kids to take their medication, I decided to read the letter that the girl gave me. I pull it out and slowly unfold it. It says the following, 

"My name is Jessica Hartley and I think you are cute. What is your name? We should sneak off some time. I think I could give you a good time. ;)" 

I like the sound of that a lot. I quickly fold the note up before the staff sees me and I place it back in my pocket. After the kids take their medication, we get back in line, count off our numbers and line expectations, and head back to the unit. Once we are back in the unit, the staff tells us we have free time until Light's Out, which means we have to be in bed. I decided that I would like to call Kat. So, I request to go into the staff office to make a phone call. The staff says I can, but I only have ten minutes. I am fine with that actually. As soon as I dial her number, she answers right away. 

"Baby, I miss you," She says excitedly. I ask her when she is going to come visit me. She says she is planning on driving out here this weekend. I am pleased by that. 

"I miss you too," I say to her and I actually mean it. The longer I remain in facilities like this, the more I learn how much I appreciate my girlfriend. I am even thinking of Amanda less and less every day. Amanda was only good for the time being, but Kat truly is a keeper. I do not know what I'd do without her in my life. We exchange small talk about how our week's been. I tell her how I have already gotten into a fight and she begins to chew me out but then stops when I tell her I was just defending myself. After the ten minutes is up, a staff member tells me to wrap it up, so we exchange our goodbyes and "I love yous" and then hang up. 

When I walk out of the staff office, they announce that it is time for Bible study. The staff member says it is not mandatory though. I decided that I'd like to go. I know I am not a Christian, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Bible study in Spring Creek. It is for that reason alone that chose to go to this Bible study. There were only four of us who chose to go to the Bible study. We line up and count off our numbers and expectations, and then we transition to the Main building where the Bible study is being held.  Once we arrive there, we see a tall Black man in jean shorts and a polo shirt sitting at the end of the table. He stands up and greets us all individually with a warm, but booming voice. He tells us that his name is Mr. Skyler. He seems like a genuinely nice man. We all take our seats and he says he wants to talk to us about Romans 8:28. We turn our Bibles to that Scripture and I ask someone to help me because I still do not know where that is. Once I am there, I am struck by what it says, 

"... And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" 

I find this remarkable because it is implying that everything that has happened thus far in my life is working for my good. I know I do not yet "love" God because I am not even sure He exists. However, if I were to love this deity, how could He possibly have the power to work everything I go through for my good. Skyler keeps talking about this verse and he even tells us about a man named Joseph who was in prison, but I tuned him out forever ago. I just keep thinking about this so-called "god" who has the power to control events in my life. It all seems too good to be true and as my father always says, "If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is". After the Bible study is over, I shake Skyler's hand and thank him for his time. 

"It is my pleasure," He replies to me with a smile and then asks for my name. I tell him my name and he asks me something profound.

"What can I be in prayer for you about, Eric?" He seems so genuine and for a moment I feel like the wind has been knocked out of my sails. I tell him I do not need prayer because prayer is for the weak. He tells me he will be in prayer for me regardless. 

"Always remember," He begins, "When we are weak, then we are strong in Christ". He leaves me with that and all it does is confuse the heck out of me. Why is he talking like Yoda from Star Wars? This man is odd to be sure, but there is something about him that I can appreciate. The four of us line up once more, count off our numbers and expectations, and begin transitioning back to the unit. 

Once I am back in the unit, I head straight to my room. I pull out a piece of paper and try to write that girl a letter in response, but all I can think about is what Mr. Skyler told me. What did he mean by "When we are weak, then we are strong in Christ"? I decided to write my note later on. I do my regular set of push-ups and then I lay down in bed and fall fast asleep. I hope tomorrow is a better day. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 10***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: My First Fight At SPRTC (Part 8)

   ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

To my surprise, the staff in this place actually allowed me to sleep until Dinner time. Mr. Alex came to wake me up around 5pm to let me know we were about to transition to the cafeteria. I slowly start to stand up because I am still a little groggy. I walk out of my room and down the hallway to see the other guys standing in line in front of the unit door. I get right in line after the last person and he allows me to cut in front of him. I guess he just does not want anyone walking behind him for some reason. The staff member had us count off just like the staff in Spring Creek but this time it was a little different. Instead of just saying our numbers, we were expected to say a "line expectation". I was not sure what this meant but I could tell from what other people were saying what I was supposed to say. So, when it came to my turn, I yelled my number and said "Don't step on the person's shoes in front of you" because that is what the person in front of me had said. As soon as this silly practice was done, Mr. Alex called in the transition into his walkie-talkie radio and we headed out of the door. It was still daylight out and the light breeze felt good on my skin. As we were walking to the cafeteria, we walked passed a girl's unit doing their rec time. I gawked at the girls much like the other guys because there were some cuties there. One of the girls noticed me gawking and she smiled and waved at me. I smiled and waved back, but then Mr. Alex told me to keep my eyes forward. I did as I was told, but it irritated me. 

Once we were in the cafeteria, I expected us to sit down at a table and wait to be called on before we could get in line for our food. But to my pleasant surprise, this did not happen. We were actually allowed to get in line to get our food right away. The dinner did not look too appealing, to be honest. It was Salisbury steak that looked a day old, green beans, carrots, and chocolate pudding. The drink was apple juice. As I sat down to eat my food, I was immediately repulsed by the smell of the Salisbury steak. So, I decided not to eat it. I ate everything else, but it was all very bland. The apple juice was the only thing that tasted good. This Mexican guy sat at my table and introduced himself, David Vasquez. I told him my name just to be nice, but I really did not want to talk to anyone. I was hoping that he would leave me alone. But, he had other ideas apparently. 

"What you in here for huh?" He asks me and I think that is a rather strange question to ask someone you just met. However, I was used to being asked this a million times already. So, I explained to him how I got into a fight with someone at school and then beat up a police officer. He seemed impressed and he even laughed a little. 

"What set do you represent, homie?" He asks me and I am not quite sure how to respond to this. He noticed that I was confused by this question and he asked me if I "bang". Again, I am not sure how to respond and he laughs again. This time I am getting angry because I feel like he is laughing at me. However, he stops laughing and tells me that he is a Blood from La Junta. At this point, I wonder to myself how many other people in this unit are gang members. I have never had any experience dealing with gangs nor have I ever wanted to have that experience. So, this is all brand new to me. 

"It is good that you are fresh," David tells me "As long as you stick with me and keep your nose clean, I will watch your back homie". He says this like I care. I do not need anyone to watch my back because I can watch it for myself. I tell him this and he just laughs again. I get tempted to punch him in the face to prove to him how tough I really am. But, I decided that wouldn't be a good idea. After dinner, we stand in line again count off, and say line expectations once more. Then, we walk to the medical building and once we are inside, we all sit down. We are supposed to be waiting while the kids who have meds get called up to take their daily dose. I am instantly reminded of the Zoloft that the doctor at the mental hospital prescribed to me. I still refuse to take that poison. As we were waiting, one of the kids by the name of Enrique' decided that he wanted to say what's up to me. I acknowledge his presence and he also asks me what I am in here for. 

"You seem like such a goodie two shoes," He scoffs at me and I have to explain my whole story again. He also seems impressed by the fact that I was able to take on a police officer. I am not bothered by these guys' impressions of me because I already know my capabilities. If they want to find out exactly what I am capable of, they can test me. After everyone takes their medication, we get back in line, and once again need to count off and say a line expectation. This is getting tedious once again. Why the heck do we have to keep doing this in these places? As we are walking back to Mt. Yale, I notice that the girls' rec time is coming to an end. The girl who smiled at me earlier smiles at me again and I quickly smile back and then face forward before anyone notices. 

As soon as we get back on the unit, we have a therapy group with Mr. Tony. We sit in the Day Room on the comfortable couches, while he sits in the front. I feel like we are about to be lectured by a college professor. Mr. Tony begins by talking about how anger is a secondary emotion, whatever that means. He then clarifies that whenever we are angry, there is usually an underlying emotion behind our anger. I find all of the psycho-babble to be ridiculous. Whenever I am angry, there is no other emotion behind it. At least, I do not think there is any way. I've never thought about it like that. 

"What if someone screws my girl?" Travis blurts out and I think he made a good point. If someone were to screw my girl, I would get rightfully angry and I do not think there is any other emotion behind that whatsoever. Mr. Tony perks up at this question. 

"Let's explore that for a moment, Travis," He begins, "If someone were to 'screw your girl', why would you feel angry?" I think that is literally the dumbest question that I ever heard in my life. Travis is silent for a minute before he answers "Because I am hurt by it". I think that is a reasonable response to be honest because if Kat ever cheated on me, I'd be hurt too. 

"That is right," Mr. Tony remarks, "And when you are hurt, you get angry, correct?" Travis nods his head. Mr. Tony goes on to explain that it is alright to be angry, but it is what we do with our anger that truly matters. This goes on for about an hour and begin to zone out because all I can think about is Kat and Amanda. I would like for this group to end so I can call Kat. Finally, Mr. Tony concludes the group and we go into free time. I decided that I needed to pee before asking to make a phone call. I entered the bathroom only to see  Enrique' follow me. I find this weird, but I figured maybe he needs to pee too. I would soon find out he had other intentions, however. 

"You probably think you're pretty tough to take on a police officer, huh pretty boy?" He says to me and I am taken aback by that question. 

"I do not think of that occurrence actually," I calmly tell him. He begins telling me that he is a Latin King and he has beaten up many cops before. Good for him. I just want to pee and get on with my life. I head to the urinal and he steps in my way. This actually does irritate me and I tell him that I do not want any trouble. I tell him that I just need to pee. 

"Oh, you found trouble alright, punk," He says, as he takes a swing at my face. I immediately dunk out of the way and I punch him in the jaw with a right hook. He tells me that was a lucky hit and then rams me into the wall. I begin elbowing him in the back of his head and end up knocking him to the floor. Then, I jump on him and continue punching him in the face. All of a sudden, two staff members come in and pull me off of him. They take me into the staff office and put me in what they call the "Orientation Room". They tell me that I will stay in there until I cool off. I punch a hole in the wall and then sit down on the floor. I cannot believe that I already got into a fight on my first day. I begin to miss the days of being in Spring Creek. Little did I know, this was only the beginning. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 9***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: Entering Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center (Part 7)

  ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

I have been in Spring Creek for about one month now and to be perfectly honest, I do not like it here. I know that I am not supposed to like it here because it is a jail, but I actually miss the mental hospital. The food sucks, the other guys here are always testing my patience, and the staff does not seem to care about me whatsoever. The other day I was walking to the bathroom and this Mexican guy got in my face so I told him that if he is feeling froggy then leap. Needless to say, he did not really want to test me. I have sort of built a reputation in the Jaguar pod as someone not to be tested because of my anger issues. I think the other guys here are somewhat afraid of me. I have been enthralled with reading the Bible during the times we have to be in our cells, but I am not sure if I want to become born again, as Mr. Jerome called it. I mean, these stories are interesting, to say the least, but how do I know that they are true? After all, this book was written thousands of years ago. How am I supposed to know if the book is even accurate in what it portrays? I admit that this Jesus Character is a trip though because there is this story where he scared off some people with a whip. I guess Jesus must have a lot of anger issues like I do. Maybe that is something I have in common with him, but I couldn't imagine whipping anyone just because they made me angry. There is also this story about a woman who was caught in adultery and Jesus said that whoever is without sin, they can cast the first stone. I am not going to pretend that I understand the implications of that story, but it is interesting how everyone there just walked away. You mean to tell me that out of all those people not a single one of them can say they are without sin? I find that pretty remarkable because I do not think I am a sinner myself. Sure, I am not perfect by any means, but I do not lie and I sure as heck never murdered anyone. I also read somewhere that Jesus cried and I find that pretty weak of Him. Why would this guy who was tough enough to drive a group of people away with a whip cry about anything? I have always thought that crying is a sign of weakness but here this Jesus guy cried. Why would anyone worship such a pansy like that? It boggles my mind. 

Mrs. Hernandez lets us out of the cells so we can line up. It is rec time and I get excited about that because this is my favorite time of the day. We all line up in a single file line and count off and then we walk out of the pod. As we are walking down the hallway, another line of guys from Tiger Pod walks past us so we have to stop and face the wall until they are completely passed us. Once they are passed us, we can resume walking again. We enter the gym and Mr. Johnson has us stand about three feet away from each other in two rows. Then, he has us doing jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, and run suicides too. It is the same workout routine that we do every day and I absolutely love it. Afterward, he has us run laps around the gym for the rest of the hour or so. Then, we must get back in line and count off before walking back to our pod. Once we are in the pod, we have free time to watch TV or play cards or whatever we want to do. I decided to try playing Spades with three other guys: Jacob, Marley, and Joseph. I feel like the odd man out because I am the only whiteboy, but these guys seem pretty cool. We are all getting along until Jacob keeps trying to rubberneck. Rubbernecking is a slang term that means he is trying to look at what is in my hand illegally. I decided to call him out on this and he denies it. This makes me really irritated. He tries to do it for a third time and this time I throw the cards in his face and he stands up to me. I stand up and face him too. He is a lot bigger than me, but I am not about to show this guy any fear. All of a sudden, he does something unexpected. He smiles at me. 

"You have a lot of heart, whiteboy," he says as he sticks out his hand to shake mine. I am shocked about this gesture, but I shake his hand anyway. Then, we sit down and continue playing Spades and he does not try rubbernecking anymore. About half an hour later, Mrs. Hernandez called me to come up to the desk. I wonder why she is calling me because I did not do anything. Maybe she has seen the altercation me and Jacob almost had and she wants to know what happened.  I slowly make my way to the front desk while preparing what it is I am going to say. However, once I walk up there, she tells me that my transportation has arrived. This catches me by surprise because I've been here so long that I forgot that I was supposed to be transferring to another facility. However, I am excited because this means I can finally get out of this joint. She tells me to go gather my things and be at the pod door in ten minutes. I do not need that much time because I do not have much, besides the books my parents gave me when they last paid me a visit. I go back to my cell to grab those books and say bye to my friends whom I was playing cards with. 

"Don't come back here, whitey!" Jacob commands me, but I know that he is merely kidding around. I tell him I do not plan on coming back and we hug one another. I head to the pod door and Mrs. Hernandez expects me to count off before I exit. Then, we walked out to the front of the building and she gave me clothes that I came in with and told me to change into them. I do this quickly and step out of the holding cell and see two men standing at the front desk. They are wearing polo shirts with a logo that says "SPRTC" on them I do not know what that stands for, but I am just excited to be leaving. They introduce themselves as Mr. Michael and Mr. Sena. They sign me out and we head to their transport vehicle. It feels nice to be outside without being handcuffed and shackled. 

"Have you ever been to Canon City before?" Mr. Sena asks me and I tell him that I have not. To be honest, I thought that they were taking me to Kansas City, but they told me that the town was only a thirty-minute drive from the Springs. I feel relieved that I am not leaving the state of Colorado because that means it will not be difficult for Kat and my parents to visit me. Mr. Michael asks me if I am hungry and I tell him I am. So we stop at a McDonald's drive-thru and they get a Double Quarter Pounder Combo Meal. I scarf that down quickly because I haven't had food this good in so long. I know they said the drive is only thirty minutes, but it feels like an eternity. I ask them to tell me about this program. 

"It is actually a new facility that opened up six months ago," Mr. Sena tells me "It is for troubled youth like yourself. We have therapy groups, a school, and a gym. You basically will get from the program what you put into it. You can either make this six to nine months easy for yourself or you can get in trouble and make it difficult. The choice is yours, but we will not hold your hand." I like that they have a gym so this might not be so bad. It is weird that they just opened up. This means that I am one of the first kids to be there. Basically, I am being a guinea pig and I do not like the sound of that. But, it is whatever though because it cannot be as bad as Spring Creek. 

As we approach the facility, I see that it is practically in the middle of nowhere. This means that if I try to run away, I will get lost. I do not plan on running away though. I am determined to make the most out of this program. We walk into the front doors and the first thing Mr. Sena has me do is step into a room and strip down to my boxers. This seems strange but familiar. I hand him my clothes and search through them. Then, we place my clothes on a chair, and hands me some lice shampoo. He tells me to shower real quick and then walks out. Why do these places keep making me do this? I know that I do not have lice, but I take the shower anyway. This time the shower is refreshing because it is very hot. I end up taking a full ten-minute shower and Mr. Sena knocks on the door and tells me to finish up. I get out of the shower and get my clothes back on and then I step out of the room. 

Mr. Sena walks me to a conference room where we sit down and he has me sign some papers. These papers are basically a consent to treatment form, the rules of the facility, and my patient rights. I find all of this very tedious and uneventful. Afterward, he walked me to my unit, which is called Mt. Yale. I find that name to be very interesting. He tells me that this unit is for kids from the ages of 15 to 18. It is just like the Jaguar pod at Spring Creek. I hope it is nothing like Spring Creek though. We enter the unit and I am immediately greeted by a man with curly red hair and thick coke-bottle glasses. He is pretty scrawny too. I wonder if he ever worked out a day in his life. 

"My name is Mr. Tony," He says while holding out his hand to shake mine "I will be your therapist on this unit". I extend my hand to shake his. He seems like a nice guy, but he also seems like a tool too. I do not think I need a therapist, but I will cooperate with the program. I figure if I fake it until I make it then I will get out of here sooner. Mr. Sena takes me to my room and I see two beds and two desks in it. Oh great, I am going to have a roommate! Well, hopefully, whoever he is, he is not a punk. If he is, then I am going to need to put him in his place. Mr. Sena and Mr. Tony leave me in the room and I lay down on the bed. I am not sure if it is because I slept on a thin gym mat for the last two months or whatever, but this bed is very comfortable. I end up drifting off to sleep while thinking of Kat and Amanda. I miss them both and hope they are alright. I think when I wake up, I will give Kat a call. She is probably worried sick about me right now. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 8***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: Attending My First Bible Study (Part 6)

 ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

It really sucks that the staff decided to keep me in this holding cell over the weekend. Apparently, even if I was not the aggressor, I could still be punished harsher than the actual person who started the fight. I hate to say it, but I think the only reason I got punished harder is because I am white. I know I should not think this way because my parents raised me better, but I cannot help it. It just seems really strange that both of the staff on shift were black men and as soon as I got into a fight with a black guy they decided to take me away instead of him or both of us. I quickly brush the thought away because it will only anger me more. I wonder when they will bring me breakfast because I am famished. All I can do in this holding cell is push-ups and sit-ups so that has been my focus all weekend. Finally, the door opens, and in comes a female staff member. She is holding a food tray in her hands. I am quite happy about this. She hands me the tray and steps out of the cell. I quickly take the lid off of the tray and I see some scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and apple juice. I immediately scarf the food down as if I had not eaten in months. As soon as I am finished eating, I lay down on the metal bed frame and think happy thoughts about Kat and Amanda. I really miss them. About a couple hours later, the door to my cell opens up. What is going on? Mr. Logan is standing outside of my cell and he orders me to come out. I immediately do as I am told. He tells me to face the wall and put my hands behind my back. I do this too and he handcuffs my hands together and then shackles my feet. I ask him what is happening. 

"You're going to court today," he says "Now get in line!" I look over and see about four other guys with their hands cuffed behind their backs and feet shackled. They are standing in a single file line and I join them. Mr. Logan has us count off before we walk out of the door into the outside world. I must admit that the fresh air does feel nice on my face. Mr. Logan tells us to get in the back of this transport vehicle and to not say a word the whole trip. We are to remain silent. We all follow this order because we do not want to talk to each other anyway. I see that one of my transport buddies is the Black Guy who I beat up recently. He keeps staring at me as if he wants to have another fight. If he feels froggy, then he can leap. I have no problem beating him up again. 

Ten minutes go by and finally, the transport vehicle comes to a stop. We must be at our destination.  Mr. Logan and Ms. Smith opened up the back of the vehicle and told us to come out one by one and get in line. They then chain each of our shackles with each other. I guess they do this to make it even more difficult for us to run. They then have us walk down this extra-long hallway with no end in sight. I feel like we are walking the Green Mile. Finally, we make it to the end and pile into an elevator. It takes us to the first floor and the staff leads into a hallway that is outside of our courtroom. I see four public defenders standing around. I wonder which one is mine. I would find out soon enough. The staff unchained our shackles so that we could be free to talk privately with our lawyers. A blonde-haired young woman approaches me and says her name is Jessica Turner. She says she will be representing me. 

"Do you understand why you are here?" She asks me and I think that is a stupid question, but I tell her what I did anyway. She then tells me that she thinks the best thing we can do is for me to take a plea deal. She explains to me that if I take this to trial and lose my punishment will be much more severe. I decided that a plea deal would be easier. Besides, I already know that I am guilty. Jessica and I meet with the DA and we explain to him that we are willing to make a plea deal. The DA seems pleased by this. 

"I like to hear that, " the DA says, "I tell you what, since this is your first offense, I will recommend to the judge that you be sent to a treatment facility for 6 to 9 months and do two years of probation too. All you have to do is plead guilty to First Degree Assault. How does that sound, kid?" To be honest, that deal sounds pretty refreshing because it seems so easy. I quickly agree to the deal and then we all step inside the courtroom. 

Inside the courtroom, the four of us juvenile delinquents are sitting together and our Public Defenders are standing in front of Judge Walters. To be honest, I am much more concerned with the thoughts in my mind than what is going on in this courtroom. That is why I do not hear what the other juvenile's Public Defenders are saying. But, then, finally, the topic of me comes up, and I perk up my listening ears. Jessica politely tells Judge Walters about the plea deal we made with the DA outside of the courtroom and the stipulations that the DA agreed to. Judge Walters looks directly at me and he asks me, "Are you alright with this decision?" I quickly nod my head and he asks me how I plead. 

"Guilty," I say out loud and he asks me if I am saying this of my own volition or if I was coerced. I tell him I was not coerced and he declares that he is sentencing me to Southern Peaks Regional Treatment Center in Canon City, Colorado. He says that I will be sent there immediately as soon as a bed opens up. Once that is said, he moves on to the next kid's case. I feel a sense of relief that I will be leaving Spring Creek. 

After the court hearing is over, the staff has us line up in a single file line and they rechain our shackles and lead us back to the basement. We walk the Green Mile again and load up back into the transport vehicle once more. Ten minutes later, we arrived back at Spring Creek, and they told us to exit the vehicle one person at a time. We all walk back into the detention center in a line and then they take us back to our pod. I am happy that they did not put me back in the holding cell. The rest of the day seems to play out as a normal day in a juvenile detention center. 

Later that evening after dinner, we all get sent to our cells during a staff meeting. I feel bored out of my mind just sitting in my cell staring at the wall. I begin doing some more push-ups to keep myself busy. A half an hour goes by and Ms. Smith starts to come by each of our cells to ask us if we would like to come out for Bible Study. Even though I am not religious, I say yes just so I can get out of my cell. She lets me come out and walk down the stairs. I see some chairs in a circle and an elderly married couple sitting down holding two Bibles. I sit down next to them and then three other guys join us. They are holding their own Bibles. The married couple introduces themselves as Mr. Jerome and Mrs. Lanette. They say they would like to open up with some prayer. I sit in silence as they pray over us. All I can think about is Kat and Amanda. I really do wonder what they are doing right now and if they are even thinking of me. 

"We see you do not have a Bible, young man," Mr. Jerome says and then asks me if I would like one. I tell him that I am not religious and he says that is fine and offers me a Bible anyway. I take it just to be polite. They have us turn to the Gospel of John chapter 3. I ask the guy next to me to help me find that page and he gladly helps me. Mr. Jerome reads the passage out loud and I must admit that a certain section does resonate with me for some reason. It is verses 3-8 which has Jesus saying, 

"Truly, truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" 

I ask Mr. Jerome to tell me what exactly that passage means and he explains to me something about repentance. He says that it is when we realize our guilt before a holy and just God and ask for His forgiveness because of what His Son, Jesus, did on our behalf. He further says that we can only repent if the Holy Spirit makes us born again. I must admit that I do find this very intriguing. At the end of the Bible Study, I thank Mr. and Mrs. Perkins for their time and for the Bible they gave me too. 

"Do you promise to read it, son?" Mr. Jerome asks me and I tell him that I will start with the Gospel of John. I figure while I am here I may as well because I have nothing else better to do besides working out. Who knows, maybe this religion thing might be beneficial. I walk back to my cell and sit down on my bed. I then open up the Bible to John chapter 1 and begin reading. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 7***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: Entering A Holding Cell (Part 5)

   ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

The first day in Spring Creek Youth Services Center was horrendous. After Mr. Logan left me alone in my cell, I was determined not to show any of these guys a sign of weakness. I came out of my cell with my head held high and I looked everyone straight in the eyes. I noticed a black guy kept mean-mugging me so I stared at him back and then he started laughing as he turned his attention to talking to another black guy sitting next to him. I sat down in one of the seats when an older staff member came in to talk to us. He introduced himself as Mr. Rex. Mr. Rex was an older black man with an afro and a sliver of grey hair in the center. He wore thick glasses and had a thick beard too. He stood directly in front of us all and told us that right now it was the Drug and Alcohol Group. I had zero interest in paying attention to this group because I've never done drugs or drank alcohol. Sure, I may have sipped a Bourbon one time but I was so revolted by the taste that I never drank again. So, this group is going to be a complete waste of my time. I decided that I should ask to be excused. I raised my hand and asked and the black guy from earlier laughed at me. This really ticked me off. 

"What makes you so special, whiteboy?" The black guy asks me and I get really angry at his racist remark, but I try to remain as calm as I can be. 

"I'm not special," I reply "It's just that this group doesn't apply--" 

"Oh, so you think you are better than us because you are sober and clean, huh?" The black guy asks me and this time I try to explain to him how that is not the case. I am not sure why he is acting this way nor do I understand why Mr. Rex is allowing him to question me like this. But, I refuse to let him punk me in front of everyone. 

"Look man, I do not want any trouble. I just do not feel like this group will benefit me in any way whatsoever" I explain to the Black Guy. I hope that the other guys can see how genuine I am even if this guy doesn't. Mr. Rex decides now is the time to chime in and he tells me that the group is mandatory for everyone even if it does not apply to everyone. I decided that I would comply with the program even though I thought their rules were stupid. As I am sitting there listening to Mr. Rex drone on and on about drugs and alcohol, I cannot help but think about Kat and Amanda. I wonder what they are doing right now. I wish that I could call them just to hear their voices one more time. I decided that I would call Kat as soon as I was able to. A whole hour goes by when finally Mr. Rex tells us that we can break for ten minutes before we need to line up to head to the gym. I am happy to hear that there actually is a gym because Pueblo State Hospital LAU did not have a gym. I decided to quickly get on the phone to call Kat. She does not answer and it goes straight to voicemail. She must be in class right now. I left her voicemail telling her where I was and left the phone number in the message. Then, I tell her I love her and hang up. 

We eventually line a single file in front of the pod door and Mr. Rex has us each count off a number. When it gets to me, I do not say anything because I am not sure what is going on and Mr. Rex tells us to start over. All of the guys groan in frustration over my mistake. This time when it gets to my turn, I yell my number as loud as I can. After we count off our numbers, Mr. Rex and Mr. Lance walk us out of the pod and down the hallway. Another line of guys from another pod heads our direction and so Mr. Rex tells us to stop walking and turn to face the wall. We all do as we are told and I wonder why we have to do this, but I do not dare question anything. Once the line gets passed us, we resume our walk to the gym. 

We enter the gym and Mr. Rex and Mr. Lance have us each stand in two rows about three or four feet from one another. Mr. Rex then leads us in a series of exercises such as a round of push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and even suicide runs. I find all of this invigorating because it reminds me of football training. After the workouts, we are told to run laps around the gym until they tell us to stop. I love this part because I love to run. I end up outrunning all of these guys and I can tell they do not appreciate me showing them up. But, I do not care because I am not here for a popularity contest. After about fifteen minutes, Mr. Lance tells us to stop running. We all line up in front of the door and begin counting off our numbers. Once that is over, we start walking down the hall to the cafeteria for Lunch. 

When we arrive in the cafeteria, we are told to stand around each table but we must not sit down until we are told. The staff wants us to take a moment of silence to allow anyone religious to pray. I am not religious in any way so I just stand there. It's not that I hate religion. I just do not see any use for it currently in my life. After a moment of silence, the staff told us to sit down. They then call up each table one by one to get in line so we can get our food. When my table finally gets our food, I see we have burritos, chips, a brownie, and grape juice. It's not the best lunch but I am so hungry that I am not going to complain. We all eat in silence because we only have ten minutes to eat everything before we need to get back in line to go back to the pod. When we line back up, the staff comes around to pat us down to make sure we are not bringing any contraband back to the pod. Once that has been done, they tell us to count off again, and then we begin walking back to our pod. I am already finding this place to be very tedious. 

Once we are back on the pod, Mr. Rex tells us we have free time until dinner. I decided to give Kat another call. She actually answers this time on the first ring. 

"Baby," She begins, "When did you get sent to Spring Creek?" I explained to her how the police came to get me earlier in the morning. She asks me when are visiting hours and I tell her I am not sure but I will find out. 

"Do you know how long you will be in there for?" She asks me and I sit there in silence for a while until she calls my name. 

"I do not know. I have a court hearing on Monday morning." That is all I can tell her. I am just concerned about making it through this weekend. She does not seem pleased with that answer but she tells me she is praying for me. Whatever that means. I think I need much more than prayer but I try to thank her anyway because I know she means well. But, then the black guy came around and hung up my phone before I could say anything to her. 

"Conversation is over, White boy!" The Black Guy says to me. Immediately, I get full of rage and I punch him directly in his chest, which causes him to stumble. Then, I get up and tackle him to the ground. I keep punching him in the face until Mr. Rex and Mr. Lance pull me off of him. What happens next is strange even to me. As they are pulling me away from him, I keep screaming "Black Lives Matter"! I am not sure why I am yelling that, but the Black Guy is still lying on the ground with a bloody nose. He looks up at me and smiles through the blood. I keep yelling "Black Lives Matter" and the staff take me outside of the pod and throw me into a solitary cell. I know from all the prison documentaries I've seen that this is a holding cell where they put unruly inmates. The cell is completely empty with only a metal bed and toilet. I know I may be in here for a couple days so I decided to make the most of it. I am just going to do a lot of working out in this cell. I am also going to think about Kat and Amanda too. Even though they are not physically here with me, they can be here with me in my thoughts. For now, that will have to be good enough. As soon as I get back on the pod, I will call Kat again, and maybe this time that Black Guy will leave me alone. Hopefully, he has learned his lesson not to mess with me. I also have to call my parents because they are probably wondering where I am. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 6***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet 
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: Going To Juvenile Detention (Part 4)

  ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

This is day five of my state in this godforsaken hospital and I must admit things are becoming more and more monotonous. I hate everything about this place. Amanda is the only redeeming value of this place, but she was discharged yesterday. She gave me her number and told me to call her when I got out. I think I will take her up on that. I know it may be wrong but I think I could get away with dating two girls at once. Like I said already, what they do not know will not hurt them. I head down to the Day Room to stand in line right before we head to the cafeteria for breakfast. There is a new guy in line. I ask him for his name and he says he is Alex. I introduce myself and then we get silent. The nurse comes and leads us down the hall to the cafeteria. Today for breakfast we are having biscuits and gravy, apple juice, and a bowl of fruit. We sit down at our tables and Alex sits down across from me. While we are busy shoveling food into our mouths, he decides to talk. 

"Why are you in here for?" He asks me and I tell him that I have anger issues. He gets silent once more and then he tells me that he tried to commit suicide. Oh great, another looney person! I wish he was not talking to me right now. We eat in silence for what seems like an eternity, but it has only been ten minutes. Then, we put up our trays and get back in line to head to the Day Room. Once in the Day Room, a nurse calls me to come into the intake room. I wonder why she is asking me to come back there. This is so strange because the nurses never call us back here. At least not since I've been here anyway. I choose to cooperate anyway since there is no use in being uncooperative. To my surprise, however, once I am back there, I see two big police officers! What the heck is going on now? Why are they here? One of the police officers approaches me, grabs me, and puts my hands behind my back. 

"Eric Thomas," the Officer begins to say, as he is putting handcuffs on me, "You are under arrest for first-degree assault and for assaulting a police officer. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the courts will appoint one for you. Do you understand?" I feel a rush of rage flood through my body. I cannot believe this is happening right now. I do not deserve this whatsoever. I reluctantly tell the officer that I understand and he tells me to start walking towards the door. As I am walking, everyone is staring at me, and I feel completely embarrassed. At least, Amanda won't see this. But, then again, it looks like I will not be able to call her any time soon. I must admit that once I was outside, the fresh air did feel nice, and for a second I forgot about my immediate circumstances. However, that did not last long because the Officers told me to get into the back of their cruiser, and I obeyed them. I do not want to be pepper sprayed again. 

The drive was another forty-five minutes because we were going back to Colorado Springs. I admit that I was relieved to be back in my hometown. All I wanted to do was see Kat one more time. I sit in complete silence while I think about her. Once we arrived at the Juvenile Detention Center, I noticed a sign that said Spring Creek Youth Services Center. I merely scoff at the title. We come to a complete stop and the Officers open my door and tell me to step outside. I do as I am told and we walk into the building. Inside the building, I see a round desk in the center of the room, and someone sitting there working on a computer. The Officers take my handcuffs off and tell me to sit down until a staff member comes to see me. I must have been sitting there for at least thirty minutes before a tall African-American man named Mr. Logan came and told me to step into the bathroom. I did and he followed me inside. What happened next was quite humiliating. He told me to strip naked. 

"Like all the way naked?" I ask him. I knew it was a dumb question and he responded with a nod. I couldn't believe he was making me do this, but I listened. As I stood there in my birthday suit, he told me to face the wall and put my hands on the wall. Then, he told me to squat and cough. This whole ordeal seemed rather strange and I kept thinking that this Mr. Logan guy must be getting off on seeing me naked. However, I did as I was told, and afterward, he gave me this lice shampoo and told me to take a shower. He then told me that after my shower I needed to put on these scrubs that he left on a chair in the bathroom. I was afraid that he would watch me shower, but to my relief, he stepped out of the bathroom. I took a very quick two-minute shower because the water was so cold! Then, I hopped out and quickly dried up, and put on the scrubs. Once I emerged from the bathroom, Mr. Logan told me to sit at this computer and answer some questions. He said that it was to evaluate me, whatever that means. The questions this computer was asking me started off pretty basic. It asked me where I am from, how old am I, and who are my supports. But, then the questions got a little strange. It asked me things like where I see myself in ten years, Do I plan on hurting anyone, and am I suicidal. That last question really got me because I was actually thinking of taking my life. After all, I felt like my life was already ending. I cannot see how things could get any better now that I am in jail. So, for that last question, I answered "yes". Once I finished answering the questions, Mr. Logan brought me to what he called the Orientation pod. Once I was inside this pod, I saw at least fifteen to twenty other guys in there. Mr. Logan took me to my cell and gave me two bedsheets. 

"Do I get a pillow?" I asked him and he laughed at me and said that this is not the Holiday Inn. I felt rather sheepish when he told me that. He told me that I would be on this pod for the next three days and then I'd be transferred to the Jaguar pod. I merely nod my head and he walks away. I look down at my feet and for the first time in my life, I feel my eyes water up. I cannot believe what has become of my life. I was a star athlete, an honor roll student, a model son, and a good boyfriend, and now I am a juvenile delinquent. However, I cannot show these guys any weakness. So, I wipe the tears from my eyes and head out into the pod. If any of these guys want to test me, I am willing to throw down. These guys will see that I am not someone to be messed with. I've seen those prison documentaries so I already know that in places like this, you must prove yourself to earn respect from these people. I will earn their respect. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 5***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website

Simply Eric: Day 3 In Literal Hell (Part 3)

  ***The following is a fictional account of a teenager who has Bipolar Disorder and Conduct Disorder. Some content may be triggering. Reader discretion advised***

It is officially the third day in this looney bin and no one is talking about releasing me. I am not sure why because I've been doing everything they required of me. I've been playing by their rules. Today is different though. I do not feel like doing anything today whatsoever. I just want to isolate inside my room. I am not even coming out for meals. Don't ask me why I am behaving like this all of a sudden because I am not even sure why. I miss Kat and my parents and I just want to go home, but I feel stuck. No one here takes me seriously either. They all must think I am just a joke to them. I think Amanda is even in on the ruse. Sure, she is pretending to like me, but she is probably talking trash behind my back. I can literally trust no one in this place. I wish I could see my mom and dad. I talked to them on the phone yesterday and they do not seem like they are in any hurry to get me out of here. They kept saying that I needed to see this as an opportunity to "get the help that I need". I do not know what that is even supposed to mean. I am not crazy like my mom is. I do not attempt suicide every other week like she does. As a matter of fact, I am an honor roll student with great accolades. Most parents would be proud to have a kid like me. But, apparently, my parents think I need help. Kat thinks I need help too. Do I have a bit of an anger issue? Sure, but who doesn't get a little angry from time to time? I've even seen my dad get pretty angry. Being angry is perfectly normal. Nah, I do not need any "help" from this hospital. I am convinced by this and that is why I am refusing to leave my room today. I just want to sleep the day away and maybe when I wake up later I'll be in my own bed at home because this was all just a really bad dream. 

As I am lying in bed, a short and stocky older man with glasses steps into my room. He looks like an Indian man and he introduces himself as Dr. Gupta. I immediately sit up when he comes in. Great, maybe now I can convince him to let me go home. 

"How are you feeling, Eric?" Dr. Gupta asks me and I really do not want to tell him the truth because if I do, he may keep me here longer. Since I was convinced of this, I decided to lie instead. 

"I feel great actually," I say as I force a weak smile. He makes a concerned look as he asks me why I am not participating in the program today. I tell him that I just do not feel like being around people today. He must have noticed from the corner of his eye that I was nervously tapping my foot on the floor. 

"You seem nervous. What are you nervous about?" He asks me in a very calm, yet soothing voice. He does not seem to judge me, but he does seem to be concerned. 

"I-I am not nervous about anything..." I stammer as my voice trails off. He does not seem convinced as he scribbles something in his notepad. He then asks me something that I find quite offensive. He asked me if I ever tried being on any antidepressants. Who the heck does he think he is? I do not need antidepressants! Everyone who knows me knows I am one of the most joyful guys to be around. I am always having fun and cracking jokes. I am not depressed at all. 

"I-I do not need antidepressants," I tell attempt to calmly reassure him but he does not seem convinced. He tells me he is going to prescribe me an antidepressant called Zoloft and see how I am for the next few days. Does this mean that I must stay here longer? Immediately I get angry and feel like cursing him out. However, I know that if I do that, that will just prove to him that I need to stay here longer. I decided to hold my composure until he left. He asks me a few more questions about my overall health and he tells me that once I start taking the Zoloft I will need to make sure I eat because it is not good to take medication without food in my stomach. Little does he know, I am not in the least bit interested in taking his medication. After seeing my mother go in and out of these places, one thing I do know is that the patient does have the right to refuse medication. That is exactly what I plan on doing. I honestly do not need their poison because there is nothing wrong with me. Dr. Gupta finally stands up, tells me to have a nice day, and he walks out of my room. I immediately lay back down and fell asleep. 

A nurse wakes me up around 6 pm to tell me that I have some visitors. I wonder who they could be because I was not expecting anyone today. The only person who has been visiting me thus far has been Kat and she works tonight. As I walk down the stairs, I see my mom and dad sitting at one of the round tables. I am actually relieved to see them. Maybe they are here to take me home. I approach them and they both stand up to give me a big hug. My mother seemed very excited to see me. We all take our seats at the table. 

"How are they treating you here, hun?" My mother asks me and I tell her honestly that everyone has been really nice but I do not want to be here anymore. My mother says she understands, but then she reiterates to me that this is a good time for me to "get help". There she goes again with that crazy talk. She obviously does not understand. I decided to interrupt her midsentence. 

"Mom, I am not like you. I do not need to be here!" I loudly say to her and this seems to have hurt her. I immediately feel remorse because I did not mean to hurt my mom, but she needs to understand that I am not crazy. My dad decides to chime in. 

"I think what your mom is trying to say, Eric, is that we have noticed that you've been really stressed lately and maybe this is a time for you to relax, kid. Think of this as a vacation" He smiles at me with a devilish sort of grin. How can I think of this place as a "vacation" when it is completely locked down? I look over my shoulder and see Amanda smiling at me as her boyfriend is talking to her. I smile back at her. Maybe I will mess around with her again during free time. That will definitely cheer me up. I tell my dad that I do not want to talk about this place anymore and my parents agree to change the subject. We make small talk about how things are going at home. Apparently, a news reporter came by wanting to talk to me about the fight I started with the captain of Mitchell High School's football team. I do not understand how that is newsworthy, but whatever. My parents told me that that kid's parents are considering pressing charges against me and that really begins to worry me. I do not know why they would do that just because of a little fight. We're teens. Teenagers get into fights sometimes. That does not mean we should have charges pressed on us. Oh well, I am sure they are just blowing hot air. This will pass over and everyone will forget about the incident. 

After about an hour, the nurse announces that visiting time is over, and I stand up to give my parents a hug. I watch as they walk out of the exit doors. I wish I could have left with them. Afterward, I approached Amanda once her boyfriend had left.

"So," I calmly say, "Your boyfriend is gone huh?" I say to her and she nods and smiles at me. I tell her then that means we can pick up right where we left off and she agrees. We head over to the Day Room and turn on the television and then we sit on the front couch and begin feeling one another up while at the same time watching out for the staff. This is literally the highlight of my day while being in here. But, then it is cut short because one of the nurses catches us and tells us there is no "PDA" allowed. We immediately stop touching each other and I get upset. 

"Baby, do not worry," Amanda says softly, "We can resume this another time when the PDA police are not watching". I do not feel assured by this but I tell her "Whatever" and head straight to my room. After working out some, I decided to lay down on my bed and that is when a nurse came in my room. 

"Med time!" She says and I respond by rudely telling her I do not want her poison and it is my right to refuse. She says that is fine and walks out. I get up to do more push-ups and then I lay back down and fall asleep after about five minutes. 

While I am sleeping, I dream that I am at home sitting on the couch in the Living Room while watching WWE. Kat is with me and we are fooling around, but then her face morphs into Amanda's face and she accuses me of being a no-good player. She then slaps me in the face and walks away. I wake up from that dream only to realize that I am still in the hospital. I figured that maybe it was just a guilty conscience bothering me, but I decided to ignore it. After all, what Kat and Amanda do not know won't hurt them, right? I immediately fall back asleep after thinking this and slept like a baby. 

***Stay Tuned For Part 4***

-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate 

Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website