MHI: EXORCIZING MY DEMONS by Samantha Arthurs

Trigger Warning: This piece addresses mental health

The HWA is pleased to launch its Mental Health Initiative, a coordinated roll-out of events, resources, and activities intended to promote positive mental health, foster the concept of hope, and challenge the stigma of mental illness in the horror genre. The initiative, run by the organization’s Wellness Committee, launches in June, and includes the following blog posts from Of Horror and Hope, a downloadable anthology of poems, flash fiction, and personal reflections on mental health by HWA members.

EXORCIZING MY DEMONS
Samantha Arthurs

Horror has given
Me a way
To escape the demons
Inside of my head
By letting them out
On paper instead

When I’m sad
And I’m anxious
I remain hopeful
Because ghosts,
Legends, and lore
Are the things
That keep me going

Kinship too
Is important
We share our struggles
Our triumphs
Our falls
But this love of horror
Keeps us together
Through it all