Trust. Imagine it. Think about it. Let the concept seep into your brain.

How many times a day do you trust someone?

You trust that your house was built safely, that the roof won’t cave in or the walls won’t fall down.

You trust that your toothpaste is safe for you to use.

You trust that the water in your shower won’t make you sick.

You trust that the barista at the coffee shop didn’t accidently spray cleaning fluid into your drink.

You trust that the cook at the restaurant washed his hands after using the toilet.

You trust that drivers will almost always obey the rules of the road.

You trust that the food you buy in the grocery store isn’t going to make you sick.

You trust that laundry detergent and dish washing soap are safe to use.

You trust that the people who make hand sanitizers, and deodorant didn’t use poisonous chemicals.

You trust the people that make shampoo, gel, and foam.

There are literally hundreds of people we trust on an average day.

Now imagine being psychotic, and not trusting any of them.

It’s torturous. It is hell. Nowhere is safe. Nothing is safe. You can’t get comfortable. The world is a dangerous and hostile place. You are trying to stay alive, but it is possible that anything can and will kill you.

Now imagine, someone approaches a person who is feeling that way, and gives them orders.  It’s likely that scenario is going to go badly, because a person who is terrified of almost everyone and everything isn’t going to think following an order is going to keep them alive. Most likely, they are going to think following the order is going to hurt them.

I don’t know the best way to handle someone who is psychotic, but I do know, shooting them is the worst possible option.

We need much more training on how to deal with the mentally ill. I believe all lives matter, even the ones that are difficult to understand, and the ones you may not want to encounter.

On my best days, I feel love for every creature. On my worst days, I don’t have the strength to love even the most lovable, and that is when I need you to keep an eye on me, and step in and lend me a hand.