This story deals with Mental Illness and the use of the threat of Mental Illness to control people.

The fact is that Mental Illness is a serious reality for more than 57 million people in the US alone.

I'm approaching this subject as someone who has dealt with it for most of her life. I've been through years of therapy. I am on medication and will probably be so for the rest of my life. It has taken years of work to get to the point where I can live a "normal" life and do things that others take for granted, such as holding down a job and living on my own.

I'm sharing this because I want it understood from the beginning that I take Mental Illness very seriously. Group homes and halfway houses for those dealing with Mental Illnesses do exist and are places where wonderful work is done every day to help those like myself reclaim our lives. I've stayed in such places and cannot give high enough praise for the nurses and doctors I met there or the quality of care I received. They are safe places, havens where someone can find the help they need.

The Darkest Powers series is a work of fiction only. If you are suffering from any kind of Mental Illness, please, never hesitate to seek out help and to take any diagnoses you may receive seriously. There is NO shame in being ill.

For more information on Mental Illness or where to get help please visit one of the sites for one of the following organisations:

North America: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Europe: Mental Health Europe (MHE)
Asia & Australia: Asia Australia Mental Health

(If you know of what organizations exist in non-English speaking areas, please let me know and I'll add them to the list.)