I woke up from a nightmare and realized the brutal truth: for a truth-teller like me, living in a state of constant threat is an assault on both my body and mind. It's an exhausting, 24/7 battle that leaves no room for rest and repair. My body is literally breaking down from the stress, and my psyche is fighting back in my sleep. But I'd rather face the painful, ugly truth head-on than deal with the "special kind of hell" that is dissociation—feeling my own brain lie to me, even if it's meant as a protective measure. I'll take the raw, jagged reality every time.