Instead of Killing Yourself

By Kara van Donkersgoed

Kara van Donkersgoed understands. In a powerful and insightful collection of poems and prose, she reflects on what it is like to live with mental illness, experience love, and embrace all life has to offer, both good and bad.

 

Kara’s poems are shared with the hope that they may bring peace to others, both in the positivity and knowledge that when we are in pain, we are not alone. Her poetry shines a light on the myriad of emotions that surround mental illness and addiction, allows others into a world where no one willingly wants to be, and provides faith to those struggling in the darkness that no matter how bad life becomes, it always gets better.

 

Instead of Killing Yourself is a raw poetic portrayal of the struggles surrounding mental illness and a love letter to the brave souls immersed in the daily battle to overcome their challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Oct 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781480868694

Kara van Donkersgoed

Kara van Donkersgoed is a Canadian poet on a journey of healing who hopes to touch the hearts of people struggling with mental illness. This is her first book.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Kara van Donkersgoed.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Archway Publishing

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-6870-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-6868-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-6869-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018912017

Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/08/2018

contents

part i: drowning

part ii: breathing underwater

part iii: thriving

dear reader

this book is a creative documentation of my experiences living with mental illness, addiction, love, and life in general.

i have created it in the hopes that i may bring you peace, both in the positivity and in the knowledge, that when you are in pain, you are not alone. it is to illustrate that no matter how bad it gets, it always gets better.

please know that you are never alone and suicide is never the answer. reach out when you find yourself in pain, and never stop holding on.

i love you all.

part i: drowning

i do not like the needing

i do