As young children we are told monsters don't exist
We are told as young children they are simply figments of our imaginations
We have our parents check under our beds and look in our closets
But what our parents have seemed to forgotten to tell us is that the monsters live among us

No, these monsters aren't a black figure with long fingers creeping out of our closet
No, these monsters don't try to grab my feet as I get up at night
These monsters can look as real as humans and can be hidden as well as a chameleon
You see not all these monsters are humans

Some of them live in our minds
They are like a parasite that can not be ridden of quickly
The monster comes out most when I am alone
It holds me in its arms as it tells me how worthless I am
The monster makes the night so appealing that it will not let me rest

It will tell me that I am useless, pathetic, and nothing as I try to close my eyes
It will shut off my emotions during the day so at night it can remind me of how much pain I am in
It tells me to put slits and marks and cuts on myself because that's the only thing that will make me feel better
It tells me how no one will ever care what I have to say because I am nothing special

This monster is not something we can see
This monster is not something we can touch
This monster is not something we can taste

This monster is known as depression.