In the interest of accessibility and effectively promoting empathy towards stigmatized

populations, this piece will rely on fictional creative writing and first person point of view to

humanize them. In giving the reader insight into the thoughts and emotions behind someone

dealing with SMI, and seeing “why” a person might behave in certain ways, the reader will be

encouraged to see real world counterparts as people first, not patients first.

This story follows Sam Nelson through their stay in residential treatment.