Chapter 1

C O P Y R I G H T

©2020 Irene Essah

All Rights Reserved. This book is published subject to the condition that it shall not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in any retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the author and any infringement of this is a violation of copyright law. Strict actions will be taken.

D I S C L A I M E R

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The quotes written in each chapter belong solely to the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

D E D I C A T I O N

This book is dedicated to my lovely family and all mental health patient out there in the world  .

N O T E

A scar is the mark of a story that, on the surface, is private. It is an implication of what lies beneath and within. Complete scar removal is not possible, but most scars will gradually fade over time. Scars are a natural part of the healing process. Most will fade although they never completely disappear. At times, emotions and memories are stored so well

that they can’t be recalled on command. Alternately, the psyche veils itself with trauma that has left its mark and overcompensates to dissociate from trauma. The scar is a container and a

protective space where the memory can be stored and endured privately.

The causes of scars remain in storage in the body and the mind, and sometimes can shape actions

for a person’s entire life. That's what Beneath The Scars is going to talk about . It's going to talk about how to never  give up without a fight.

W A R N I N G

The book contains scenes of self-harm, mentions of abuse and suicide, themes of grief and depression, and sexual content towards the first half of the book . Readers are requested to proceed with caution. Please skip if you see any scene that you may find triggering.