A Life Without Edges

My Sixteen Years in The Wilderness

The title of this book – A Life Without Edges – is the best way I can describe what my life became following a very damaging and vicious sexual attack when I was sixteen. Like most stories, mine developed over a period of time, twenty-five years, in fact. It took several traumas for me to develop the numerous masks behind which I retreated into my own fantasy world: a place where paranoia, internal voices and imaginary friends became my reality, and obsessive/compulsive and self-harming behaviors became my tools of survival. A complete mental breakdown was the catalyst to my recovery and this book tells the story of how, through therapy, I managed to reconnect with the world and find the real me behind the masks – a very fragile and vulnerable man named Tim. A professionally trained therapist has added valuable insights throughout this book, which have helped me to understand the reasons for my withdrawal into isolation. The chapter titled "Reflections" is a complete summary of her insights.