It used to be.

Find a metaphor for what's on his mind and write about it he thinks. It used to be so easy. It used to be.

Find an image for the feelings he's experienced and write about it he thinks. His fingers would type without thought. It used to be.

Search for a solution to problems? That was never a solution he could see. More like ignore what bothered him and flee.

Buried, unable to escape -- a metaphor that comes to mind. It seems so simple.

Trapped, caged with no escape, an image to match the feelings. Nothing seems simple anymore. It used to be.