Tough Subjects Editor: Gaby 
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O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!
~ Walter Scott
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Oftentimes we talk about how to create a horror story, what the subject is, but we rarely address the subjects which are thought provoking, which are truly scary, the ones happening in the daily life all around us. For some reason, they end up in the taboo pile. As if we don't talk about it, they'll simply go away. Those aren't just writing ideas, they are problems that can be addressed through writing.
If writing about such things, we have to be mindful of the reader. There are many books out there with trigger warnings. I guess to forewarn the reader that there are subjects addressed in the story one might have a hard time reading. Not everyone likes to read about the truly gory side of the world. Why people turn their heads away from it though, is something only they can explain.
What are some the tough subjects of the world? The ones to which people like to avert their eyes and pretend they don't exist.
 War and genocide
 Most people don't understand what war is, other than what they see on their phone or television. They've never been part of it; never experienced the actual horror war brings. Genocide and torture are likely part of wars. People, innocent ones, suffer for the power of others. Kids go hungry. People lose their homes, even their loved ones. They run even when they think there's nowhere to run to. In those moments, life, however difficult, is especially worth living.
Human trafficking
This is an every day occurrence all over the world. Children go missing. Young teens. Adults. For whatever reason others deem necessary. For sale, for trade, sex trafficking, organ sales. Anything that makes someone money. Those who vanish don't simply disappear off the face of the earth. They are drugged and abused, tortured, taken advantage of in many ways. Their bodies suffer as well as their soul.
Domestic Violence
1 in every 3 households encounters domestic violence of some sort. Verbal and mental, or physical. Neither one is easy to get away from. Children, women, even men. They can all be victims and it can be hard to see it at first. Most people don't realize how common this is.
Mental Illness
While this isn't something to take lightly, yet it seems that so many people suffer from one from or another and the labels for such are immense. There are a lot of people who aren't diagnosed or aren't diagnosed properly. Some have mild symptoms while others truly suffer.
Pharma And Other Drugs
Is the doctor in? A large number of people is on medication. Many of those take more than one. Medication is also prescribed left and right as if it were candy. Some take certain meds just to take others to counteract the bad reaction to the ones they do take. There are also doctors who'd rather prescribe medicine than actually do the research necessary in order to truly help their patients.
This is also where a lot of drug abuse comes in. There is such a large number of people who medicate themselves without a real need for it. Even though they can go through treatment to get clean, many don't want to. If you combine mental illness or abuse into their life, to them it's easier to be on drugs than deal with the actual problems. Understandably so.
Money
Why money? Money is truly the root of all evil. Money funds almost everything listed so far, except maybe domestic violence but it can also be present in those situations. It gives people a certain arrogance and power where they think they are allowed to do certain things because they provide, they pay the majority of bills. More money, more power, and the laws simply don't apply to them. Wars are fought because of it. Countries are attacked because they have something others need and they won't sell. It's logical to simply take it then, right? Human trafficking? Major money business. Big Pharma and mental illness, one feeds the other. Doctors will push a specific drug onto people because they get paid top dollar if they do.
There's a lot of horror and terror in this world most people won't address. We haven't even talked about the food industry or the control they hold. The true horror are people and what they are capable of doing to each other and it'll get glossed over.
These subjects are not easy to write about and it takes a special type of person to address them, to shed more light onto them. It can become a rabbit hole not many are willing to dive into. Mainly to preserve their own sanity. And yet, these subjects should be talked about, written about, brought to light. Turning a blind eye is easy. We may not be able to do something about it, because, let's face it, most of us are busy with our own lives. Not just because we want to but because we have no other choice and even that is something to think about.
I'll leave you with the following quote. Maybe it'll give you some food for thought...
For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.
~ Simon Wiesenthal
'Til next time!
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Horror/Scary: June 10, 2026 Issue [#13787]