In this episode, Kariem Ali walks through the quiet war that happens inside the mind — the kind nobody sees, the kind most people suffer with alone.

“Traveling With My Demons” is a raw reflection on how trauma follows you, how pain changes shape, and how survival can slowly turn into paranoia. This is not just a story about struggle — it’s about the moment you realize the thoughts you’ve been running from have been sitting beside you the whole time.

Kariem speaks on reckless living, self-medication, intrusive thoughts, and the “sunken place” many people with PTSD know too well. He breaks down how alertness becomes paranoia, how demons feel real even when they aren’t, and how numbing the pain can pull you deeper instead of setting you free.

This episode isn’t meant to scare — it’s meant to reveal.

To let someone out there know they’re not crazy, not alone, and not beyond healing.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

• Living with thoughts you didn’t ask for
• How trauma turns into paranoia
• The dangerous cycle of self-medication
• What PTSD really feels like from the inside
• Finding strength while still in the dark

3 Facts About PTSD & Paranoia Shared in This Episode:

1. PTSD creates internal “demons” — intrusive thoughts and memories that feel alive because the trauma never healed.
2. Alertness turns into paranoia — your brain stays in danger mode even when you’re safe.
3. Self-medication intensifies the spiral — numbing the pain often feeds the fear.

From the Episode:

“PTSD doesn’t ask permission.

It doesn’t knock.

It builds itself quietly

until one day you’re living in a mind

that doesn’t feel like yours anymore.”

If any part of this story feels familiar, this space is for you.

Original Section is where pain gets a voice,

where silence learns how to speak,

and where healing starts one truth at a time.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all platforms

🎙 Created & Written by Kariem Ali

WE IN THIS TOGETHER!

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