"I really don't like you."
"Good."
"What?"
"Your contempt validates and reinforces my intrinsic self-loathing."
"Oh man, now my hatred is joined by pity."
"My inner masochist sincerely appreciates your condemnation."

The detachment from reality was nigh-complete. A parade of alien shapes and meaningless symbols flowed into his perception but there was never any connection, nothing relatable to the dysfunctional nightmare of his internal existence.

Passion, joy, motivation, confidence, energy; all retreated from the overwhelming forces of fear, doubt and pointlessness.