Conversion Therapy

"Conversion therapy can be extremely dangerous and, in some cases, fatal. In 2009, the APA issued a report concluding that the reported risks of the practices include: depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, social withdrawal, suicidality, substance abuse, stress, disappointment, self-blame, decreased self-esteem and authenticity to others, increased self-hatred, hostility and blame toward parents, feelings of anger and betrayal, loss of friends and potential romantic partners, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, sexual dysfunction, high-risk sexual behaviors, a feeling of being dehumanized and untrue to self, a loss of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources."
-National Center for Lesbian Rights (#BornPerfect: The Facts About Conversion Therapy)

Adam didn't think he was doing anything wrong by loving his boyfriend, but his parents disagreed. They told him they would fix him, that they would help save him from the dangerous path he'd chosen and help him find the path to Heaven. They never told him how much it would hurt.

This is a companion to Losing Control, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone short story.

Trigger warning: Self-harm, extreme homophobia, borderline torture (all non-graphic but possibly triggering)