While all of us have at one time or another thought about how to protect ourselves from financial predators ("If the deal is too good to be true......it isn't") or physical predators (buddy system, self defense courses, armed and ready, awake and aware) have you ever seriously considered what you need to do to protect yourself from emotional and psychological predators?

What exactly is going on when someone is 'seduced' and swept off his or her feet? Is it really love or is it emotional exploitation and abuse? Is that 'just' a bully messing around on the school playground or someone who wishes to deliberately inflict pain and suffering upon others, a sociopath if you will? How about that abusive boss who's always in your face at work? While we are certainly familiar with the concept of spousal or child abuse, there is so much more happening beneath the surface than 'just' physical abuse.

These are just a few examples of predators who can not only physically harm and even kill us, but those who survive carry physical, emotional and psychological scars that can last a lifetime.

In the fourth essay of "The Antidote" series On The Beach discusses methods we can use to protect ourselves from another type of predator.

Click here for Essay Four" "How to Protect Yourself".

When I was thirteen I landed a summer job at a small mom and pop business, a combination lawn mower repair shop run by 'pop' and a picture framing business run by 'mom'. I often worked with mom in the morning (because my hands were clean) and with pop after lunch.

One morning late in the summer pop grabbed me before heading into mom's shop and told me he needed me all day. He directed me towards an old beat up riding lawnmower and simply said "Fix it". When I asked what was wrong he snapped as he turned away "Won't start".

I had been working there for several month, so while I knew the diagnostic routine this was my first solo affair. Sheepishly I walked over to where pop was working and asked "Where do I start?" He answered cryptically "At the beginning."

Flummoxed I walked back to my machine and stared at it, hoping it would further instruct me. It did not. Of course I knew what to do and the owner knew that as well. So after a little more dithering and stalling I got over my fear and started at the beginning.

Thankfully On The Beach isn't as cryptic as pop was and lays out in Essay Three the steps we need to follow to begin the Antidote.

Click here to find out how.