We had been best friends for almost 2 years. I always knew she was a little off, but I didn’t realize the extent. About a year in, I found out she was a Trump supporter and we managed to make that work, even frequently having good conversations where she could see my point of view (and vice versa, occasionally.)

Then the pandemic and lockdown came, and something about being stuck in her house with nothing but the internet took her into another world and “opened her third eye,” as she says. She stopped texting me for almost a month until suddenly coming back full-force with Q by her side. She constantly sent me insane posts that made no sense, and I tried my best to listen and let her explain the web to me. She didn’t care about anything aside from Q and saint Trump, and it got to be too much.

I was dealing with some family health issues and told her I needed a break from the conspiracy and could use real friendship instead. She couldn’t do it and woke me up the next morning with a video message of her saying “I just want you to know, you are loved and also Hillary Clinton is eating babies.” (EDIT: Yes, that is a direct quote!) Needless to say, the crossing of boundaries didn’t sit well with me. I tried to reach out to her boyfriend to see what he thought about her great awakening, but he must be in on it because he told her I texted him and she blew up on me.

She essentially kicked me out of her life at this point, but kept me as a friend on social media. I watched her postings go from semi-sane to only insane and downright offensive (a lot of things about celebrities and gender, it hit too close to home with my trans family,) to the point where I decided to block her completely.

Yesterday, her mom somehow found me on Facebook and commented on an old post of mine about how her daughter was the best friend I ever had and I didn’t lose her because of Q, but because I needed to find God. I deleted the comment, messaged her back my side of the story, asked that they all leave me alone, and blocked the whole family. They genuinely frighten me and I hate knowing that this girl knows the code to my apartment door.

Thanks for listening, y’all. My heart is still broken and I am kept awake wondering how it ever came to this. My heart breaks for those of you who have family and partners falling into it, and I know the feeling of powerlessness as you watch it happen. I am so deeply sorry and wish there was something I could do to “make people sane again.” That should be our political slogan!

EDIT: Thank you all SO much for all the hugs and support. You all have truly made my day with your care and understanding, and I’m so grateful for this community where we can talk about our shared experiences. I’ve taken your advice and emailed my office about the door code! You’re right, it’s just better safe than sorry and we don’t know what the Q “army” will try to pull next. Thinking of all of you and sending you all healing wishes. I’m sorry to all of us that this insanity exists. Make people sane again 2020!