She was admitted to the hospital that night—a new mother who had delivered with post-pregnancy complications and needed to be in the emergency ward. But there was something unusual about her case. She refused to fall asleep. She was in great distress, so much so that she wouldn’t even close her eyes.

She kept saying she was afraid. We needed her to calm down to proceed with her treatment, so we administered an extra dose of anesthesia. It helped her settle a bit, and she began to tell us what was wrong. We ran diagnostics and started treatment, but this particular patient remained tense and uncooperative. Even under the effects of anesthesia, she resisted, making our work incredibly difficult.

I decided to consult a psychologist to help us understand what was happening in her mind. For three days, she stayed awake, afraid to sleep, her fear undermining every effort we made to help her recover. I often wished we could somehow step into her mind to figure out what was going on.

Finally, she opened up a little to the psychologist. "My spiritual leader told me I would marry and give birth within one year, and it has come to pass, just like he said," she confessed.

"That’s good news," I said, thinking her fear must have been misplaced. But something still weighed on her.

Then, she revealed the rest. "He also said I would die after that. I’m so scared."

And there it was—the reason for her overwhelming distress.

"You’ll only die if you believe what you’ve been told," the psychologist said gently. "Don’t you believe in the treatments we’re giving you? Your condition isn’t even that serious. Some people have gone through worse and recovered."

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But she was adamant. "He’s a powerful man. He never lies. Everything he says comes true."

I was frustrated. "Okay, so how do we stop the death? Did he tell you what to do?" I asked, trying to reason with her.

She nodded weakly. "He said we need to buy some cream. It will overturn the curse. But it’s expensive, and we can’t afford it."

Her words filled me with anger and despair. This woman’s life was slipping through our fingers, not because of her medical condition, but because of her unwavering belief in this so-called prophecy. No matter what we did, we couldn’t save her—not if she didn’t believe she could be saved.

The following night, she passed away. Her family wailed inconsolably, but she didn’t hear them. Finally, she could sleep—without anesthesia. The death she had so feared had claimed her, and oddly, she seemed to be at peace.

Her case taught me a powerful lesson: the mind is a powerful force. We become what we believe. Even if we take medicine for our illness, we will only get well if we believe that we are well. So whether we will prosper or not, it all depends on what we think. Even the Bible says, "As a man thinketh, is he."

I have learned to guard my thoughts and be mindful of the messages I allow to take root in my mind. Not everyone deserves space in such a sacred place.

Sometimes, I think about her and wonder where she is now. Perhaps she’s truly resting in peace.