Everyone has been in a dark place before, where you feel like no one understands what you’re going through. In a general feeling of loneliness, you try and handle it by yourself. You have two options you can take to overcome it. First road, tough it through by yourself. If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger. Second, have someone you trust help you through your problem. In many wise opinions, the latter is the safest way to go. People need to help each other to survive this life. In the song Not Afraid, Eminem uses elevated word choice and vivid description of sight to portray that human beings need each other to overcome difficult times.

Sometimes actions don’t speak louder than words; in fact, words can have so much meaning when they are structured just the right way. Eminem states: “It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me. Admittedly I probably did it subliminally for you.” He is describing how he became a better person, and he not only did it for himself, but mostly for the people around him. This shows how important others are to a person seeking to become changed. A person needs others to look up to and rely on for support, or else what are they changing for?

Images that come from words can be just as real as seeing a sunset. Especially the sentences of “This freaking black cloud still follows me around. But it’s time to exercise these demons; these guys are doing jumping jacks.” He is explaining that even though his depression is still with him, he is going to do all he can to beat it. It is hard when you feel down enough as it is, but to have it chase you around and run from it is ten times harder. Although it is much easier to submit into inner evils, you must be strong enough to overcome the things that hold you so hostage in your own mind.