Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
How Anti-Depressants Gave Me Back My Life
I had my first anxiety attack when I was ten-years-old. I had just eaten a piece of cake and gone to bed. My mom wasn’t home, but my dad was downstairs watching television, and both my older siblings were asleep. All of a sudden, my stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I immediately sat up, fear and nausea pulsing through me with equal force. Eventually the wave of nausea quieted, but the fear I had experienced with the nausea did not. The act of throwing up had always upset me (as it does many people), but for some reason, on this night, that one wave of nausea triggered something inside of me that would change my relationship to the world forever. I went downstairs to my dad and sat on the couch watching television with him until my mom came home, my whole body paralyzed with fear at the thought of throwing up.
By Katja Alexandra8 years ago in Psyche
Too Skinny, Too Heavy
From a young age society implants an image in our heads of how we should behave, or what we should look like. But the thing about society is that it only portrays one side of things, a side that is often wrong, yet so many people still believe that it is right. Teenagers are flooded with images of models who are paper thin, with long, beautifully flowing hair, but what they don't realize is that this perception of perfection doesn't exist. Beauty is based on perception, and everyone, regardless of what pant size they wear, is beautiful in their own unique way. Just because you may not see it doesn't mean that everyone around doesn't.
By Carina Rose8 years ago in Psyche
'Don't Call Me Crazy'
Approximately one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, be it depression, anxiety, or otherwise. It's a statistic we have all heard of, and if you think about it, that figure is astounding! The stigma around mental health has been thrust into the limelight in the UK over recent years, and it's being recognised as being just as important as physical health and I couldn't be happier. I have battled depression on and off for most of my life and I finally feel in a place where I can openly discuss my struggles. It's not something you want to admit to people and you almost feel ashamed of yourself for feeling the way you have when there is so much to be thankful for in life. I am writing this open letter so I can stand up for others and let them know that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Your feelings matter and you aren't "crazy."
By Laura McCarthy8 years ago in Psyche
Why Histrionic Personality Is Hard to Deal With
Histrionics who have narcissism as well need to be the center of attention in all interactions. We are, however, discussing plain old histrionics in this regard. They need to be the center of attention. Personality disorders usually get better with age and some therapy but for some people, this is not always the case. Sadly, people with personality disorders do not see themselves as needing treatment unless their life circumstances push them into it when their resources are stretched too thin. I mean they only go when they feel really bad. If not before, they don’t see the need for treatment or help.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez8 years ago in Psyche
I'm Not Crazy
Since I was thirteen, I've been continuously called crazy. The older I got, the more common it was to hear those words come from anyone who knew me, whether it was on a personal level or from someone who only met me a month ago. The question always ran through my head: "Why am I crazy?" What have I actually done that earned me that title? Did I go on a rampage where I completely blacked out from anger and killed seven people because the voices in my head told me to do so? Was I sitting in my room alone, talking to the person that wasn't there about anything and everything and have no recollection of it? No, I can say with complete certainty that neither of those things happened. So, the question still remains. Why am I crazy?
By Devin Hubert8 years ago in Psyche
When You Realize No One Cares
Depression, anxiety, and self-harm. It's enough of a struggle to deal with a mental illness, but then, you end up in a relationship with someone who's even more broken than you are after leaving a family that generally doesn't believe in mental illness.
By Ginger Davies8 years ago in Psyche
The Worst Advice I've Ever Heard About Happiness
Don't worry, be happy. When you hear that saying, you may get the impression that it is super easy to be happy. It should be the easiest thing in the world, but for some people, it takes a little bit more time to find true happiness and self-love.
By Amanda Doyle8 years ago in Psyche
Addiction Is a Mental Illness
I was 15 years old when my best friend committed suicide. The night before, we were in my bed talking about how we were going to get matching tattoos: cherries. That was going to be my first tattoo. We had plans. I was excited for her to see my driving and show her how much I kicked ass at learning how to drive. I couldn't stop obsessing over my 16th birthday. We talked about what we were going to do. Recently, before she had just come home from being away for a while, I came home from school one day and she left notes all over my room with compliments and funny shit. At least five of them said how much she loved me. We talked and laughed so much during the days after she got back. It's hard to think that it can all stop one day. The thing that nobody knew was that I felt responsible for her death and, at the time, I really couldn’t tell you why. Did she get enough help? Could I have prevented it? Why did she do it? It affected me more than I expressed.
By Kenzie Janisch8 years ago in Psyche
My Experience with Depression and Living with Cerebral Palsy
We all go through trials and tribulations in life, some more than others, but we all share the world. From a very young age we learn that nothing is guaranteed. Throughout my life with Cerebral Palsy, I've experienced many surgeries, being sent to a hospital school to live for 9 years, and being speech impaired all my life. I've learned to deal with all kinds of situations being on my own. I learned to work with the life that God gave me; did I live it perfectly? No, I had what most of us had: good times and bad times.
By Lauren Gayner8 years ago in Psyche
