Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
The Refiner’s Fire Is Not the Whetstone
There is a difference between being sharpened and being transformed, and confusing the two leads to frustration when growth does not feel productive. Sharpening implies refinement of existing form. Fire implies change in composition. Both processes are uncomfortable, but they operate on different levels and for different purposes. When people expect sharpening and receive fire instead, they often assume something has gone wrong, when in reality something deeper is taking place.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast9 days ago in Psyche
You See From Where You Stand
"The room remains full whether you can see it or not." One of the most persistent misunderstandings about perception is the assumption that seeing is the same as knowing. People often believe that if something feels clear, it must be complete, and if something feels obscure, it must be absent. But awareness does not work that way. What you perceive at any moment is not a measure of what exists. It is a measure of what your current position allows to pass through.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast9 days ago in Psyche
You Are Not Empty, You Are Overloaded
You are not empty. You are not broken. You are not dull. - You are overloaded. - People often describe certain mental states as “having nothing in their head,” but that description is almost always inaccurate. What feels like emptiness is usually saturation. The mind has not stopped producing content. It has lost spare capacity. The system is busy allocating energy toward coping, regulating, or enduring, and there is little left over for reflection, synthesis, or creativity. This distinction matters, because mistaking overload for emptiness leads people to judge themselves harshly for conditions that are largely structural and biological.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast9 days ago in Psyche
Rewards, Punishments, and Your Phone: Are We Just Puppets?
You know how sometimes you read something and go, “Oh… so that’s why I keep doing that thing even when I know better”? That’s what this book by Yoesoep Edhie Rachmad, which is republished by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, found.
By Anie the Candid Writer Abroad9 days ago in Psyche
Transcribing the voices in my head. AI-Generated.
The author used artificial intelligence in the brainstorming of this article. I love the feeling of a pen in my left hand making contact with heavy journal paper. I force myself to write neatly because my handwriting is generally messy. When I concentrate on writing neatly, however, I do. This unusual brain exercise sharpens my mind.
By David Heitz10 days ago in Psyche
The Brain Doesn’t Forget
I was six years old when I first learned that the mind is a hoarder. My grandfather, a man who could remember the exact humidity of the day he returned from the war in 1945, once told me: "The brain is like a house with a locked basement. You might lose the key, but the furniture inside never leaves."
By LUNA EDITH10 days ago in Psyche
How to Get Meth Out of Your System Safely and Effectively. AI-Generated.
Methamphetamine use places intense stress on both the body and the brain. Whether someone is seeking recovery for themselves or supporting a loved one, understanding how meth leaves the system and how detox should be handled is a critical first step. While many people search for quick fixes, professionals agree that safe and effective detox requires patience, medical oversight, and proper support.
By Jordan Blake11 days ago in Psyche
