Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
When Your Life Falls Apart
It can be hard to find the light when it feels like everything has gone wrong. When your body's in crisis mode and you're consumed by stress, and focusing on anything else is difficult. There are different strategies to lift yourself back up and get your life back together, and here's some advice I hope will help you on the way.
By Tone Breistrand5 years ago in Psyche
Does All Creativity Come From Pain?
Sigmund Freud introduced this term, ‘sublimating’. I don't mean changing from a solid to a gas without bothering to turn into a liquid along the way which is chemical sublimation. I’ll explain it further. In Freud’s essay On Narcissism, Freud writes, “Sublimation is a process that concerns object-libido and consists in the instinct directing itself toward an aim other than, and remote from, that of sexual satisfaction; in the process, the accent falls upon deflection from sexuality.” For example, in Freud’s Leonardo da Vinci and a Memory of His Childhood, he argues that da Vinici’s repressed homosexual desires drove his scientific and artistic research.
By Blessing Akpan5 years ago in Psyche
Mirror Mass
She had the humor of an angel with a crooked halo with a face like the rock the halo had been broken on. She stood by me in everything and would defend me to a fault. We would stand side by side in the reflection of restaurant windows, and while passerby stared at her face in rude curiosity, I would silently mock them, knowing what her true flaw was: the flat expanse of midriff that she modestly hid behind her shirt.
By Glenn Ashton5 years ago in Psyche
Order of the Heart IV
Mr. Edward Hurley had spent most of his life in either corrections or security. He worked his way from a grunt officer to senior Correctional Officer at the gate at a large Federal Prison in Kent, B.C. After retirement, he spent many years working for various security companies to occupy his time and feel like he was still an important member of society. Unfortunately, his beloved wife Beverly left him one day saying she was tired of being “Second Fiddle and to a uniform and badge.” When she left, she ended up with half his pensions and “Havah,” his favourite 38 revolver.
By Bruce Curle `5 years ago in Psyche
Is Life Precious Because It Is Infinite?
So not many people look forward to death, even if they’ve lived a long and satisfying life. So it would seem there’s a big appetite for the opposite of death or immortality and a lot of scientists are working on if not immortality, per se, at least extending life by many years. Isn’t life precious in large part because it is so finite? And if there were an avenue toward immortality, how desirable would you find that?
By Blessing Akpan5 years ago in Psyche
Polysubstance Abuse
Though the definition is usually misunderstood and not understood that often, polysubstance abuse occurs in those who repeatedly use three or more substances, often with no special preference to any of them. Some drug addictions are characterized by drug cravings that develop into habitual use of a specific drug. Others involve taking several substances for extended periods of time, with little or no withdrawal symptoms. This type of drug addiction is called substance abuse and often goes undiagnosed or untreated for long periods of time.
By Nila Hugnagel5 years ago in Psyche
Deer Family,
Quietly driving down the backroads, impending rain brewing in the night sky. There was a big day ahead of me tomorrow and the storm seemed like a mirror image of the anxiety inside of me. Lighting up behind the clouds, you could feel the moisture in the air and any minute now it was about to break through. Anxiety has been something that has overcome me, and even my best intentions, since I was a kid. That sudden feeling of Doom. Preparing for any important event, big and small, thinking of every little thing that could go wrong. Anything that could ruin the happiness you are trying to manifest. Its debilitating, frustrating and all consuming sometimes.
By Stella Marie5 years ago in Psyche
Self-Sabotage and Sertraline
I am a naturally positive person, and I have depression. It feels like an inherited curse that I tried so hard to run from. You see, depression runs in my family, so over the years I've become very aware and vigilant with my own mental health. I've known that I need to 'keep an eye on it' and take a proactive and preventative approach. Meditation, self-care, journaling, movement, fresh air, getting enough sleep, managing my stress - I did all the right things. And I still struggled.
By Georgia Holliday5 years ago in Psyche
Finding Calm Through Crochet
I grew up surrounded by crafty women. I don't mean crafty in the sense that they were sly or devious (though, sure, one or two of them could be). I mean in the sense of being skilled at crafts like knitting, sewing, and crochet. When I was a child, all of the doll's clothes in my toy box had been crafted via the creative endeavors of my mother, grandmother, aunt and great aunts.
By Jupiter Grant5 years ago in Psyche
Marigolds and Stupid Apologies
You stomped on my heart like that torn-up marigold on the ground. The petals are laying around like the pieces of my broken heart. I still remember the day you brought those marigold flowers to me. You gave me a stupid, good-for-nothing apology. I let you back in thinking shit would be different, but here we are again. I should have known it would end like this. The way it started, we should have been finished a long time ago. Still, I needed to feel your presence and your touch just to be happy. I thought that holding on would make me feel better, but all it did was tear me up inside. Each time I let you back in, I only got stronger. Sure, I cried and my heart hurt deep into the core. Eventually, I got stronger each time. My eyes were no longer blinded by the affection of my lower extremities.
By Gina R (Gibana)5 years ago in Psyche
Self-exploration
SELF EXPLORATION (SOGHAT JAVED) Self-exploration which is also known as self-realization at the right time is the best thing that can happen to oneself. Self-Realization is the continuous process whereby an individual’s self-concept is enhanced every time they experience some change.
By soghat javed5 years ago in Psyche
