Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Conquering Depression
They say time heals all wounds and the pain of the loss will fade but that is not entirely true . I have been told that phrase so many times from age 3 to present , that it has gotten old for me. The two things that have helped me throughout all the loses of my life is music and books . This is a how i overcame the the demons that come when you feel like your cursed by death and why i turn to music and books to make me happy and bring inner peace.
By Allie Taylor5 years ago in Psyche
Steven the Sleep Paralysis Demon
Some of us have experienced sleep paralysis, some of us have not. Some sleep paralysis is really awful and sometimes it is just a mild bummer. Those of us that do experience it, can sometimes hallucinate some really terrible things. I don't know the science behind sleep paralysis except that it happens when the brain wakes up before the body, the brain panics and decides to wake up the body in the only way it knows how.
By Linda Dyke5 years ago in Psyche
Brunswick
Although this story that I am going to relate may not have a happy beginning; I can assure you that this story has a happy conclusion. It is with this story I hope to inspire anyone to give to others when they have extraordinarily little to give themselves. Allow me to begin this story by stating, emphatically that I wanted to die. This must be understood, or nothing good can come of this story. I suffer from Bipolar depression and Asperger’s syndrome. I have been struggling with these afflictions for my entire twenty-five years of life. The culmination of years of bullying, experiencing panic attacks on a daily because I misplaced something such as my wallet, or because of my foolishness that I accidentally locked my keys in my car and no way to drive back to work. It is events like these that trigger such manic episodes: I either scream, cry, bang my head against the wall, etc.
By Steven cuomo5 years ago in Psyche
Reflecting to start a new
I have spent all my life trying to live up to the expectations of society and have been my worst critic especially when I fail. I am the creature of habit to fall back to my old ways of depression and feeling sorry for myself when everything seems to be crumbling down. I looked myself in the mirror and hated the person staring back at me letting it interfere with every aspect of my life. I became a robotic form of working at a job I had no passion for and fake smiles, I felt as if I was losing my purpose with every fail, the negative voices reminded me I was nothing special. The only thing that did not die was my creativity for art and design which I believe is what kept my dream alive buried underneath all the defeat. November of 2020 I had hit my breaking point with almost one last breath to leave everything behind all the unfinished projects, unaccomplished dreams would be diminished, but everything also included my family. First time in my life I was actually glad to say I was not successful at wanting to do something that would have been in the favor of my own demons.
By Lisa Aragon5 years ago in Psyche
A New Beginning
I was very skeptical about the future coming to the end of 2020, I had experienced such gradual mental hardships in the past year then I had ever in my life. It doesn’t help that the world has been conquered by COVID-19 fears and allegations about the sickness. You can’t help but wonder sometimes if it’s the end of the world or when is it all going to be over. I had hoped that the New Year coming meant things were going to change that my mental health was going to change. However, after reading so much about my mental illness and trying to be as positive as I could be, it just didn’t seem that anything was going to change. I had never in my life wanted it to all end then I did in 2020 and I’m not sure if 2021 is going to be better. In order for me to continue to be as healthy and prospering as possible. I’ve realized that it’s important to stick to being grateful for anything that has to come in 2021 but I know after encountering doctors and my family. I’ve considered that it is important for me to realize that bettering yourself as a person is what really is going to count despite the fact that I have Schizophrenia. I have to become more mindful, disciplined, and creative with what I spend my time on. The first task I want to conquer is my health, I started fasting to clear my mind and body from toxins that have entered my system and has taken over my overall physical and mental health. It’s been hard, sometimes I felt so tired and hungry that I couldn’t get up in the morning, but I’m forced too because some of the dreams I have are about my delusions I had on the beginning of my newly found diagnosis. It is always about me being this chosen one and having to save people from the world. Or sometimes they get so jealous they try to kill me but can’t because I have special abilities to keep them from hurting me. I can’t shake these dream’s; they enter my mind over and over again. I start to think that it might be reality sometimes for me, maybe I am this special person that people are trying to destroy. Then I talk it out with myself and humble myself all over again. It isn’t an easy task and most of the time I feel like I’m being punished. Yet, I’ve decided to take this into accountability and not only work on my physical health but my mental coming into this new year. I know it’s going to be a challenge and sometimes I will fail but other times I believe I can triumph. As long as I believe I am smart enough to conquer these delusions and voices I hear during the day I can help others. My ultimate goal is to become so wrapped up in understanding myself that I can understand and relate to others with the same diagnosis. I hope, for that is what makes me want to get up in the morning and continue this health binge, too become so intelligent in the dynamics of Schizophrenia. That I enter a new world of gratification and a new reality that sets aside the hardships and gives others hope that you can become someone great in the midst of the challenge of mental health. I know I have to take baby steps to get there and the first step is to become involved in a program called Students with Psychosis online. I have really come to admire the founders of this organization and realize that it is my ultimate desire to interact with others that have the same unique obstacle being faced.
By Cerina Galvan5 years ago in Psyche
The Bird Coop
The Bird Coop As I lay here on my deathbed. On my death bed? Are my final words as a writer going to be this cliché? Then again my entire life has been a cliché, even the fact that I call myself a writer and yet I was never published, I never even made the local papers. I knew I was good too, at least I think I was but they always told me writers need attention and our' family' doesn't need that, after all we don't write papers we just collect them . And I thought they said your life flashes before your eyes but the only thing I can picture is that stupid owl i saw in the barn when I was younger.
By Andre Gayle5 years ago in Psyche
Happiness after Depression?
Is it even possible to be happy in the same way you once were after battling depression? I'm still trying to find the answer after dealing with it myself. I have had depression since I was a child due to my life circumstances. I have been in therapy for years, and have gone through trial and error with medication until I found the one that seems to help. Occasionally, I laugh, I smile, and I seem happy. What I actually feel though is not much different from when I was going through a depressive phase. I do not get a spark of joy or a sense of satisfaction out of anything. That could be my perfectionistic standards, but I believe that since I have been clinically depressed for such a long time, my brain is in a permanent state of neutral. I know I should be happy and excited, but it's as if I can't feel pleasure unless it is physical. Which begs the question, can you even BE happy in the same way after dealing with depression? Science says yes, but how long afterwards is inconclusive and depends on the person.
By Cosmo Carr5 years ago in Psyche
Is Swearing the Best Way to Beat Stress?
In dark times encompassed by chaos, we're all looking for relief from stress and anxiety. From riots and cannabilism to allusions to civil war and vaccine shortages, all topping our newsfeeds, we're all looking for something to lighten our worries.
By Katie Brozen5 years ago in Psyche
The Darkness Guardian
On a cold, Northern Canadian night, a young couple sit gathered on a comfy, grey couch, cuddled under a white cotton blanket. Each reading a book as the internet is down; listening to the wind snarl, like a wolf blowing snow with every deep howl. The crackling fire with a gaze so sharp, so bright, it is as if there is an owl staring at them with their piercing yellow eyes. Creaks and faint scratches as a village of little grey mice attempt to make a home in the basement for the winter. "Stay warm, don't let your feet touch the ground. Keep your toes wrapped under his legs. Protection." The woman's heart whimpers to herself. Scratchy legs resembling a cat's whiskers, it is worth the tingling sensation in her little piggy’s.
By Kayla Smith5 years ago in Psyche
A Brotherly Bond
My brother, I woke drenched in sweat again this morning. I'm not sure if it’s my own or that of another's. No matter- this makes, what, a straight week of waking sopping wet in the same tired, disgusting clothing? Jesus. I ask to bathe day after day only to be met with their silence. These ingrates act as if they can not hear my scream. Caleb, Caleb, can they not hear me scream..! Reducing my presence to a mere disgrace, forcing excellence to plead to clean themselves - just to clean my own fucking body. The audacity. Their audacity, leaving a grown man caked in his own filth.. I can hear you brother - bleating, baaing, begging not to falter to the pity, not to succumb to its pull. I taste the disdain mingled with your fear brother, but Her song - her song is much too sweet to ever resist. You'll see. You too will bow before Her grace. Besides, what point is there to a head held high when it's sneered at in return? Your face, brother, our face.
By Taurrin LeDe5 years ago in Psyche
How To Stop Taking Offense and Start Living: watch out, the article changes consciousness
You can't offend anyone. They may only take offense to you How quickly do we break into curses when a hurrying driver splatters us with a lot of mud from the nearest puddle?
By Yana Dvoretskaya5 years ago in Psyche
