Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

Mental Battles
Hi, I'm Makaila and I battle anxiety and depression every day. I have truly contemplated whether I wanted to start sharing my stories or do the cliche thing and write it all in a book. I decided to take the more "quick cash" route. I'm 23 years old, and I have had a colorful upbringing which is nothing new, that's majority of people. Life has taught me a couple things and that is, in all reality no one cares. For example, my opening statement I have only a 50/50 chance that from that you will either continue or just tell my simple post to fuck off.
By Makaila Curnette5 years ago in Psyche
Mental Fitness
I started meditating at 21 years old in the summer of 2017. I might have tried it once or twice before, but I really didn’t know anything about it other than that monks did it in movies. While at Pitt, every month or so, we would have team building meetings (shout out Penny, Dr. Conte and Lusaka). This is where I first meditated for real. A timer would be set for 2 minutes and we were instructed to sit upright, eyes closed and just watch the thoughts as they passed through your mind. The potential benefits were increased focus, better decision-making, less dwelling on mistakes, all things that would give anyone an edge while playing a sport at a high level. To be honest, I was interested in it, but it didn’t really stick.
By Will Marshall5 years ago in Psyche
Increasing Suicide Attendance During COVID-19: How to Do It Better
Conflicts with mental health or substance use issues have been reported by approximately 41% of adults who responded to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
By Haider Jamal Abbasi5 years ago in Psyche
How Gastroparesis Has Changed my Mind
I have struggled with anxiety and depression all my life. I thought I had a good handle on things. And then I was diagnosed with a chronic illness called gastroparesis. I was not prepared for the dive my head was about to take.
By Evangeline Morningstar5 years ago in Psyche
"I am Imperfectly Perfect"
Mental health can play a vital role in your life. Whether you may have a mental illness or are going through some circumstances that can affect your mental health, it is definitely something that should not be ignored. Let's be real with ourselves: no one is perfect. We all have flaws and insecurities. They don't make us any better than anyone else nor do they make us any worse than others.
By Sylvester Long5 years ago in Psyche
Flavia
My room has been set up as an anxiety free space. White walls, green plants, white and clean bedsheets, inspiring paintings, meditation music, all wrapped by an essential oil smell.
By Jenn Di Loren5 years ago in Psyche
It All Hit Me at Once
It was 4th of July. At this point I have been out of the Army for nine months. I was so excited still to be home. What I did not seem to realize was that the fifteen months that I spent in Iraq had effected me.
By Melly Palmer5 years ago in Psyche
You can't make someone get help
My whole family is filled with people who are addicts. Addicted to drugs, to pain, to being unhealthy, to a lot of things. For as long as I can remember there has always been someone in my life that I was trying to save, trying to make better, sometimes the same people. I think I have tried to help my sister so many times, hoping that she gets better, hoping that she realizes just how great a life that she could have. It has taken me a long time to realize that you can't make someone be better, you can't make them want to have a better life.
By Talara Nolan5 years ago in Psyche
RECOVERY
This piece was written 10 months into my 14 month stay at The Salvation Army Harbour Light Addictions Treatment and Recovery Centre In Vancouver, BC. March 2015
By Joseph Willson5 years ago in Psyche
Can you have sober reasoning?
If you research and study anything for long enough, you will come closer to understanding the basis of your subject. For most of my life, I had a reason for everything I did. But continually, my reasoning was based upon expediency. You see, I followed what I thought was the Epicurean pleasure principle. Not the real one, but the one that has been widely promoted in the general media.
By Robert John Kennedy5 years ago in Psyche
Boanthropy — One of the weirdest disorders you've never heard of
One of the rarest documented psychological disorders is called Boanthropy which is a specific type of zoanthropy, and it sufferers of this unusual disorder believe that they are a cow or an ox.
By Amber Blaize5 years ago in Psyche
Outburst
The door behind me shakes with every blow, sending shock waves through the dressing table and my back. Tears of fear and hatred run down my face while near-silent sobs wrack my body. Every blow is accompanied by an order OPEN THIS DOOR, or an insult WORTHLESS USELESS NO-GOOD FAT LAZY UNGRATEFUL, or a threat of what will happen once the door is open, when there is nothing between me and my assailant. My fingers dig into my skin, I'm staring at the window across the small room. Promising myself this is the last time. When it's over, I'll run away. Open the window, take off the screen, climb out and never come back. I rake my fingernails down my face, wanting to rip the flesh from my bones, drain my body of blood...her blood. My mother. The cause of my pain and fear. When I was younger I had reprieves from her moods. I stayed with grandparents, aunts, my younger sister's dad... Now I'm a teenager. We live further away from family, my sister's dad scared me away with his own temper, I am trapped. I hate going out, my weight draws cruel attention from others and my self-esteem is low from a lifetime of harsh words and almost no emotional support.
By RandomEllie15 years ago in Psyche