Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Borderline Personality Disorder and Me
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is often categorized — in short — as a mental illness where the survivor exhibits explosive anger, impulsive behaviors, and unstable relationships — with romantic partners, as well as friends and family. Due to the destructive nature of these symptoms, BPD has almost become a bad word in the mental health community. As an MSW, I have come across professionals who won’t work with individuals who have been diagnosed with BPD due to the stereotypical “abusive” nature of the disease. However, the symptoms listed above provide an overgeneralized assumption of the disorder based on only three out of nine possible symptoms — and all symptoms are frequently linked to trauma. This overgeneralization of BPD marginalizes survivors of the illness by belittling or oversimplifying their experience — particularly those who don’t fall under the assumed criteria. Furthermore, it makes finding help extremely difficult, let alone receiving an appropriate diagnosis. There are four types of Borderline Personality Disorder that all exhibit differently, and to be diagnosed with BPD, one must exhibit five out of nine possible criteria. The variation of symptoms then puts the survivor on a sliding scale of 256 possible representations of the disorder. Because of this, no one person fits 100% into any one of the four categories of BPD due to the number of possible variations. Survivors often exhibit symptoms that put them in more than one category — and sometimes all four — but the categories help survivors, loved ones, and professionals better understand Borderline Personality Disorder, possible causes, and treatment options.
By Ashley Nestler, MSW6 years ago in Psyche
5 Truths About Trauma You Need to Know
Trauma. How many times have you heard or been told what trauma is, or what counts as trauma and what doesn’t? Everyone has their own perspective of trauma based on what they know, think they know, or what they have experienced; however, trauma affects each person differently. The following are five truths about trauma that I have learned from my personal experience and from my experience in social work.
By Ashley Nestler, MSW6 years ago in Psyche
The F’D Up Road To My Perfect Place
There are few things more terrifying than quitting something that you once felt connected to in any way. This might mean a relationship, a friendship, or even physical toxins that you expose your body to. If you are used to having something as a part of your life, it can be really hard to let it go even if you know that it is bad for you and is harming your body and soul.
By Taryn Thomas6 years ago in Psyche
I'm Coliving with Social Anxiety
Coliving spaces are becoming massively popular in big cities. Companies like Common and Podshare have become massively successful by providing a shareable space to students, nomads, or low-income people. My journey with coliving started when I decided to move to NYC.
By Zoey Hickman6 years ago in Psyche
Compassion: Mental Health's Best Friend
Mental illness is too much of a taboo topic. Don’t talk about it. It’ll go away. Those with mental illness are scary. Mental illness only happens to criminals, murderers, and crazy people. These thoughts leave those attempting to accept and deal with their health feeling alone and unwanted. The worst part about it is that we already feel alone and unwanted. We already feel unwanted. We believe we must have been bad to be this way. None of this is true. We need compassion and understanding.
By Fire Dragon Lit6 years ago in Psyche
One Stitch At A Time
Art therapy was established in 1942 by Adrian Hill, who found painting and drawing soothing while healing from tuberculosis (Team, 2016). Since then, art therapy has grown as a profession and has been utilized in the treatment of anxiety, depression, PTSD, cancer, eating disorders, and numerous other conditions. Art therapy is no longer limited to only painting or drawing as various other forms of visual art are utilized in this form of therapy – such as sculpting or collage making. The beauty about art therapy is that it allows individuals to express themselves in a non-verbal format, and the process of creating art has a soothing effect.
By Ashley Nestler, MSW6 years ago in Psyche
