Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Men and Mental Health. Top Story - June 2019.
We often hear stories and statistics about women suffering from mental illnesses. But oftentimes, men are sidelined in this conversation. The stigma around mental health often hurts the chances of people suffering from mental illness to get help. This may make an even larger impact in the lives of men who are stereotyped as "strong" or "independent." They are often shamed or seen as "unmanly" when seeking for help. Mental health impacts everyone.
By Lorraine Woiak7 years ago in Psyche
Phases of Therapy
Imagine waking up on a crisp Saturday without the loud tones of your alarm. You roll over laying on your back, happy that you finally get to enjoy every inch of your bed. You wake up independent and free to use your time off of the clock. You scroll through your timeline for fifteen minutes then jump in the shower. After the shower, you stand there wondering what outfit matches your current mood. You get dressed, head out the door, go up the elevator, then through a secret door which lands you on a sofa. A tall, slender woman smiles then opens her mouth to ask, "So, how has your week been?" That scenario has been my routine for almost a year. I am waking up two Saturdays a month to stare at a woman that I call my therapist.
By teisha leshea7 years ago in Psyche
Sensitive Dude: Nice Tech, Man
Sensory-Processing Sensitivity is a big deal to those living with it (15-20 percent of the population). I have SPS, so my pen name is Sensitive Dude. If you're a highly sensitive person (HSP) or want to learn more about SPS, then I'm writing to you.
By Sensitive Dude7 years ago in Psyche
Metaphysical Brain Surgery
Mental health. Something that is getting more and more attention in society. It’s a broad word to encompass our thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors in relation to ourselves, and others around us. It is something that we can not rid ourself of and must be regulated to live efficient, productive lives. And it's time we really see the value in exploring our minds and how we evolve as a collective society. As a clinician who has a background in social work, I have had amazing opportunities to see what the negative impacts of a dysfunctional mental state can do to ones health and impact the world in which they create. I have a background working in the foster care system in varying roles and even as a therapist in a locked psychiatric hospital. I have heard and seen things that many will only witness on TV. It is because of my experiences that I came to the realization that we need to change the way we look at mental health, and how we treat it.
By Grace Calo7 years ago in Psyche
Living with an Addict
I'd like to start by just saying that addiction doesn't have a face. Anyone can fall victim to the disease. Yes, I said that it's a disease, and that's because it is. Addiction should be treated like a disease and should also be treated with respect. Addiction ruins not only the life of an addict, but also the lives of people around them as well. Too many precious lives have been taken by this horrible disease, and it needs to change. As someone that grew up with a parent struggling with addiction, it shaped how I look at the world around me. I'm going to touch on a very emotional subject, but I want to shed light on the topic too.
By Rena Luxxe7 years ago in Psyche
Inner Demons: Loneliness
My loneliness stifles me. At times I think about it and it tears my soul apart. It makes me feel small. It takes away all my dignity, and shreds it right before my eyes. At any moment if I try to piece myself back together, it rears its ugly head once again.
By Sonia Morreira7 years ago in Psyche
No Two "Disableds" Are Exactly Alike
You know how someone attempts to reach out to someone with a mental or neurological disability, and think they know exactly what to expect, because they know one person with said disability? Those people should realize sooner or later that knowing what helps one person won't help everyone. We're as diverse as our neurotypical counterparts and, looking back, that fact makes me glad that IEPs exist, instead of just generalized educational plans that are made based on the entire portion of the student body that has the same disability as a single person.
By Monique Star7 years ago in Psyche
Who Needs a Therapist When (Pt. 23)
I'm applying for jobs, right? Because I legitimately cannot stay at the one that I am at. Because I need to be an adult for a little while, and I need to find something stable. I need a job where I will always know that I will have health insurance. I need a work week that is the same every week. I need a career that has somewhere to go. Because I'm sick of being poor and trying to make the impossible be financially fungible. It isn't. Because I need a job where I don't have to worry about talking to people every day and letting my social meter slowly degrade while I neglect friendships and relationships.
By Haybitch Abersnatchy7 years ago in Psyche
The Moment I Haven't Been Waiting on...
The moment that I’ve been dreading since August 2009 is coming. The moment that seemed so far away is now quickly surfacing in the horizon. What moment might you ask? The moment that my stepdad is getting out of prison. The year of 2019 marks the 10th and final year that my stepdad will be completing in prison. He received a 10-year sentence for unlawful touching of a child despite all the other horrible things that he’s done to my sisters and me.
By Maelyn Jeffers7 years ago in Psyche
Mental Illness Does Not Define You
I just took a shower. Why am I telling you this? Because I didn’t take a shower for a whole week. My house is disorganized. Why do you care? Because I don’t have the energy to actually put things away from when we moved into the apartment a year ago. My in-laws want me to come visit them. I’m scared to leave my house, scared to face the outside world, scared of people. Scared of doing mundane tasks like grocery shopping or paying a bill. These are some of the daily struggles I face with mental illness.
By Christina Scanlon7 years ago in Psyche
Finding My Joy
Vision is getting hazy, speech is becoming slower, and heart rate is increasing. Forehead starts to sweat and body is heating up and can't control movements. Out of nowhere, panic is starting to sink in and can't seem to find an exit out of this room as there are too many people around. Take a drink of water as throat starts to feel as if it is closing up. Start taking some deep breaths and keep looking down so no one notices that something is amiss. Just keep breathing and everything will be OK.
By Natacha Fernandes7 years ago in Psyche
