Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

Going Through Life with Bipolar Disorder
I recently was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder in April. I was in a mental hospital in the capital city. Only 45 minutes away from my home. I came in an ambulance from the emergency room in my hometown. I took the advice from my OBGYN nurse to go to the ER. I was feeling very overwhelmed, and just not me. When they told me I was going to go to a facility, I freaked out. I didn't want to go and that type of hospital scares me. I ran. I ran out of the hospital, straight to my car and went to a friend's house. My friend was watching my younger daughter, and my oldest was at school. I thought I had rights to refuse to go, but I didn't. The cops found me at the school picking up my oldest daughter. They took me back to the hospital and transferred me to the hospital 45 minutes away from home. I didn't know where I was. I just knew the name of the hospital. I spent a week there. The first day I didn't want to come out of my room. I just wanted to call my fiancee. It sucked. That same day, I talked to a nurse practitioner. He diagnosed me with bipolar disorder. How he explained it, I'm in the middle, between manic depression and very low (hardcore) depression. This was part of postpartum depression I was experiencing. Yes, you can have postpartum depression after having a baby (toddler) and being pregnant at the same time. I had a nurse tell me I couldn't and she just looked at me in disgust. She was terrible. I think she was having a bad day at the ER that day...
By Jessica Slade7 years ago in Psyche
Constructing a Trauma Account
Sometimes it takes a while to figure out if what has happened to you counts as trauma. Not all trauma is capital-T Trauma, and not all trauma causes PTSD. PTSD at its core is a disorder of processing; the brain gets stuck processing the traumatic event(s), and those memories remain active but fragmented. Not everyone who experiences traumatic events gets fully stuck, but processing may be slow and interrupted.
By Ashley L. Peterson7 years ago in Psyche
Meet My Friend: Melancholic Smith
I find solace in a dark room. The soft raindrops against my window actually feel comforting, but once again I find myself stuck inside my own mind. I’m racing through hallowed corridors, trying desperately to find a way out. It’s actually darker in there than it is outside right now. I can see through the iris, but can only decipher the numbers on my alarm clock. There’s a sharp pain in the right side of my head and I wince.
By Paulina Pachel7 years ago in Psyche
You Are NOT Alone
You are NOT Alone. Hi, My name is Courtney. I have big emotions. I’m incredibly empathic. I have had some really dark days.
By Courtney Burns7 years ago in Psyche
Plagued: Living with the Voices
It was like I was in a nightmare. It started when I was first hospitalized. I accidentally overdosed on melatonin tablets, only desperately trying to go to sleep after being sleep-deprived for nearly 20 hours. I ended up unresponsive, unable to move, and my best friend was there at the time. She saw that something was wrong, and she knocked on the door next to mine to tell my aunt what was going on. I remember my aunt squeezing my hand and telling me that if she could hear me, I should squeeze her hand. I did so, just barely. Soon enough, the ambulance came and rushed me to the hospital.
By Cynthia B.7 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health
This is a book that will be focusing on the ins and outs of mental health, and I think it's important to be as educated as possible on these disorders, and I'm hoping this book can maybe help people in discovery of mental health issues.
By C West7 years ago in Psyche
Analyzing Conflict Between My Different Mental States
To begin this conflict analysis, it would be most suitable to discuss the beginning of the conflict, which was August 11, 1997. Coincidentally enough, it’s also the date of my birth. Though it may seem strange, my conflict analysis won’t be between myself and another person, so to speak, but between myself and myself. While I don’t remember much from this date up until a few years ago, except for a few glimpses and flashes of memories, it’s safe to say that the origin of my internal conflict has been with me since birth. This mysterious origin is a hereditary mental illness, passed down to me by my father, which makes me feel like two or more different people in constant conflict—bipolar disorder.
By Vans Life7 years ago in Psyche
Sensitive Dude: Trouble Thinking?
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
Practical “Rollercoaster-Life” Advice
We won't make it out alive on this rollercoaster that is life... but wouldn’t it be nice to avoid self destruction? One in five documented bipolar patients self destruct, presumably due to their illness. This terrified me, being bipolar 1. But I know it will be ok. It will be better than ok—it will be great.
By Lorraine Da Brain7 years ago in Psyche
Here's What Mental Health Month Is About
May is mental health awareness month. Lots of content is published about it throughout the month, people touting both their expertise and their experiences. But it’s more than that. It’s more than a few articles, a hashtag, and a color (green) devoted to the seemingly boundless cause.
By Melody Porter7 years ago in Psyche
White Hot Rage...
At 34, with more life experience than most 50-year-old humans, I have had my share of "incidents" if you will, that have made me bend, break, and finally snap. I have had my entire household of stuff stolen 2 or 3 times, I have had a car stolen only for me to find it ran out of gas... seat belts cut... and the windows down with the keys in it, I have had people pick fights with me for seemingly no reason, and strange shit just generally happens around me. I am much better than I used to be about losing it. I breathe, I meditate, I listen to music, I do every single thing I can to diffuse my mind and sometimes, just sometimes, I lose it.
By LilithV7 years ago in Psyche
Helping Others May Be the Best Way to Treat Your Own Depression
Depression is a rough topic. It's somehow managed to become both a disorder and a national discussion. The situation is further complicated by the fact that there's so much confusion over the disorder. People often talk about it while essentially discussing two very different things. And in doing so, they often lose sight of the fact that there are some very effective treatments out there. And one, in particular, is starting to get a lot more attention. But before we start to discuss how helping others can in turn help with your own depression, we'll need to cover a few other points.
By Mia Morales7 years ago in Psyche