Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

Apron Strings
I have been at war lately with my feelings about family. At 35-years-old, you would think I would be comfortable being myself and not caring what other people think. Wouldn’t it be nice if all those memes on being strong and brave were true?
By Vanessa Cherron Riser7 years ago in Psyche
Mania and the Pit
I'm a mother, a girlfriend, a daughter, sister, photographer, blogger, coffee addict and I have bipolar depression. What does that mean? To be honest not much, I mean I'm like everyone else out there. Some days are good, some days are bad.
By Amanda Brueckner7 years ago in Psyche
The Short Walk Home
Walking the short journey from the bus stop to my house for the millionth time, I become suddenly drawn into the characters that I encounter on this short trip, little more than a minute from stepping off and escaping from the UTTER CHAOS that the 18 bus consists of most evenings, to my front door. It is usually this moment in my day when I can reflect on the latest of unreal occurrences that I, and the rest of the minority of normal people, have had to bear witness to on this vessel of unpredictable horrors. But not on this night. No.
By Grayson Articles7 years ago in Psyche
The End or the Beginning?
Going in, I never thought I would be admitted. I wore my favorite Maroon sneakers, my leggings, and my Harry Potter shirt that read “Mischief Managed” with a criss-crossed front, and my hair was thrown in its traditional ponytail. I left my backpack in the car, and walked up to the Mental Health Hospital entrance, hand in hand with my husband. There were two sets of doors. They buzz you into the first set, and then when those doors close, they buzz you into the second, basically trapping you in a little enclosure to ensure you can’t leave without a badge or them allowing you out. That alone had me anxious because I loathe confined spaces. When we entered, I was nervous, shaking, and could barely speak to the receptionist. She handed me my clipboard and told me to fill it out, typical doctor appointment protocol. However, this place felt far from typical. It seemed more like a jail rather than a place to go to for help.
By Rachel Bonneval7 years ago in Psyche
Victim Turned Survivor
As I sit here and write, I would love to speak about all the beauty and love and how wonderful this world is, however, sadly that is not the case. This world in my life was much darker.
By Tiffany Myrick7 years ago in Psyche
Why Anxiety Makes Me Seem like a Bad Friend
I'm not a bad friend. I'm not a bad friend. I'm not a bad friend. These are the words I repeated to myself as I cancelled yet another party, another dinner date, another movie night. I've unwittingly become a master of excuses.
By Emmy Thompson7 years ago in Psyche
You Just Want Attention
My father had high hopes for me when I was young. I was ambitious and smart, I did well in high school, I had money saved up, paid my bills on time, and I didn't have a care in the world because everything was, in his eyes, going my way.
By Natalie7 years ago in Psyche
Religion Trauma Syndrome
This is something you should think about before letting your children go to just any church... I was raised in a Pentacostal/Holiness/Apostolic church that was named as non-denominational. I was lied on, mentally and physically abused. Even sexually used at one point, nothing was ever done about any of these things because "God had a plan for their life."
By Catrina Palko7 years ago in Psyche
Adventures with Anxiety
Wuddup my fellow nervous Nancies, During my first year at UNC Chapel Hill, I took a course classified as a "first year seminar." What is a first year seminar, you might ask? It's a class exclusive to freshmen, that typically covers an interesting topic (and is basically a guaranteed 'A').
By Lexie Lloyd7 years ago in Psyche
Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent personality disorder is not defined as being on the sociopathy spectrum such as the others excluding avoidant personality. Dependent people are dependent on other people, having no personality of their own. Those diagnosed with dependent personality depend on other people way too much to meet their emotional and physical needs. The people with dependent personality have problems achieving normal levels of independence. People with dependent personality disorder are passive and clingy, unable to withstand being alone. Source. They feel that they need somebody to help them all the time because they cannot stop being needy.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez7 years ago in Psyche
My ADHD...
So, it is not uncommon knowledge with those around me that I (don't suffer) live with ADHD. My current work environment has somehow managed to bring more of it out as of late. I don't know if it is me slowly losing a grip on my mentality as I deal with a lot of personal battles.
By Dawn Elizabeth7 years ago in Psyche
The Cost
Jane still felt like the new starter after six months in her job. Her lack of experience was telling when she began her work practice. Jane had spent her twenties cleaning various hotel bedrooms around her region always moving on to find better work conditions. Now approaching her forties Jane had through a bereavement, undertaken voluntary work in the Samaritan organisation to give back to them, a thank you, for their support when she was grieving. After which she went to college to study to become a trained counsellor.
By Lesley Anne Armour7 years ago in Psyche