Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

My ED Story
I too have been a victim of image obsession. In the 21st century where pictures of runaway models fill every magazine and advertisement stand, it seems rather tempting to tell ourselves, "I should pursue that body; it will make me more desirable and comfortable with the way I look."
By Eugenia Moreno8 years ago in Psyche
The Garden
It’s been years since I've seen you. And even though I am getting by in these solitary years since you left, there is not a single day that I don’t think of you. Not a single day that I can forget. Your words and actions drift endlessly from hundred miles away, constantly plaguing everyday thoughts. You taint every single memory I have of my childhood, every single memory I have of myself. From the monster I am a part of, you still truly define me. You are the embodiment of everything I am petrified to be. Everything I don’t want to finalize myself into is this very monster I've grown to known, the final form of my beautiful insanity. I can’t say I never sat here wishing for your demise. To a time before all this happened and I was pure. To save every countless individual you corrupted by your touch. Your actions and your very being trickled down into every surface of my skull, every surface of anyone who was remotely close to you.
By rot flower8 years ago in Psyche
Embarrassing ADHD Confessions
I was diagnosed with ADHD just before I went to college. My parents and I were heavily realized because it also explains my emotional outbursts. I didn't know much about ADHD at the time, but since then I have learned that it explains a lot about me in general. In fact, my whole life has been a tornado of chaos trying to cope with why I can't do what my peers seem to be able to do so gracefully. I know no one's life is perfect... or even easy. I just wish that my peers understood why I am different.
By Test8 years ago in Psyche
When Your Muslim Parents Don't Understand Mental Health
I grew up with traditional Pakistani parents, arranged marriage and all from the hearts of Karachi. From a young age, I had already known what I can and cannot do around them. I can talk to them about grades and food and friends, just not about boys and feelings and sex. I can watch cartoons and Disney shows but nothing that has kissing and relationships and girls showing a lot of skin. Even important topics such as periods were avoided. To this day, my mother still has not properly told me what a period is and when I got it, all she did was show me how to wash my underwear so we don't buy new ones and how to put on a pad. Growing up, these were just taboo topics that as a Muslim child were instilled in you not to talk about.
By Sahar C8 years ago in Psyche
Perspective: A Teen’s Struggle with Weight Loss and Depression
I was only 13 when I started to worry about my weight. My diet was horrible, I exercised maybe once a week — and yet everyone said it was stupid to be worried because I was, “skinny.” In my mind, this could not have been further from the truth. To me, skinny was a word of the past. All I could focus on were the stretch marks on my thighs and stomach. My parents said that I was “just filling out” and that I was “beautiful no matter what”, but they had to say that; they’re my parents.
By Madeleine Ramon8 years ago in Psyche
The Dark Headache
Like many sufferers of anxiety and depression I spend my life fighting what I like to call "The Dark Headache". Now when I say headache I don’t mean one that causes you physical pain and makes you feel like somebody is drilling into your cranium with a blunt instrument, but one where the brain goes into a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas until you physically become numb to the outside world.
By BOS3R G3IST8 years ago in Psyche
The Phoenix - The Truth About Depression
That's always been a huge trigger of mine—I'm depressed. I don't know why. If I knew why I was depressed or if there was a way of fixing it, don't you think that I would have gone about and done whatever it was to fix it? Don't tell me that I don't seem depressed just because at that moment I'm not breaking down in tears—actually, the tears are more related to my anxiety than to my depression.
By Kayleigh Lynne8 years ago in Psyche
What Does Depression Feel Like?
What does depression feel like? I don’t know. I don’t even know if I have depression or if I’m just making these feelings up and or over exaggerating a small sadness. The only thing I know for certain is how I feel. Some days it’s hard to get out of bed, take a shower, or brush my teeth. The amount of energy needed to get out of the bed I just woke up in is overwhelming. Once I’ve managed to crawl out of bed and get into the shower, it is difficult to do anything but stand under the scalding hot warmth of the water. I have to rationalize with myself to wash my hair and body. Sometimes, I’ll even manage to pick up the razor to shave but getting out isn’t too hard though. What gets me is picking out what to wear. Two or more wardrobe changes usually happen. But it’s not always this way. Only sometimes. After all this, I am just too drained to motivate myself to go to class, especially if I already skipped the day before or a day in general.
By Carmen Pennington8 years ago in Psyche
Getting the Right Mental Health Diagnosis
So you've known for some time that something may be off with your moods... Most research has found that symptoms of mental illness may start appearing in the late teens to early twenties. There are exceptions of course, but if you're in this age group and you feel that your day-to-day experience is being hampered by preoccupations of the mind, you may want to start doing some research. Before going any further, I want to emphasize that you should NOT panic. If anything, now is the time to exercise the most patience. I understand the emotional pain is akin to crawling out of your own skin, but learning to be patient will honestly save you from even more excruciating pain in the future. Recognizing that there may be something wrong and receiving treatment is not some sort of death sentence. You are not an outlier, a freak, or some sort of genetic anomaly; you are merely part of 25 percent of the entire human population. With the right treatment plan, you can find normality and happiness.
By Peter Madera8 years ago in Psyche
The Wishing Hour
Night falls around me like a bitter blanket. The air is hot with pre-summer melancholy and reeks of restlessness. Lying in bed is a game of catch and release— close my eyes and try to catch a few more hours of sleep, and release when the attempts fail.
By Becca Volk8 years ago in Psyche
Emotional Outlets
I'm a man that wears many hats. For a living I do many things from working in the realms of insurance and finance to historical researching and instructing at the college level. Like an acrobat at the circus, it tends to awe a lot of people. Once I describe what I do people always ask the infamous questions......
By Aaron Davis8 years ago in Psyche
Down the Road or Across It?
*Trigger Warning: this post talks about self-injury, suicide, and mental illnesses. Please take caution while reading.* When I was in high school I remember a particularly hot day where I was standing at the crowded bus loop waiting for my bus to take me on the hour and half long journey back to my house. There were two kids next to me, fellow classmates that I knew who were joking in earnest with each other and were taking no effort into keeping their conversation to themselves.
By Kaya May8 years ago in Psyche