Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

Daddy Issues
The first time that I cut myself, I was 12 years old. I had seen it in movies and TV shows, and I experienced trying to talk my classmate out of self-harm before I fully understood what it was and that it wasn't just something for "emo" and "goth" kids to do to spite their parents and the system. As my ten-year-old brain grew into a 12-year-old brain, I now saw self-harm as a good way to express my newly addressed hatred of myself. When I got in the shower before school, I used the edge of a face wash bottle to scratch my wrists. It left many small red marks on my arms, and I felt satisfied that I was able to go through with such a "bold" move. When I put on my uniform and headed for my strictly close-minded, Christian school, I realized that the red marks on my arms had not gone away. Considering that students weren't allowed to wear makeup or jewelry or nail polish or smiles, I assumed this may be a major problem. As well as it being the first time that I cut myself, it was also the first time that I had to hide it; there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted self-harm to be a private ritual of my own that I refused to share with anyone else.
By Mercy P8 years ago in Psyche
10 Things You Should Know About the ESTJ Female
ESTJ is one of sixteen personality types in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). ESTJ stands for Extrovert, Sensation, Thinking, and Judging.Don't be fooled by the word "judging." This does not make an ESTJ, or any other judging type in this system for that matter, judgmental. Rather, it determines how you prefer to make decisions.ESTJs make up roughly 10 percent of the general population, give or take, which is actually quite a lot. While there are far more men out there with this personality type, there are also many women of this type.Without further ado, let's get into what makes the ESTJ female tick and why it's good to have one in your life.
By Candace Roberts8 years ago in Psyche
Too Fat
People's favorite way to "fix" someone with an eating disorder seems to be to constantly remind the person that they are skinny, so what happens when someone who truly is not skinny struggles with disordered eating? Depending upon who you ask, you will of course receive different answers to this question, but I am here to tell you my experience.
By Christopher Nouvelle8 years ago in Psyche
"Black People Don't Even Do That"
WARNING: THIS ARTCILE MAY BE A TRIGGER FOR SOME. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRESTION. Allow me to tell you a story: I was born into a tumultuous time. My mother was barely 21 years old. She dropped out of college and put her dreams on hold to birth me. She moved back in with her mother to get help with me because she was in an unhealthy, physically abusive relationship with my father. Believe it or not, my earliest memory is from age three. It is a traumatic one. However, my childhood was for the most part “happy.” We took trips, had frequent gatherings at our home, I got whatever I asked for, etc..
By Chanel Fisher8 years ago in Psyche
Do You Have Adult ADHD?
ADHD is surprisingly common in adults, and is often misdiagnosed as another mood disorder. ADHD doesn't present as the hyperactive disorder many of us expect, and is often recognized as a result of the anxiety, stress, low self esteem, and anger that many of those with ADHD suffer. Many adults live with ADHD for years, developing coping mechanisms to help manage symptoms before they ever realize that ADHD is what they have been coping with all along. The year he turned 30, my partner took on a new job and his stress level had shot up more than expected. Depressed, anxious, and suffering from a plummet in self esteem, I began to piece together that he had been suffering for a long time from adult ADHD, and the coping mechanisms he had stopped working to cover up what he was having trouble with.
By Annie Kiely8 years ago in Psyche
In Case You Don't Understand
In case you don't understand, some things are out of my control. I equate having bipolar disorder to being forced to split time between being stuck in a hurricane and stuck in a dark cave.
By Lorah Catherine8 years ago in Psyche
Dissociation Disorder
The first time I remember dissociating was when I was 12. This was before I could put a name to it. The only way I could explain it to my mother when I told her I felt weird: "I think I am dreaming. I feel like my body doesn't belong to me." My mother thought it was because there was too much sugar in my diet, so she took away my Cocoa Puffs. I never dissociated again until I reached 16.
By Aimes Israel8 years ago in Psyche
Living and "Dying" With Health Anxiety
Everyone has heard of anxiety, right? Hey, most people nowadays have anxiety! It's nothing to be ashamed of, and with the right treatment course, it is easily manageable.
By Kayla H8 years ago in Psyche
That Bitch Is Crazy
That bitch is crazy. The need for Mental Health resources in Canada. In recent months or maybe even years, I have become somewhat of an advocate for ending stigma toward mental health. The spark started with taking Mental Health First Aid. A two-day course geared toward ending stigma and educating health professionals and general public on things such as psychosis, addiction, suicide prevention, and depression. Anyone who knows me personally knows the past few years I have struggled with divorce of an emotionally abusive person, struggled with my own personal addictions in the past, had a serious illness that affected both my cognitive functions and personal well being, and watched several family members struggle with their mental health and addictive personalities. Somehow, despite having serious odds stacked against me have come out on top to a point where I am finally at peace with it and with myself. This did not come without help. I have spent endless hours skimming internet articles, reading books about mental health, consulting councillors and medical professionals, and literally drove my inner circle crazy with my anxiety and need for emotional support. It took me years to finally accept advice from my doctor and try a medication and it wasn’t until I had literally researched the living shit out of what it was to be “crazy.”
By Heather Mac8 years ago in Psyche
What Is Mental Health?
Recently, I posted a video on my Facebook and Instagram looking for peoples' descriptions of mental health. Not just illness, but mental health as a whole. I'm very lucky to have received feedback from mental health nurses, fitness professionals, people who have experienced mental health problems, along with friends and family. Some are things people have heard in podcasts or from talks, and others their own personal feelings. If you have anything you feel you would like to add to this, please email me. I hope that some of these statements can help others understand what mental health is allowing them to talk more openly about it. Feel free to leave any comments below.
By Amelia Gourlay8 years ago in Psyche
The Right Drugs
When life goes wrong and you can’t seem to do anything right, where do you turn? When you lose a loved one, where do you turn? When you think you are worthless, where do you turn? When that fails, where do you turn? Lots of people come to me to vent about how life kicked them in the teeth. My family, my friends, even random strangers have found themselves telling me about anything and everything. I am proud to say I will always try to be there for them. I do recognize that telling someone about it and dealing with the emotion and physical backlash of a rough situation are two entirely separate things. This insight into people’s minds has made reading Station Eleven all the more enjoyable. The author does a phenomenal job of showing people who are simply dealing with their lives. They are getting tattoos and drinking to deal. They are traveling around, performing, drawing, and leading cults to confront the backlash of stress.
By Marissa shook8 years ago in Psyche
How I Overcame Depression (P1)
It was the year 2015, around later December or early November when my life took an immense turn. It was a normal, cold, and windy day. I woke up for school at 6:30 AM and realized that I would be late for school if I didn't hurry and get dressed. Of course, that day was also my second concert.
By Fran Cee8 years ago in Psyche