Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
The S Word
Mention 'The S Word' to someone, and 9 times out of 10, they'll deflect, maybe stifle a nervous laugh, and move onto another subject. It's not a comfortable topic for anyone, especially if you're the initiator. But we often ignore the fact that talking about things usually makes them less scary. I wish people were more willing to make things less scary for each other.
By Victoria K8 years ago in Psyche
Contributing Factors of a Wallflower
My mother had me when she was 16 years old. She grew up in Pomona, which if you don’t know is one of the biggest gang towns in California. Right now it is one of the largest human trafficking hubs in the United States. When I was growing up there were always shootings at our house. Drive-by’s and people on our roof. I always had a change of clothes hidden and shoes in case we had to leave the house in a hurry. Being that young and going through things like that, you don’t realize how fucked up it is until you’re a lot older… or until you share stories with people and they look at you like you’re crazy.
By Raven McCoy8 years ago in Psyche
My Mental Health Won’t Make Me Interesting
I can only speak one language. I don't know how to fold a fitted sheet, and I hate parties. You could suppose that these things alone could & would potentially be a part of one's personal traits that make them seem cool and interesting, and I would suppose that that's right. However, I can't do these things. There's actually quite a lot of things that I can't do, or struggle to do, and in that ineptitude, I have often found myself using my illnesses as a crutch to deem me as the manic pixie dream girl trope.
By Victoria K8 years ago in Psyche
Inner Feelings
Nobody understands the inner feelings of another person, but when you try to tell someone your inner feelings, do they even listen to you or try to understand? Well, for most people and myself, that is the case with our lives, inner feelings are complicated for everyone. It's complicated for the people trying to understand and it's even complicated for the people having inner feelings. Having inner feelings is like having another person living inside you that is trying to take over your whole life. Some people give up and let it take over; I should know, I'm one of those people. But I'm slowly learning to get back to being me and not giving in to the urges of the inner feelings. After you give in to these inner feelings it's hard to come back to the real you—hell, I still don't know who the real me is. I gave up a long time ago and lost sight of me and everything I stand for. Don't let those inner feelings take over because they will kill your soul.
By Shelby Spencer8 years ago in Psyche
Get Real
WARNING: Content may be triggering for some. I encourage you to open up completely with all of the strangers of this world, and to help end the stigma around mental illnesses. I am not ashamed or embarrassed of my story, it is nothing but the harsh reality of how I've lived with bulimia nervosa for so long.
By Amy Mauger8 years ago in Psyche
Unwanted
Dear Loved Ones, Have you ever felt like a ghost... a ghost who is trying to reach out to people, but no matter what she does, they will never see or hear her cries for help. Well if you have felt that way, so have I, and it hurts. It hurts that no matter what you do or say, nobody will see or understand you. All my life I've been invisible, at home, at school, in public, everywhere I went I was the girl nobody even noticed. Even in my own family people didn't even know my mother had a second daughter. I go to work and I feel like nobody wants me around but how do I tell my loved ones my true feelings, how do I tell my loved ones that I need their love right now more then ever?
By Shelby Spencer8 years ago in Psyche
How Art Saved My Life
I was so depressed, my world consisted of staring blankly at the wall in the shower, with the water so hot I burned myself, begging my body to let me feel, I was carving into my wrists with thumbtacks, just to feel the pain, I hated my body my mind, myself. All I wanted yo do was lay under my covers and disappear... I thought about dying, everyday, I forgot what it felt like to not want to die. My world became so dark, I pushed away friends, and I told myself I wasn't good enough for my hobbies. I wanted to quit... I couldn't take a pill with out thinking of swallowing the whole bottle... or stand on a bridge without wanting to jump. At this point I was fucked, to be blunt. I was going through stuff, my mom was convinced a clean room was a happy me... And I didn't care about much but it killed me to see her look so sad... and that she thought she had failed at parenting.
By Aubrey NhyaMoon8 years ago in Psyche
As I Lay Here
As I've laid here so many times, as I wish not to move. My life has been much like this pillow I hold so tightly, soft but mostly dark. I have always wondered whether my decisions were my own or if I am destined to feel only pain and sorrow. I should not think like this but depression does this.
By Kira Lydia G.8 years ago in Psyche
