Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Break the Silence
What will other people think? Nearly everyone raised in the South Asian community will have heard their parents use this as a variable in their decision process. This constant focus on perception not only hinders progress but also perpetuates low emotional intelligence within the South Asian community.
By Lakshmipriya Arunachalam8 years ago in Psyche
The Thorns
At first, I thought that they were roses, for they appeared as so. I was very young when the vines first arrived. They entered through my bedroom window and I remember waking up with them tangled around my feet. I was confused but unafraid; they weren't a threat to me in the beginning. I could see the flowers that were so intricately laced within the foliage; bright red and brilliant, peeking out at me like tiny stars. Their scent was sweet, so strong that I remember having to blink back a few tears, but I didn't mind. Instead, I smiled to myself. Maybe I didn't have to be lonely. I never thought that something so beautiful would have the potential to do me any harm. I believed that the vines were meant as a gift, so when they began wrapping themselves further and further up my legs, I let them. When I first encountered the empty feeling, I ignored it. I let the vines take over, my denial sending me further into a prison I couldn't escape. I clung to one question that thudded numbly against my skull; how could something that smelled so sweet ever have potential to hurt me?
By Lindsay Harrison8 years ago in Psyche
A Day in My Life with Anxiety
An abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs, by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about ones capacity to cope with it. Also known as anxiety. Well, the Webster definition at least.
By Bryanna Burshnick8 years ago in Psyche
On Abuse, Addiction, and the Need for Acceptance
Scrolling through the Facebook feed looking for my daily dose of family pics, sarcastic memes, and unproductive political debates, I also see articles about abusive relationships. The articles run the gambit of abuse: physical, verbal, emotional, sexual. They are helpful to me. They have one shortcoming, though. They are almost all written about men abusing women. Very rarely are they about women abusing men.
By Jeff Dunegan8 years ago in Psyche
An Open Letter to My Attacker/s
I’m writing this to you, the ones who have forgotten about me, who walk past me on the street & who do not remember who I am or what you did. The hard part being that you had completely forgotten me & 12 years on, I haven’t forgotten a thing. I’m almost certain you’ll never read this but try to remember me...
By Emma Pilgrim8 years ago in Psyche
Falling in Love With Bipolar Pt. 3
All too often we focus of the negatives of those with Bipolar Personality Disorder. I'm here to tell you that there may be lows but nothing outruns the highs. I have completely changed my outlook on life, he's opened my eyes to a whole new world.
By Renee McGowen8 years ago in Psyche
Voices
Two Voices The earliest signs showed when I was in the sixth grade. The numbness followed by intense elation, I wasn’t too sure what was happening to me but it didn’t seem normal for an 11-year-old. The depression really hit a little after my twelfth birthday. However my lowest points didn’t show until I was in the eleventh grade. That was when I finally processed that something was truly wrong with the two voices in my head.
By payton lynn8 years ago in Psyche
Falling in Love With Bipolar Pt. 2
Knowing the differences between dating someone with a mental disorder and someone who has the potential to abuse you and possibly end your life is vital to all parties involved. So, I am going to address some of the mandatory steps of dating someone with a mental illness, no matter what it may be.
By Renee McGowen8 years ago in Psyche
Positivity: The Sword and Shield
When I was 15, I had hit rock bottom. I was plagued by chronic depression. Because of this, I was also suffering from an eating disorder, self harm, and suicidal thoughts all at the same time. The negativity which loomed over me threatened to swallow me whole. The war which took place in my unstable mind, of which I had so carefully fortified and constructed, broke me down further and further each day. I was defenseless. I had no means of defending myself, and so I often succumbed to it, allowing myself to continue losing the war. Every day was a battle, full of bloodshed. I lost every one. To me, there seemed to be no possible way to win.
By Collin Olson8 years ago in Psyche
Depression
The price of neglect. Life is no fun if you can't play. We sometimes take for granted the ease with which we do things… While out for a walk with my partner, we ran into some old friends. Chatting it up and catching up is usually a nice thing to do but sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes, you lie like cut grass.
By Angie Follett8 years ago in Psyche
