Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
The Tear
We grew up by heroin highway, or 290. I saw the stories on the news, but we were in a small suburb. It couldn't happen to anyone I knew. We had good lives, they weren't perfect, but they were good. I stood staring at his gray body, dark circles under his eyes, bluish-purple lips, bruises lined his arms and as they administer the naloxone, I can't help but think that he is dead. Not in the literal sense. His heart is beating again, but this is not the guy I grew up with. The person I knew died with the first injection. The first snort. The first toke.... to be honest, I'm not sure how it started. He wouldn't tell me that. He hid his other life from me, knowing that I wouldn't approve. He knew I had a background of bad experiences with people I've known making a handful of mistakes on harsh, addictive drugs. So he hid it from me, like so many of our other friends. I've watched as many of my best friends have made this transition; from best friend to complete stranger. Even worse, I've stood at funerals for this horrible disease. I stood at funerals before we were even out of high school. And now, here I stood, watching the man I was in love with wither away as the disease and the drugs took over. As I ran a hand over my protruding belly, I wondered how this was going to affect her. I wondered if he would even be around to meet her. I wondered if I should run, get as far away from this state as possible so that there was never even the possibility of me ever seeing my daughter fall to this fate. But that wouldn't help. Moving wouldn't solve anything. It was a nationwide problem at this point. I looked again at the stranger in front of me. This disease was killing him and in that moment I realized there was nothing I could do to stop it.
By Michelle Schultz8 years ago in Psyche
Mental Illness — The Truth
Mental Illness seems to be on everyone lips at the moment, like it's a new word, or something that is "on trend." The harsh reality is that it has been around for centuries but because we are afraid of things we don't understand, we choose to hide away from it and pretend it's not there. This also goes for people that actually suffer with their mental health. They hide away from themselves.
By Abby Kedwell8 years ago in Psyche
13 Reasons to Stay Alive
I have a lot of feelings about the new Netflix show, 13 Reasons Why. As a middle schooler, I read the novel by Jay Asher and fell in love with it. Hannah was likeable, a little dramatic, but relatable as a 13 year old who thought middle school was hard. I never gave too much thought to the plot but ravaged through the book in about a couple of hours and decided that I liked it, but never dove too deep into the heavy subjects brought up. I was fortunate to have never experienced super similar things to what Hannah went through in the book and had not yet felt the same things she was feeling.
By Meghan Harris8 years ago in Psyche
When Anxiety Attacks
It was starting. Her bones were shaking under her skin. Beginning at the tips of her fingers, trickling up her arm. Like dominoes collapsing, it grew faster with every wave. Her breathing grew shallow. Her heart, fighting to jump out of her chest, was simultaneously being pushed deep into the depths of her stomach. She held her lips together, tightly, refusing to let any whimper escape. Even a slight sigh would release the trigger, yet she was loosing her battle.
By Angelia Galvan8 years ago in Psyche
What It Is Like Living with High Functioning Anxiety
Some of you may wonder what it feels like to have high functioning anxiety; others may know someone who deal with anxiety and wonder what it is like for them. I am sure everyone is different, but I will try and explain what it is like for me. So pretty much all my life I have been described as shy. I am not the first person to usually strike up a conversation; I keep to myself often in social interactions. I observe everyone and everything around me, and it depends on when I feel comfortable when you will see me come out of my shell. Deep on the inside is this quirky, goofy person with a huge heart. Sometimes the outside doesn’t see this and judges me. And other times they do see this and use it to their advantage. To say that people mistake my kindness for weakness would be an understatement.
By RaeAnna Mercado8 years ago in Psyche
Want What You Don't Want
I am the definition of “a Jack of all trades, and a master of none.” While all the people around me seemingly fall into their perfect jobs, relationships, financial situations, or whatever it may be; I’m constantly running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Always doing damage control on the fires I start, in all areas of my life. Apparently, I’m careless about where I throw my used cigarette butts.
By Annie Storwick8 years ago in Psyche
Hey there Delilah
That girl, in the picture, yeah, that’s me. Your average 26-year-old right? Wrong. That girl is filled with anxiety. Some days, that girl is scared to leave her house. Lately, it seems like every day. It feels like I’m trapped inside and I’ll never see the light. I’m scared of people. Of what you people think of me. Why? I don’t know. I wish I did, maybe then my anxiety wouldn’t have such a hold on me. I’m constantly worrying, constantly trying to do my best and it’s never good enough, it’s exhausting. I wish I were normal. Sometimes I fantasize about being normal, about being me in another life, where I actually have my shit together. Instead, I have anxiety every single day and having anxiety is the worst feeling ever. It feels like someone is sitting on your chest and you can’t breathe. You feel different. You can see the looks on people’s faces judging you, telling you to calm down and breathe. You feel as if there’s something wrong with you, and there is. Your eyes begin to swell with the tears that are all too familiar, followed by a paralyzing feeling of inadequacy.
By Delilah Scrudato8 years ago in Psyche
How I Cope with Anxiety
Ever since I was child I can remember some version of anxiety existing in my life. It wasn't until I reached high school age that I really discovered that what I was struggling with was anxiety. I have a long way to go before I feel comfortable saying I'm anxiety free. Not only do I have consistent daily anxiety, but I also struggle with derealization and panic disorder. Most of the time I'm quiet about my hardships until it becomes too much to handle on my own. Over the past four months I've had to change how I approach my mental health, and it has made a significant difference in my life.
By Cailey Renee8 years ago in Psyche
How Do You Know If You Are Lost?
Life, it's hard. Everyone may repeat that phrase sometime within their lives, followed by a reason or excuse. The reason could be that life is hard, because of money, or because of what people have done to them, or the hand they've been dealt. I've felt all that too, but there's a simple thing to remember: life can always get worse, even if it's difficult to see how, the trick is to see the lights worth the sight.
By Joseph Barrett8 years ago in Psyche
