Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Psyche.

Mental Illness: The Demons Within
The next illness on the list is PTSD, also known as: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I wasn’t diagnosed with this until I was hospitalized on 5 North (the psychiatric ward of the hospital) but I believe it’s something I have had long before I was in the hospital.
By Alyssa Lactin8 years ago in Psyche
I Struggled but Survived
It all began when my parents divorced. I was seven years old, and didn't really understand what was going on. I know now that it was for the best, and I'm glad it happened when I was so young. Although we moved in with my mum's new boyfriend when I was eight years old. We lived in an upside down house; bedrooms downstairs, kitchen and living-room on the upper level. I came home from school one day, and he was downstairs. I walked into the bedroom as I thought my mum was home and he was watching porn with his shorts and boxers down to his ankles. I was eight years old, I didn't understand it at all. I just walked out and went into my bedroom. It then progressed to him coming into my bedroom at night and doing business over me. Again, I had no idea what was going on, and I was left to clean up the mess. Nobody seemed to notice that my behaviour was becoming progressively worse and I was playing up a lot more. I would see my biological father on weekends, have a really great, relaxing time and then when I'd go home, I would play up and my mum would think that it was because I'd seen my Dad, when in reality, it was because I was back at home.
By Emily Fowler8 years ago in Psyche
5 Ways to Stop a Panic Attack
My grandfather once told me that the best way to avoid jolting awake in panic in the middle of the night is to "take a dump before you go to bed." As the king of homeopathic remedies, I believed him! But what about those of us who break down in panic in the light of day? Emptying your bowels can only do so much for a person! So, I have compiled this list to help those of you who—much like myself—see a panic attack on the horizon and begin to panic even harder. These simple steps will help bring you out of a state of panic, and into the present moment, allowing you to regain control of your consciousness and focus on living your life to the fullest.
By Jenna Cee8 years ago in Psyche
Self-Care & Substance Use
Self Care Self care has begun to become a popular topic. However, there is no clear definition of self care, since it varies in many ways among different situations and individual groups of people. Historically, substance use does not come up when one speaks about self care, unless to promote abstinent behaviors. On the other hand, reducing the harms associated with substance use has become a growing conversation, changing the ways we respond to drug addiction and the vast amount of people affected by it. Similar to how, as a society, we have evolved our views on sexual health. Making condom use and birth control a widely accepted phenomenon as opposed to focusing on solely abstinence based practices. It is just as important to have the conversation about self care when it comes to substance, as it is about sexual health. No one can prevent people from having sex, just as no one can prevent people from using drugs. Its in our human nature, whether this is a widely accepted view or not.
By s0lacium8 years ago in Psyche
It Is Ok to Be Broken
The word "Broken" has many perspectives, mostly negative. Most of us fear the idea of being broken. I watched myself break into pieces, parts that seems difficult to piece together. I feared that putting my self back together might be impossible and I was never going to be the same again. This thought paralyzed me and crippled my self-esteem. The fear seeped into my being, causing me to feel sad, lonely, unmotivated and ugly. This was depression, the scientific name for my brokenness. How could this have happened to me? This question lingers in the back of the victims' minds. The sheer disappointment in one's self is the preparation for war against one's mind. I felt the war within myself brewing, the anxiety swirling like a tornado.
By Devika Gonsalves8 years ago in Psyche
Depression and Its Effect
The dictionary defines depression as "a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason." Yet, the truth behind depression is more than just a definition. It is like a cloud over your emotions. It isn't pinpointed to just one or two emotions. And, when you do feel something, it is almost amplified. It is like a burning sensation, crushing you from the inside out. There are days where everylittle thing can be blocked out by depression.
By Brianna Fischer8 years ago in Psyche
Therapy : I's and i's
Something they fail to tell you once you first entire therapy is that recovery isn't linear. Its ups, downs, circles, reverses, and overlaps. When i first entered therapy, a picture was drawn for me on a straight line; start here, finish there. but after 7 years of hard sessions and fighting myself, I realized that this wasn't going away. It was apart of me permanently. Now, that doesn't necessarily imply a bad time per se. But i will always be different. Ill notice that that our boss wore that tie three times this week, (No Robert, three times. Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.) I will always be hyper conscious of completely irrelevant things, (do my scars rub against his skin while we make love? Does it make him itch? ) And I'll probably always need extra reassurance. (I know I said sorry when i dropped the plate, but i didn't know if you knew I meant it.. so I kept going until you were sure. - ...are you sure you forgive me?)
By Autumn L8 years ago in Psyche
How Dark Can It Get?
How dark can it get? So dark that you don’t know if your eyes are open or not, but you feel your eyelids blinking right? It doesn't matter. You concentrate and open your eyes wide, "even if it's a small little light," even if it's dim. I don't care, just please. Nothing, tears have been slipping out but you’re too busy thinking to notice. You put your arms in front of you. Reaching for anything to give a sense of where you are. Even if it's the slightest touch, please, nothing but the cold empty air. You start to panic more because you can't see and now there's nothing to grab a hold of. Fear fills your body, can you hear anything? ...gulp. You sit down on the cold hard floor. Your heart beats louder as you listen, pounding like a drum ready to burst. You try to calm your banging heart, your ears adjust to the quiet, ready to hear the faintest sound. You hold your breath and hope with all you’ve got. Closing your eyes hard, wishing for this to end at any moment. Your past the crying and your body is adjusting to nothing. You want to keep on, begging to be saved from this, emptiness. Suddenly you remember that person who liked you last week, the person who wanted to ask you out but you gave no chance. They don't even seem so bad, you cry again. Anything would be better than being here, wherever this is. Your parents, oh Mom, Dad, I'm sorry for being who I've become. I'm so sorry, save me. Take me away from here, I can never get out, it’s so lonely. You hold yourself, you’re all you've got left. But then you start to hear something, it’s faint but it's something. You jolt into action. Where is it? What, is it? You search around with anticipating eyes, your heart is racing and your breath became short and fast. You turn around and see a small little light. It's tiny but you don't care, you start running, you’re racing to it. You feel the adrenaline rushing through your weak body, you trip, it doesn't matter because your already back up and running. The light gets bigger and tears stream down. "A door?" I don't care. Your blood is rushing through your veins, you've been running so hard. Just when you were ready to give up completely. As you are within range to see, there's people waiting for you. They’re shouting, cheering you on as you get closer. They’re yelling for you to make it and you run harder than you’ve ever did before. You bolt past the door and fall to your hands and knees, your feet hurt but that doesn't matter, your blood rushing and you’re out of breath, bones are aching but, I don't care. You feel joy as everyone surrounds you and you notice it's your family, friends and neighbors, everyone who you’ve ever encountered in your life. Your tears can't stop flowing but who gives a shit, you’re free. Your Bestfriend embraces you and you them. As they all walk you home you feel something around your ankle. Ignore it, you’re free now. You’re home safe, you eat and fill that empty stomach of yours. You wash up and get ready for bed, your Mom and Dad hug you goodnight and you tighten it. Their hugs have never felt so good. You’re safe, you’re home, Mom and Dad are there. You get ready for bed and turn out the lights then hesitate. You turn on your lamp, “no more darkness.” You lay down and turn to your side, as you are about to sleep you start thinking, "how long have I been gone?” stop, I'm home now. “How did I end up there?” no, stop it, you’re free. You turn on your back and once again feel a tug on your ankle. You finally decide to see what it is. It’s a thread tied around your ankle. You try to take it off, it's stuck, so you grab a pair of scissors but it's still no use. You get curious so you follow the thread. Taking along your flashlight, it leads to the forrest just up ahead. "What?" You continue to follow the thread that tugs you back to wherever it's going. You have walked quite a bit but finally reach, a door? The sign on the door read "depression." The thread leads through it, no, not there. Stop, I'm not going back. It tugs again and let's you know that at any moment you can be dragged back without a care. You pull the thread and stop it. No, I just got home, I'm not going back. You turn around and walk home, the thought never leaves your mind, "at any moment I will end up there again." You climb onto your bed and wrap yourself in the blanket, I'm staying home. You shut your eyes and fall asleep. Still, at any moment.
By Introv3rted B8 years ago in Psyche
Taken Hostage
There comes a time in all of our lives where we must make certain choices that will define our future and most of you have families that stand behind whatever your decision may be. Whether you choose a college, or to take some time off school for traveling. However, my family did not much support my particular decision as I chose to take off right after high school to go on let’s just say a magical journey to locate my birth mother. I had grown up without her and needless to say there were questions that spun around in my head. Like most people who might have grown up with one parent; I wondered why was I not good enough!
By Alyssa Horn8 years ago in Psyche
Mental Illness: The Demons Within
Anxiety is an illness that has the least in common with possession or the occult, but it still has some similarities. This chapter will most likely be more about the illness itself rather than similarities to possession but hopefully it will still be helpful to others. Based on people I have talked to and some research I have done it seems that like depression, anxiety is one of the most common of the mental illnesses.
By Alyssa Lactin8 years ago in Psyche
The Life Of An Anxious Brown Girl
I wake up exhausted because no amount of sleep is enough to make me feel rested. My mind is always switched on even when I'm asleep. As if it wasn't already exhausting enough when I was awake. I remember when I was still taking my meds and I felt so amazing when I woke up. Like a brand new person ready to take on the world. Now I just feel groggy and barely human. I know the meds just gave me a false sense of happiness and I chose to stop taking them but I have to admit I miss them sometimes.
By Pooja G8 years ago in Psyche
Overcomer: Intro to What Influenced Me
Imagine a world where Michael Jordan was captain of his basketball team in high school instead of getting kicked off the team, would he still have become one of the greatest players of all time? Would Steve Jobs be able to invent Apple if he had completed college instead of dropping out? There are events within everyone’s life that serve as turning points and moments of impact. These moments are the ones that help define who we are today and without them who knows where life would take us. What is my moment you ask, well let me tell you about my story.
By strength pursued8 years ago in Psyche