Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Mental Illness: A Carer's Perspective. Top Story - September 2017.
Being affected by mental illness, but not experiencing it. Everyone has mental health, and much like physical health, all of us experience difficulty at some point in our lives. I have experienced periods of instability here and there throughout my teenage years, but my experience of mental illness has largely been as someone caring for family members — and this is an experience that is often overlooked.
By Callum Penn8 years ago in Psyche
Panic
Panic Attacks are a manifestation of anxiety and stress in the form of an uncontrollable outburst or suddenly lacking the ability to function (shutting down). This in an interview of a college aged woman who has struggled with Panic Attacks since high school. She describes having one and how these attacks have impacted her life.
By Danni Greer8 years ago in Psyche
You'd Be None the Wiser
It's the empty pit that lies between my stomach and chest. It's the short, inconsistent breaths that keep me feeling as if I'm drowning on dry land. It's the voices in my head repeating the same insults day in and day out. It's the way I can't look in a mirror without hiding the pieces of myself that I hate. It's the crying that happens when no one is looking. It's the incoherent screams for the pain to go away. It's anxiety.
By Renee Antonia8 years ago in Psyche
Shrouded Clarity
In the morning it hits me like an intense bolt of lightning, that feeling of despair hitting every corner of my weak mind. Every thought pushing into the little optimism I have left, every morsel of hope, shattered by the incoming droves of demons, with their gleeful smirks and power to create such torment. And there’s me standing, looking at the sky, wishing it would swallow me up.
By Mark McConville8 years ago in Psyche
Medz
There are 3 voices in my head; the dark emptiness, the hopeful euphoria, and mine. Sometimes we can work together, but most times we are trying to destroy one another. The emptiness is only satisfied when I'm triggered and on the verge of suicide or in a constant lust for death and destruction. The hopeful euphoria is never satisfied always wanting more, never feeling fulfilled. She constantly searches for opportunities to exploit, control, or manipulate others for my "benefit." As for me, I'm driven by these two forces. Only seeking to find some sort of balance between my highs and lows; focusing on achieving my personal goals, dreams, and the person I aspire to be.
By Nikita grant8 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health: 4 Sept 2017
I have decided to document my mental health journey in an online format so hopefully at least one person can benefit from this. If this helps one person know that they are not alone then I will have achieved something and regardless I will (hopefully) have a fully realized journal of my mental health struggles.
By Jemma Gallagher8 years ago in Psyche
Sleep Paralysis
It is unfortunate that the truth is "the more you talk about sleep paralysis, the worse it gets" and I am fully aware that mine will not go away. I am here to talk about my experiences with the strange phenomenon and offer my own incentive for those suffering to come forward and also talk about theirs. I'll go through it from start to finish and be completely open with you — my hands are empty and I have nothing to hide.
By Annie Kapur8 years ago in Psyche
Taming the Void
Now, to begin with, I'm a sufferer of various layers of depression. That dark, sinking illness engulfing you in the unwanted embrace of numbness I like to call"The Void." We could go on forever describing all the possible adjectives associated with that awful sickness but we all know what we really want — coping mechanisms. I'm here to bestow what I've learned about how to tame the beast that I've lived with for many, many years.
By Ricky White8 years ago in Psyche
What My Flashbacks Feel Like...
Like most people, whilst cleaning I get lost in thought. Perhaps unlike most other people, however, one thought is always attached to another. My mind is comparable to a tangled ball of yarn. It's impossible for me to pull one thread loose without tugging out another one along with it.
By Christina Woodcock8 years ago in Psyche
Night Shadows
At night is when the demons come out. Distractions during the day may keep them at bay, but at night is when the attempted slaughter of my mind occurs. Millions of unnecessary thoughts circle around and around. It will usually start off with thinking of something that may have happened earlier that day. With that it will continue to escalate further and further into a tornado. One thought goes to another which goes to another. It will finally come to the point where you don't think this life is worth it anymore. Sometimes you'll wish it was a bit easier. Unfortunately, it comes to the realization that it won't ever be. In that scenario, that's when the suicidal thoughts start sneaking in. Many images pass through the mind like a reel from a movie. Different scenarios occur of how I would do it. How it would happen. What people would think when it happened. It constantly goes all around my mind driving me crazy. The scary thing is if these thoughts will remain in my mind forever. Will it ever get better? Will it get worse? Will I be able to handle this if it gets worse. All of these unknowns can create worries that will start the cycle all over again until I pass out from exhaustion. During these episodes I try to think of positivity in my life that most people don't have. I'm aware that my life isn't as horrible as my mind tells me it is. It's really just getting past the superiority of my mind. It's something that is a constant battle. Fighting my brain with my heart. Some nights you win and some nights you lose. The real thing that keeps me here on Earth is the unknown. Also the love that I am fortunate enough to have from another person. If I left what would be next? What if there isn't an afterlife? What if there truly is nothing? Do I really want to waste the life I have for nothing? I try to understand the truth, that this is all in my mind. I try to realize that things in life can always get better. Even if there are bad times there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if it's so dark to see it, the light is there. You just can't give up trying to look for it. The world is full of hardships that we must all overcome. No matter how hopeless it may seem, if you work hard enough nothing is impossible. It's foolish to think that things will just go away. It's also silly to think things will get better without working hard to get somewhere. Never underestimate the tools you already have as well. Love is a powerful motivator in life. Love can make the impossible feel possible. I don't mean fake love either. I mean actual true love. You may not believe it's real or that it doesn't exist. For the longest time I thought true love was just a manufactured story of two people. Trust when I tell you that it's real and it is powerful. The motivation that come from love bring hope into your world. Unfortunately the bad thoughts are still there trying to haunt you, but having something like love to offset it is one of the greatest weapons you can have. Always remember that you'll never find what you're looking for in life by looking for it. Be patient and time will provide the answer and reward youve been seeking. It comes at the least expected times in our life because this is how our world works. Unknown futures all around us.
By Jude Augustine8 years ago in Psyche
Mania
It starts with a sleepless night. I roll out of bed several hours too early to a world still sound asleep. I start the coffee pot and pretend that it's not 3am. I wait several hours to go to school and pass the time by listening to music. Something is different. The music feels like honey to my ears. I can't get enough of it. I'm dancing around my kitchen and laughing hysterically at nothing in particular. Life could not be more satisfying. I pass many days like this, sleep slowly becoming more foreign to me. Euphoria becomes the only thing I feel. My desires for everything are so high, as are my senses. I crave beauty and must have it. Beautiful clothes, beautiful shoes, and beautiful men. I feel sexy and intelligent and I know anything I want I can have. The world becomes my playground. Weeks fly by and now I'm sleeping maybe two hours per night. The hallucinations begin. At first they are nothing, fleeting objects out of the corner of my eye. But rather quickly my brain starts to bring to life a personal hell. Men with knifes around every corner, polar bears in my yard and the ground slithers beneath my feet like snakes. I hear running water and bangs and pops that never happen. The world that was so intoxicating a few days ago is now hell on earth. I haven't slept in four days and I know they are coming for me. They aren't my real family, they are imposters!
By Jared Smith8 years ago in Psyche
