Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
THE BREAD TRAP
Sleep shouldn't be hard! I personally have no trouble slinking off into the beautiful dark silk of night. I know others do. The trouble I have now, in my mid forties is staying awake. But how has it come to this? Admittedly I am a little overweight. But I exercise when I can. I snore - like Godzilla with a cold - my wife constantly says. But I have had tests for sleep apnoea which have proved fruitless. I have depression. Inflammatory arthritis. I need to cut myself some slack right?
By Dom Watson 4 years ago in Psyche
Hidden Signs Of Stress
We are all victims of stress, often without even realizing it. Many who experience constant stress choose to eat, drink and smoke more in the hope that they will feel better, instead of trying to eliminate the factors that brought them into that state.
By Sabrina Boyd4 years ago in Psyche
I Survived Addiction (Part 1)
Addiction... mental illness... the two go hand and hand. I have struggled with mental illness my entire life. Anxiety, PTSD, depression, I've struggled with them all. It has never been easy but for most of my life, I've managed to maintain a happy life in spite of my mental illnesses. That was until something happened in my life and I completely lost sight of who I was. Life hits hard sometimes... and on this particular occasion, it hit me harder than it ever had before. In the immediate aftermath, I was under the false impression that I was at my lowest point. I didn't think my situation could possibly get any worse. The problem is that I was mistaken and as time went on, my "lowest point" continued to get even lower. Every time I thought I was at rock bottom, I quickly discovered that there was another level below me. Throughout all of this, my anxiety, PTSD, and depression became too much for me to bear. I didn't know who I was anymore, all I knew is that I was broken and I wasn't sure what I could possibly do to fix things. So I gave up... and made the worst decision I had ever made in my entire life. The decision to begin using drugs to suppress the intensity of my mental illness.
By Carlos Guerra4 years ago in Psyche
Dishonest, High Conflict, Exhausting Relationships
Narcissists are experts at creating conflict. They thrive on drama; it’s what makes them tick. They absolutely can’t live without it. Narcissists feel alive in the midst of drama; they are fueled by chaos. They’re inconsiderate and self-centered. In the narcissist’s world, it is always all about them.
By Bridget Vaughn4 years ago in Psyche
Social Media or Look At Me-dia?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, your online presence seldom has anything to do with who you are in real life. You’d think this is a simple concept to grasp. However, it seems that this particular issue of mistaken e-dentity is getting a little out of hand.
By The Rogue Scribe4 years ago in Psyche
Ayahuasca Left Me Shattered
-- When I was pregnant my husband and I went to Colorado where he unexpectedly had the opportunity to "take off" for a mere ten minutes after smoking the toxic secretions of the Incilius Alvarius — the Sonoran desert toad. What he described, I couldn't wait to experience for myself — not with a toad, however — with a plant: Ayahuasca. The shamanic brew everyone has heard of by now, which combines properties of 2 plants that will take you to the "other" side.
By BionicWoman4 years ago in Psyche
Get A Clue: Is Social Exhaustion Not Exclusive to Introverts?
It took me a while to sit down and think of a clever approach to this subject. Throughout my process, I wondered about what I haven’t said about social exhaustion that hasn’t been said already? Social exhaustion or fatigue stems from a myriad of different reasons. For introverts, it’s people who have a tendency to suck the energy right out of us and how do I know this?
By Paulina Pachel4 years ago in Psyche
When Life is too Painful to Continue
I live at the top of an eight-story apartment building. One night, my roommate and I heard a big bang outside but didn’t think too much about it. We live in Mazatlan, Mexico, and now that the snowbirds are coming back for the high season, there are firework displays on the beach almost every night.
By Brenda Reeves4 years ago in Psyche
Things you need to know inside sober living in Malden, MA
When choosing a sober living program, there are a number of things that you need to know. First, it's important to understand the difference between a sober living home and a regular hotel. These homes are similar, but the difference is that they're different. Sober living houses are designed to be a safe, healthy place for people with different addiction problems.
By Pamella Foust4 years ago in Psyche
