disorder

The spectrum of Mental Health disorders is incredibly vast; we showcase the multitude of conditions that affect mood, thinking and behavior.

Living with OCD
For majority of my life, I was told you're just acting crazy and to just stop doing certain things. I tried very hard to stop but deep down I knew I wasn't crazy. But instead there was just something different about me and the way my brain worked. So as you can imagine the day I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, was a relief for me regardless. Just that realization that you were right all along, you just didn't know what you had. Now it's years later I went through a ton of different habits or rituals which ever you prefer to call them. Some of them might sound a bit strange like it hasn't escaped me, it's just hard to not do them. Some even make daily things or things I have to do extremely hard for me. Like most people in their lives have cleaned a oven with no issue doing so. Well for me it's hard I want to clean it so bad, but my brain then starts to tell me it's gonna turn on and burn me. Now the rational part of my brain knows that is wrong but the other part over powers that. So cleaning that oven becomes a huge struggle and I hate it if were being honest.
By Jessica Keller8 years ago in Psyche
Life as I Thought I Knew It (1)
I've always been a bit reluctant to share any of my experiences or stories that regard mental illness and suicide at the fear of typecasting myself as a "typical millennial" or "attention-seeking teenager," but after realizing how unhealthy it is to bottle up emotions, I have indeed decided to share my story. And to whoever feels the urge to explore it, I hope you find solace and hopefully inspiration.
By Avalon S.8 years ago in Psyche
Sleep Paralysis, Buried Alive
Sleep paralysis is only now becoming recognized. When I was about 18 I started to notice something disturbing happening to me. I would wake up, but not. My eyes would open and dart around the room, but my head would lay lifeless and weighed down. I’d try to sit up, move a finger, cry out for help but nothing would happen. I was paralyzed. The first few times is terrifying, and since then they have remained terrifying. In fact according to the DSM-4, symptoms include “dread,” and “a fear of impending death.” Eventually, I slowly start to “break” out of it, but it requires an enormous draining effort to do so. My right foot is always the first to move and often is never paralyzed. Anyone I’ve shared my bed with as an adult knows if my legs start to go apeshit wake me up.
By Ray Bohn8 years ago in Psyche
Trapped
I feel like I'm trapped. I'm trapped inside a very dark and cold room, with five different heaters going. But none of them are warming me up; I'm stuck in a forever blizzard of coldness. My friends are nowhere to be seen, sitting alone in a room full of smiling strangers. Everyone's trying to make pleasant conversation, but I just can't help but feel like burden. No one wants me here, I'm just taking up space and drinking their booze.
By Kittie Kat8 years ago in Psyche
4 Things You Should Know About Eating Disorders but Probably Don't
For decades, we’ve been fed a specific storyline about eating disorders and it goes something like this. They’re diseases centered around weight and body insecurity, triggered by a society with unrealistic beauty standards, mainly effecting young, white females. And for those who have no real experience with them, it’s very easy to think that is what it’s all about.
By Holly J Baptiste8 years ago in Psyche
I Believe That Recovery from an Eating Disorder Is Possible
“When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were things like, astronaut, president or in my case, a princess. When we were ten, they asked us again. We answered rock star, cowboy or in my case, a gold medalist. But now that we’ve grown up, they wanted a serious answer.” - Anna Kendrick
By Michaela Switzer8 years ago in Psyche
Mental Illness
When I quit my long-term job as a daycare provider, I never could have imagined sinking as low as I have. Those four years spending time with the smiling faces of small children had been what kept me from slipping, though I never realized it.
By Allie Vitalis8 years ago in Psyche
A Thought About ADHD
ADHD. As it says in the title, I'd like to talk about a thought I have about ADHD and this comes from the mind of one who was diagnosed with this disorder quite a while ago.
By Leyah Tamrin8 years ago in Psyche
Gotta Catch'em All
Xanex, I choose you! This is the Pokemon world. It's filled with so many different types of Pokemon and now you have to decide who will be your partner along the journey. In the world of Pokemon, you set off on an adventure to become the Pokemon master...
By K.P. George8 years ago in Psyche
My Dark Passenger
I have always been a regular human, when I say regular I mean went to work, had great friends and even though small, had a very loving family.
By The Glass Child8 years ago in Psyche
Dissociation
Have you ever feel like you are no longer the person you were months ago? How about a year ago? Or maybe a few years ago? Have you ever felt so lost that you no longer remember what your purpose or aspiration was in life? Have you ever felt like you were not you? Have you ever thought of just reinventing yourself? Have you ever tried to change your name to something else, so you can dissociate with your original name which carries bad memories?
By Jem Ali8 years ago in Psyche
Me: Untitled
Preface I do not want any future readers to believe that there is a “point” to this story—it is not about me, in all my adolescent and teenage glory learning the problems of life and how to deal with my angst in a coming-of-age sort of way. In no way, do I wish that young persons to follow in my footsteps for an idealistic “emerging from my ruins” moment, romanticized and frequently retold by numerous media in the 2010s world. I say this, because I know of many stories in which a lead protagonist, usually a teenager, goes through a traumatic event, or has a mental illness of some sort, that the story is either based around or is a driving force in the character’s decisions. In such stories, the illness, trauma, or even suicide is considered poetic, even beautiful.
By C.K. Milton8 years ago in Psyche