family

Family can be our support system. Or they can be part of the problem. All about the complicated, loving, and difficult relationship with us and the ones who love us.

The Truth About Relationships and Depression
My phone lit up with another reminder: dinner tonight, a plan I had said “yes” to days earlier. Back then, I thought I’d be able to handle it. But now the weight of depression had settled into my body like lead. Even the thought of showering, getting dressed, and stepping outside felt impossible.
By Annie Edwards 5 months ago in Psyche
The Hidden World Inside You: How Gut Bacteria Shape Your Health and Happiness
The Hidden World Inside You: How Gut Bacteria Shape Your Health and Happiness When you hear the word “bacteria,” the first thought that comes to mind is usually something harmful—something that makes you sick. But the truth is, inside your body, there lives a world of bacteria that is not only harmless but also vital for your survival. This hidden ecosystem is called the gut microbiome, and it’s made up of trillions of microorganisms that live in your digestive system.
By Amanullah5 months ago in Psyche
On the Road. Top Story - August 2025.
I am a sieve trying to rinse off all the unwanted, cleanse my mind from those fruitless memories that leave that bitter bite on my withered palette. ~
By ROCK aka Andrea Polla (Simmons)5 months ago in Psyche
I'm begging you to deconstruct
I'm 30, and traditionally at this age there is an expectation that you start settling into who you are as a person. Even in this ever aging society where the generations begin to linger on for good or ill, 30 is a big age. But it's also still quite young. Even if we have great hardships ahead, I can expect to make it at least another 30 years and probably more like 50 given family history of longevity and personal health. Even feeling older than I've ever felt, I still also feel young. And this is an example of how we need to reframe how we think about everything.
By Bryce Greene-Forgue5 months ago in Psyche
Steps to Life
Amina was thirty-five, a schoolteacher in a quiet town near Multan. Her classroom was alive with energy—children laughing, chalk tapping against the board, and her gentle voice guiding them through lessons in math and language. To her students, Miss Amina wasn’t just a teacher; she was someone who remembered birthdays, noticed when a child was quiet, and always had a kind word.
By meerjanan5 months ago in Psyche
Love’s Neural Alchemy
Love. It strikes—a lightning bolt through your soul. A glance, a touch, and you’re undone, swept into a vortex where reason drowns and passion reigns. But what alchemy brews within your skull when Cupid’s arrow pierces? Science, that relentless cartographer of mysteries, maps the chaos: a crucible of chemicals, a constellation of neurons, an ancient hymn chanted by evolution’s unseen hand. Love is no mere flutter—it’s a celestial upheaval, rewiring your mind in a dance of ecstasy and eternity. Plunge into this neural saga, where dopamine blazes, oxytocin weaves, and your brain becomes a starlit stage for love’s grand drama.
By Umar Amin5 months ago in Psyche
Why I Keep to Myself (And Why It’s So Much Deeper Than People Think). Content Warning.
Some people think being quiet means you’re rude. Or stuck-up. Or “funny acting.” But silence often has a story, a long, messy, and painful one that most people couldn’t handle if they knew the details.
By Rere5 months ago in Psyche
The Turning Point
Adeel was 42, a manager at a busy corporate firm in Lahore, where his reputation was built on long hours and relentless focus. He wore exhaustion like a badge of honor. “If I’m not working, I’m falling behind,” he’d often say, pushing through fatigue with strong coffee and late-night takeout.
By meerjanan5 months ago in Psyche
The Things Life Never Warned Me About
By Nadeem Shah Life has a strange way of teaching lessons we never signed up for. When I was younger, I imagined growing up would be a linear path—school, career, love, stability, and then happiness neatly tucked at the end. I had it all mapped out, confident that if I followed the rules, life would reward me.
By Nadeem Shah 5 months ago in Psyche
How to Support a Friend Who Is Struggling with Their Mental Health
There’s a certain kind of silence that tells you more than any confession ever could. It hangs in the air heavy, deliberate as though your friend has decided to let you see only the edges of their storm.
By Prince Esien5 months ago in Psyche
Why Vulnerability is My Greatest Strength
By Nadeem Shah For most of my life, I wore armor. Not the kind made of steel and iron, but the invisible kind—woven from silence, guarded smiles, and perfectly rehearsed “I’m fine” responses. I convinced myself that strength meant never letting anyone see the cracks. If people didn’t see my pain, they couldn’t use it against me. If they didn’t know my fears, they couldn’t hurt me.
By Nadeem Shah 5 months ago in Psyche
The Invisible Weight of Anxiety
By: Nadeem Shah Anxiety isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s not the shaking hands, the racing heart, or the heavy breathing you see in movies. Sometimes it’s a quiet, constant hum in the back of your mind—a relentless narrator that never shuts up.
By Nadeem Shah 5 months ago in Psyche