Top Stories
Stories in Psyche that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
6 Ways My Life Changed in My First 30 Days Sober
The first 30 days of my sobriety were full of ups and downs. From day one, my decision to give up drinking changed everything. For over a decade, booze, and activities involving booze, had comprised so much of my life; so, it should have been no surprise that its absence would spark such widespread evolution. And yet, I never expected it.
By Taylor Moran Writes4 years ago in Psyche
Counseling And Therapy For Addiction and Mental Health
I was meeting with a man for the first and last time in a session that usually did not go this way. He asked if I could hear his confession. I told him that I was not a priest and that if it was a crime or involved hurting himself or another, I could not keep that secret as a priest could. As he started to talk, he made it clear enough without saying it that he had killed someone. Or that at least he was paid to hurt others and paid well to do that. I told him that people in recovery will often make amends by offering to not do that thing anymore. Then he said, “I probably couldn’t do that. I believe that if I’m paid to do this again, I will.” I was thinking how I really didn’t want to carry around his crime or crimes with me. I then said that I would like to help him but I was sure that his best bet would be to speak with a priest and I encouraged him to do that as soon as possible. Our session ended. I think back on that day often. I was new to the position of counselor. A few years later, I was told in a high-speed chase with law enforcement, with him on a motorcycle, he went off the road and became paralyzed for the rest of his life. I was told he is living in a nursing home and that is probably where he will live out his days. Could I have done something different. Something that may have prevented this from happening? This time and others I would look back to see if there wasn’t something that may have changed the circumstances.
By Denise E Lindquist4 years ago in Psyche
Surviving My First Sober Party
I quit drinking well into the throes of the Covid pandemic. We had been on quarantine orders for months at the time and while small, safe gatherings were finally being allowed, Sean and I were still spending 95% of our time at home away from others.
By Taylor Moran Writes4 years ago in Psyche
Holiday Gift Guide for Deaf People - It's Not What You Think
Know a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person and would like to get them a holiday gift? Sometimes our best intentions have the wrong impact. You give something that a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person will either find useless, insulting, or repetitive.
By Tracy Stine4 years ago in Psyche
10 Things I Won’t Forget After Listening to People’s Problems for 7 Years
“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” — Ernest Hemingway I will never forget the lessons other people taught me by confiding to me their problems. For the past seven years, I’ve had a section at my blog titled “Dear Joyce” where I offered to listen to people who needed someone to talk to. While I have not officially been a life coach, I had that precious opportunity to know people better, deeper. By entrusting me with their concerns, I have gained much more than I have ever thought I would.
By Jocleyn Soriano4 years ago in Psyche
The Pain in My Heart Pushed Me to Start the Speaking Bipolar Site
“And he's bipolar. You know what that means.” My boss was 10 minutes into his gossip fest. Today's victim was one of his oldest friends. I heard a litany of all the things his friend had done wrong, and all the poor choices he had made. My boss boasted of their 20-year friendship, but I couldn't help but wonder if it really was a friendship.
By Scott Ninneman4 years ago in Psyche
I Discovered My True Friends When I Went a Little Cray
Since my series of brain injuries, I’ve thought a lot about friendship. I’ve learned who my friends are, and who they’re not. And I treasure relationships more than ever. I appreciate the love of my friends, but I’ve also had to distance myself from friendships that are emotionally or mentally unhealthy.
By Catherine Kenwell4 years ago in Psyche
Everything’s Going Well in Your Life but You Feel Miserable. Here’s Why
Yesterday was objectively a good day. I woke up naturally at 7:30 am, read with my first cup of coffee of the day, meditated, journaled, wrote just over 1,000 words for my book, wrote a post for Medium, and found out that one of my articles was getting more views than usual. Then I had lunch, took a short nap, tackled some freelance deadlines, and celebrated the end of my day reading in the grass while sipping a ginger beer in the Buttes-Chaumont park. Finally, my girlfriend came home from work and we spent the evening together.
By Auriane Alix4 years ago in Psyche
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
I was in a mall bookstore in Delhi many years ago when the Green Day song Boulevard of Broken Dreams started playing on the radio. I flinched. I felt the familiar flutter in my gut and before I knew it, my heart was racing and my feet felt like lead.
By Natasha Khullar Relph4 years ago in Psyche
Stop Waiting for Everything to go Back to Normal
You’ve probably heard it before, or maybe you’re the one saying it. “When will things go back to normal?” Everyone wants to go back to a time before the pandemic, when they were comfortable in the life they were living, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.
By Nicholas McKenna4 years ago in Psyche
