Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Depression
The thing I’ve learned since I was diagnosed is that everyone suffers from depression in very different ways and it affects everyone differently. Some people think of it as dark clouds and rain, but you know what? I love the rain. I could literally stand in the rain for hours and be perfectly content. Some people see it as a creature that sits on their back, dragging them down. In this piece, I’m going to tell you all how it affects me and some of the ways I try to overcome it.
By Den1c Macleod8 years ago in Psyche
Just Listen
You ever feel stuck? As if life is just passing you by yet you’re just standing still? People tend to say “oh you’re just not living enough, live in the moment, risk it all, blah blah blah” but what they fail to realize it may go deeper than just lack of motivation. Personally, I have been battling depression for the past 4 years and to be honest it’s even harder to overcome it as an adult simply because life is so stressful for most of us and everyday is another challenge. I didn’t want to get hooked on Psyche meds, so I decided I was going to fight this depression along with my anxiety ALONE! What's even worse is that no one understands how you feel because, in their mind, you’re just being crazy or overdramatic; they tell you to just get up and brush it off and that the grass is greener on the other side, no one really takes the time to sit down and hear how you really feel and try to understand your thought process, so now you feel all alone which makes your depression worsen. I didn’t understand why I felt so overwhelmed with sadness all the time, I mean, part of my problems were that I was always arguing with my mom and my boyfriend as well (and I mean real hardcore arguing). They didn’t understand how I felt, my anxiety would manifest itself as anger and rage and frustration, I hated my life but I hated myself more; always felt like I wasn’t good enough, that no matter how hard I tried, my efforts to please everyone and make them happy were never enough. I got to a point where I started contemplating suicide, didn’t care if I hurt people around me with my death; they didn’t care about me while I was alive right? I started to binge eat and purge, I became so bulimic that my body would just automatically vomit by itself everytime I ate something. My physical health and my mental health were severely declining and I had no one there for me but my faith. I would be at work just sitting there when my anxiety would kick in for no reason. I would get an overwhelming nervous feeling, my heart started to race, i couldn’t handle this anymore, this had to stop! So I started writing down all the negativity in my head and one night I realized what my REAL problem was: I was living for others and not living for myself. I was so programmed to live to satisfy other people that I was leaving myself behind, I wasn’t doing anything that made me happy at all!! So I decided things were going to change, that I was going to do things I always wanted to do, like dancing , working out and losing all the weight I gained from eating my feelings while I was depressed, I started living for ME! And let me tell you how amazing it felt to break away from those chains, I began to Love myself again, I began to see the beautiful part of me! I didn’t want to die anymore I wanted to live. I know our main goal in life is to find true happiness but you will never find it unless you have it within you, because that’s where happiness truly lives. Now I'm not saying mental health isn’t a real thing, not everyone is capable of overcoming certain mental disorders, that is why I want people who read this to know that whether it’s them or someone they know with a mental health disorder, you are NOT ALONE ! Please read the signs and if anyone you know says they want to kill themselves, I beg you don’t dismiss those words, take them very seriously because some people mean what they say: Always listen because you might just save someones life!
By Jey Hernandez8 years ago in Psyche
Only Human
Naturally, we are inclined to draw near to others. Even making small efforts of contact with another is seemingly innate, holding a loved one’s hand, leaning on a shoulder for comfort, or simply a shared and warm embrace. Intimate relationships are considered an essential component in the composition of a happy life. The mutual dependency of friends, family, and romantic partners provides a respite in times of heartache or grief, often encouraging feelings of comfort. Many of us go about our daily lives without thinking twice about whether our loved ones will always be around. When we need reassurance we can pick up a phone and call a friend and procure console. Be that as it may, life for those living with a condition called "Autophobia" from the Greek word “Auto” meaning ‘self’ — suffer from the unusual and certain fear that they will be abandoned. People who suffer from Autophobia struggle to maintain deep personal connections, resulting in a perpetual state of grievance, due to the effects of this condition — which include: depression, crippling fear of intimacy, and low self-esteem.
By Sam Sapien8 years ago in Psyche
Words from a Survivor
Someone once asked me what it’s like being a survivor. Here’s what it’s like. Some days I’m full of life. I can feel pure happiness coursing through my veins. On days like these I dream of a future so beautiful it makes me tear up. A future where I have a purpose. A future where dark days are few and far between. On days like these I start writing my vows to my future wife. I dream of a house filled with love and lots of dogs. Days like these are what makes surviving so worth it.
By Madison Jackson8 years ago in Psyche
Drowning the Moon
One day, the sun didn't come up. I walked to school under the silver moonlight with my backpack on one shoulder and tried to remember if I'd locked the door. I wasn't sure but it was too late to go back anyway. The street was busy and there was a traffic of umbrellas which seemed to whisper as they rubbed past each other, although the rain had stopped a while ago. As I gazed at all their different colours, the feel of wood under my fingers made me realise I was holding one, too.
By Eva May Juez8 years ago in Psyche
Oh, Internet...
It's a strange and wonderful world we live in. Rather than having to go out and expose ourselves to the anxieties and basic bullshit of dealing with people face to face, we can simply communicate our feelings with some frenzied typing, or even better — the meme and/or gif.
By Kay Deschain8 years ago in Psyche
Self-Help Podcast Everyone Should Listen To
Looking to get into the world of self-help podcasts? Love reading this genre of books, but don't have the time to get to them anymore? These self-help podcasts are perfect for a motivational morning commute or a little reminder of your potential before bed.
By Kelsey Lange8 years ago in Psyche
True Horror Stories From the Psych Ward
Author's Note: The following letter was sent to me with the request that I post it publicly on behalf of the individual who wrote it. The letter-writer prefers to remain anonymous, so all potentially identifying information, no matter how minor, has been removed and replaced with "XXXXX."
By Alice Minguez8 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health — Why Don't We Talk About It?
I have noticed that no one actually talks about mental health. The Mental Health Foundation statistics stated that "two in three people report having experienced a mental health problem in their lifetime." Why is it that so many people suffer but we rarely hear about it? Wouldn't this mean that our mental health issues would disintegrate and get worse if we aren't open about them?
By Jade Dillion8 years ago in Psyche
Living With a Schizophrenic
There are seven different types of schizophrenia, and each has its own traits and peculiarities. My father was a paranoid schizophrenic, and he had this affliction in a time when they did not have medications for the disorder. A paranoid schizophrenic is always thinking someone is out to get them, or is spying on them, and living with them is a very different experience.
By Denise Willis8 years ago in Psyche
