Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
I Failed My Own Assassination Attempt
The day I tried to kill myself was the last of three days living in complete hell unlike any I’d ever known. I’d spent three days in a dissociated state, floating through my day with zombie eyes and a catatonic stride. I was barely able to function. I’d walk into the bathroom and wonder why I was there. I’d stare at the eggs cooking in my frying pan and wonder what I was supposed to do with them. I’d look at the sender of a text message and wonder, Who the hell is Momma Dukes?
Regina LongwellPublished 7 years ago in PsycheBroken to Blessed
A brief history of my 20s: Lost, found, lost, found, lost, found, lost, found. To be completely transparent, most days I feel like one giant contradiction.
Brittany BurtonPublished 7 years ago in PsycheAdult Child of Alcoholics
My honest journey from dysfunctional adult child of alcoholics to functioning adult. Chapter One We live in a world where drinking alcohol is part of our social makeup. You go out with friends, go to social occasions, christenings, weddings or funerals and alcohol is always readily available. It’s human nature. We grow up witnessing our parents drinking socially with friends. Everyone is happy and laughing and you grow up thinking that having an alcoholic drink is fun. As a young child these were certainly sights I witnessed, alcohol to me was just something my parents and relatives did. Every adult I knew drank alcohol. That was the way of our world. I’m sure past generations behaved no differently and I don’t believe at this time my parents behaved any different from a lot of my peers' parents and relatives but what happens if in the blink of an eye if tragedy strikes your family and your once happy social parents don’t drink to have fun anymore? They instead drink to numb the pain of an unbearable tragedy that took them from loving functioning parents to alcoholics.
Claire dysonPublished 7 years ago in PsycheSnapshot
It’s been five years since I first stepped foot into a treatment center and received my diagnoses of Bulimia Nervosa and Bipolar II. Through these last five years, I have suffered the lowest of lows and enjoyed some pretty euphoric and satisfying high points. I have faced relapses, stared down my illnesses in the eyes, taken countless losses, but yet I managed to stay strong and come back more resilient each day. I get questions from strangers asking me what it’s like to live with an eating disorder and a mood disorder. The simple answer would be a rollercoaster that is on fire, primarily consisting of loops, making you dizzy and sick, that teases you with momentary pauses, that never ends. This is the more detailed answer to that question. This is, at five years into recovery, a snapshot of a day living with an eating disorder and a mood disorder.
Chris MondaPublished 7 years ago in PsycheChallenging Our Negative Thoughts
Our brains can be assholes. When you're suffering from depression or a related illness, your brain is basically stuck in asshole-mode. It defaults to telling you all sorts of lies about how you can't do anything, how you're a failure, this, that, the other thing.
MissieKatjiePublished 7 years ago in PsycheMy First: My First Panic Attack Episode
Hello friend, I hope you are doing well. Before I do any introductions, I thought I’d mention that I am not very different than you — like you and many others I suffer from panic attacks. A journal of Psychopharmacology states that in 2013, there were 8.2 million cases of reported of anxiety in the UK alone. You are not alone because I was one of those 8.2 million people who had anxiety attacks. I understand what you are going through. I understand what you mean when you say, "I don’t feel good" and you have your panic face on. I think when you have been suffering from panic attacks, you can see other people who are going through it — like when a toddler has an I-am-pooing face; we have a panic-attack-under-progress face. It is a glamorous face, just like a toddler’s I-am-pooing face.
Linu GeorgePublished 7 years ago in PsycheI'm Not Crazy, I'm Borderline
I have borderline personality disorder, and according to my shrink, it's a pretty extreme case of it. I know, I know, I'm basically fucked, right? Who is going to want to hire, marry, or otherwise socialize with a nutjob? That is what I used to think when I was first diagnosed at the age of 11. However, at the age of 23, I've realized that it's really not as bad as it sounds at first. Sure, I go through a range of emotions all the way from a to z every ten minutes, but I think I handle it with grace.
Kelsey ParkPublished 7 years ago in PsycheMental Health Issues
Mental health, where to begin? Many people assume mental health issues are so easy to deal with. In reality? They're not. For me personally, it took me a long time to accept that I had a problem and that there was something not right with the way I was thinking, seeing the world, and behaving.
Tabitha PorterPublished 7 years ago in PsycheDealing with Anorexia Ten Years On
Hello, first of all, thank you for taking the time and reading my story. It's one of the first times I have told it to people I don't know, but over the last ten years of pain and embarrassment, I am no longer afraid to discuss something that has impacted my life so greatly. In fact, my illness has become a huge part of who I am and changed how I view the world for the better I feel. It's taught me about compassion and to understand illness you can not see.
Nicole waymanPublished 7 years ago in PsycheI Used to Be on Medication
Two things you should know about me: I used to do yoga and I used to be on medication. I started practicing yoga when I was younger because I saw girls posting poses on Instagram. I too wanted to post pictures proving I was healthy, flexible, and happy… Not the most humble way to go about it, right? Let me backtrack, the first time I did a yoga pose I wasn’t actually practicing. I taught myself a ridiculous form of crow pose, got a picture of it, and called it a day. What a poser, right (pun intended)?
Open Letter to the Depressed and Anxious, or Both
"You'll be fine." "Just be happy." "Do something that makes you feel happy." "It's only a phase. We all have rough times. You'll get over it." "You do this just for attention." These things are constantly repeated tirelessly to people who are exhausted by only getting out of bed. Shoved down the throat of someone who feels like they're drowning even though they aren't near a single body of water. Repeated to people who are dying to do the things they love but don't see the point in doing so. Words that are drilled into someone who is crying out for help but is seemingly ignored. These phrases are fed to people who may be considering committing suicide because they feel like they don't matter and physically hurt from loneliness and hurt. Phrases said to those with depression.
Summer SmithPublished 7 years ago in PsycheFive of the Most Misunderstood Mental Illnesses
These are five of the most misunderstood mental illnesses. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and have listed all of my sources below each entry. This is not intended to diagnose any disorder; please visit your doctor if you have any concerns.
Eadlyen GreenwoodPublished 7 years ago in Psyche