Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Coping Mechanisms & Children
Some children very early on in their lives must come up with coping mechanisms, these are used to help the child process and be able to function while carrying the baggage that has been placed on them at such a delicate age. It’s no secret that some children have to deal with complex adult situations that they shouldn’t have to, but for some reason or another the universe found it fitting to throw them into an unwelcoming or harsh environment that the child did not choose. While unpleasant to think about and truly unfortunate that this happens, the best they can do is create their own coping mechanisms.
By Cheyann Strom8 years ago in Psyche
Treating Mental Health
If you or a loved one struggles with mental health issues of any kind, you're probably aware of the many barriers that stand in the way of treatment, diagnosis, and, sometimes, even safety. Particularly in rural areas, access to medical professionals who specialize in mental health are hard to find. Normally, there are only one or two options to begin with and they are, on average, about half an hour away. Then, once you locate them, they have so many patients that the nearest appointment that is up to three months out. On the peninsula part of Virginia called the Eastern Shore, even mental health emergencies can take a month to set up a medicinal or therapeutic system for the patient after the initial contact.
By Danni Greer8 years ago in Psyche
My Journey Through Addiction
Addiction was a part of my life before I ever knew what it was. I had a rather large group of friends growing up. Some might even say we were the “popular” kids. Well, they were the popular kids, I somehow was welcomed into the clique. Per usual, one of the things that came along with that title were parties where experimental behavior was par for the teenage course. This “normal” started as early as 6th grade. Suffice it to say, the group I ran with was anything but “straight edge.”
By Reigny Teller8 years ago in Psyche
Listen
Is anyone ever listening? How do I know that you're listening? How do I know that you care? Will you listen to me and help me find an answer or solution? Can you understand me? Are you willing to try to understand me? How in the hell can I get you to understand?
By Morgan Binnie8 years ago in Psyche
Struggling Every Day with Anxiety and Depression!
Every morning I fight myself to wake up. I fight myself to get out of bed. My bed is my only safe place. It’s the only place where my anxiety is at ease. My bed is also my enemy; it’s where my thoughts start racing and my depression kicks in. It’s where I cry and fight my emotions about what people think or say about me. The blankets act as arms and cuddle me with their embrace. How can I leave such a soothing yet destructive place? When I finally pull myself up out of bed, I slowly find myself in my bathroom in front of my mirror where I stare into what depression and anxiety looks like. Tired, bloodshot eyes; messy hair; a face that’s breaking out from the stress. I stare into my own eyes, which tell so many stories of emotion and how I feel. I see the hurt and the pain that I cover up every day with a fake smile. I struggle to get ready and try to convince myself to lay back in bed. The world is a scary place; just go back to bed where you’re truly safe. Yet I fight to continue on, and I slowly make it outside, the sun making my eyes squint, because my blacked-out shades in my bedroom hide my eyes from the sun. I cover my eyes trying to hide my emotions from the world. My clothes still say a lot about me; black is my color. Black to hide my emotions, to hide who I really am—or is it to express what I really feel? I meet my friends, putting on that fake smile; they know what I’m covering up. They question and push till I break and tell them what I’m really feeling. It feels good to tell them that it’s truly difficult to actually leave my bed. For that little moment in life spent with my friends, I actually feel happy. I feel complete, like I never struggled at all. That’s until reality hits, when I step foot into my house. Everything hits again, a whirl wind of anxiety and depression all at once. How can I have such a great time, yet feel so sad? It’s this sickness I struggle with, it’s an illness that will forever be with me. No matter how good of a day I have, I struggle at the end of the day. It’s the little moments that keeps my feet on the ground. I can have the best day of my life and still feel like I’m not good enough for this world. I truly drown myself with emotions when I walk through the front door of my house. I create my own loneliness and destructive behavior. I have to remember that no matter how much I’m struggling, I have people that love me whom I can just call if I need to. I’m a lucky one; I have that outlet. My illnesses push me to be that person for anyone that needs someone. I know what it’s like to be at the end of your rope and someone saves my life. Don’t give up on who you are, live for the little happy moments. Push yourself; I promise when living life it’s truly beautiful. It’s hard reaching out for help when you think the world is out to get you. I have so many outlets to help me forget who I am or my life, music being the main one. I shove the earbuds as far as they’ll go into my ears. I turn the music up loud, and I hold on to every lyric that is being sung to me. Find a positive outlet to release yourself, find yourself in something positive. Hold onto it and don’t let go, and don’t be afraid to talk or ask for help.
By Jennifer Ortega8 years ago in Psyche
A Tale for the Anxious
Inside of my mind is a whole other world, of course how cliché. A whirlwind of colors and swirls, hues that the human eye cannot comprehend. My fears lie nestled within rocky cliffs and unforeseen storms on the sea. My head is a world that contains all that is. All that an individual learns, interprets, understands, etc. There's a quiet menace that likes to haunt my thoughts, a gang of demons that entangle themselves in my mind’s forests like poisonous vines cutting off a tree’s circulation. The human brain has a funny way of dealing with trauma, doesn't it?
By Allyson Radford8 years ago in Psyche
Self-Esteem in Our Generation
In our society, in this extremely turbulent time, everybody seems to be polarized to a "side," whether it be politics, religion, or even something as simple as what foods we should be eating. However, in my opinion, I don't think anything could be more detrimental to our psyches as the polarization we can experience in our own minds. We can get lost in a struggle of not knowing how to feel about ourselves. Now, this may not apply to everyone. Maybe I can make it easier to understand for the people that don't suffer from self-esteem issues. Maybe I can give a little hope to those of us that suffer from such turmoil in our minds and hearts.
By Ashley Pellegrino8 years ago in Psyche
Anxiety and Depression Ruined My Life, Now I'm Taking It Back
It is something that has taken me a long time to fully acknowledge, I had always tried to play it down or shrug it off. I've often mentioned in passing my struggles with anxiety and my depressive moods, but I cannot recall a scenario where I went into great detail about it. More often than not, I just brushed it off with the admirable, if sometimes misguided, stoicism society tends to encourage. Even in 2017, talking about mental health still appears to be a stigma. It's hard to admit you're struggling, let alone tell another human being or a group about it, putting yourself out there, allowing yourself to be vulnerable is extremely daunting. Also, people generally do not want to hear anything other than "positive vibes only," it's less of a hassle to say you're okay and put a brave face on things, even if it's just for show.
By Michael Jones8 years ago in Psyche
Ophelia's Plights in 'Hamlet'
There is no doubt that one’s external environmental situation has a considerable sway on one’s emotional and mental health. This is all too true for Ophelia, who unfortunately was negatively affected by her situation. In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the readers are exposed to love, loss, revenge, and insanity in this devastating tragedy. Ophelia is a particularly sorry character; she is ensnared in Hamlet’s plans of feigning insanity, and therefore has her love ripped away from her after stating he never loved her at all and belittling her character. In addition to this, Ophelia’s already battered mental state is pushed over the precipice when Hamlet kills her father, Polonius. Ophelia is therefore driven to a woeful, inconsolable insanity. Through Ophelia’s journey of relationships and loss, Shakespeare demonstrates how the corrosive power of love and demise leads to insanity, and, in Ophelia’s case, her suicide.
By Leo Misislyan8 years ago in Psyche
My Own Personal Nightmare
Some days I wake up and I feel like there is this weight on me, and I have a sinking feeling in my stomach as if I am about to throw up. I realize that the monsters have come back for a visit, and I prepare to go through the day with their constant nagging and whispering in my ears. At some point during the day they leave me, as if going on a slight break so we don't get sick of each other or to go home and rest for a while, but they always come back to bother me... usually when I am in a great mood.
By aureliablood8 years ago in Psyche
