anxiety
A look at anxiety in its many forms and manifestations; what is the nature of this specific pattern of extreme fear and worry?
Do You have a Support Network?. Top Story - January 2026.
Life is harder when you’re on your own. Human beings are social creatures, and we usually feel better when we have support from a strong social network around us. For most people, it’s our families that hold us together like glue.
By Elizabeth Woods17 days ago in Psyche
I Live With Telephone Phobia Every Day!
Warning: Contains some distressing themes. I never used to have a problem using the telephone. When I was in my teens, there was nothing I enjoyed more than the dramatic ring of our bright red Bakelite. To me, it was a very welcoming and social sound.
By Simon Aylward18 days ago in Psyche
Watch Out Wednesdays - 1/14/26 (Opinion)
We are now in the second week of 2026. Even though we are only in the first fourteen days of this year, so much has happened in America and throughout the world that would normally take up about 6 months of news. Events are accelerating to an all-time high.
By Adrian Holman19 days ago in Psyche
The Silent Pattern That Is Draining Your Life Without You Noticing. AI-Generated.
The Silent Pattern That Is Draining Your Life Without You Noticing Not all psychological struggles announce themselves loudly. Some don’t come as panic attacks, breakdowns, or visible crises. Some arrive quietly. They blend into your routine. They feel like “just life.” And that is exactly why they are so dangerous. This article is about one of those patterns. When Functioning Becomes a Disguise You wake up. You do what needs to be done. You fulfill responsibilities. From the outside, you look fine. But internally, something feels… depleted. Not sadness. Not anxiety. Just a constant low-level exhaustion — mental, emotional, existential. This is not laziness. And it is not weakness. It is a psychological pattern built around over-functioning. The Over-Functioning Trap Over-functioning happens when your sense of worth becomes tied to: Being useful Being reliable Being the “strong one” Holding everything together At first, it feels like maturity. Later, it becomes identity. Eventually, it becomes a prison. You stop asking: “What do I need?” “What do I feel?” “What do I want?” Because survival has trained you to focus only on: “What must be done next?” Why This Pattern Forms This pattern often develops early: In emotionally unpredictable environments In households where your needs were secondary When being “low-maintenance” kept the peace When responsibility arrived before safety So you adapted. You learned to function without support. You learned to silence discomfort. You learned to keep moving — no matter the cost. And it worked. Until it didn’t. The Cost No One Talks About The cost is subtle but heavy: Chronic emotional numbness Difficulty resting without guilt Feeling disconnected even during success A sense that life is happening around you, not within you You may achieve things. You may be admired. But fulfillment feels strangely absent. That absence is not a flaw in you. It is a signal. Awareness Is the First Disruption This pattern survives on invisibility. Once you see it, it weakens. Start noticing: When productivity replaces self-worth When rest feels unsafe When you only feel valuable while giving You don’t need to “fix” yourself overnight. You need to listen — without judgment. Healing here is not dramatic. It is quiet. Consistent. And deeply human. A Final Thought You were not meant to merely function. You were meant to experience life. If this article resonated, it’s not because something is wrong with you. It’s because something true was finally named. And naming is always the beginning.
By Med Abdeljabbar22 days ago in Psyche
Why Decluttering is a Journey - Not a One Time Fix
Beyond our stuff, material goods and possessions; there is more to decluttering our homes and personal space than simply asking the question as to whether or not each and every item in your home sparks joy. I am in awe of Marie Kondo and other minimalists who share and inspire in a noisy world of obsession and wanting more, more, and more each and every single day; yet the items in our home can cut beyond skin deep. The key is to also take inspiration from Jerry Seinfeld, and not allow our homes to be garbage processing centres, the latter of which anyone reading this article does not want. Read on.
By Justine Crowley25 days ago in Psyche
