Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Heroin Freak
If you asked me six months ago if I’d ever use hard drugs, my answer would have been no way. I don’t believe in drug use, it’s for the weak minded, the weak willed. It’s for people who want to run away from their problems rather than fix them. Now fast forward to today, and I’d tell you that my drug of choice was possibly the best and worst decision in the world.
By Kierstyn West8 years ago in Psyche
Suicide Is a Permanent Solution to a Temporary Problem
We've all heard the saying before, right? "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." I find this particular quote rather debatable. Why, you ask? The leading cause of suicide is depression. People claim that the problem is "temporary" when in reality, depression doesn't go away. It may go away for weeks, for months or even for years. However, it doesn't disappear forever. Depression is a crippling mental illness. It makes it difficult for you to get out of bed every morning. It makes you want to sleep all day and other times, you're up all night and all day with painful thoughts and feelings. You either stop eating altogether or you eat too much and too frequently. You start to lose interest in the things you used to enjoy. You cry all the time. You start to push loved ones away because you think they couldn't possibly understand what you're going through. Some people resort to self-harming.
By Katie Schmidt8 years ago in Psyche
Living with Depression and PTSD
I have thought long and hard regarding writing about my experience with mental health issues. Often, my self-deprecating depression will stay my hand at pressing "publish," or my PTSD will conjure up some crippling flashback to the past. But today, it felt right to talk about it; it felt right to share this with the world. Depression and PTSD take many different forms for many different people, so I don't by any means claim to be an expert. The goal is to show anyone in a dark place, anyone struggling to cope, that they are not alone.
By Catriona Boardman8 years ago in Psyche
The Shower
It's not even 9 AM and I'm sitting here on the cold tile of my bathroom floor, completely naked, bawling my eyes out. The sound of the water and steam from the shower I started but can't bring myself to take are somewhat soothing. The thoughts that are running a marathon through my mind are almost paralyzing. I don't know how to process all of this. We knew this day would someday come, but as it approaches, it's still so hard to believe. "He's really going to die." I say out loud.
By Ginny Dorsey8 years ago in Psyche
My Mental Ill Health Was Rejected - How It Made Me Feel
Since the age of 8 years old I have suffered with two well known mental illnesses - C-PTSD and depression. Not only have I been suffering for 12 whole years now, I thought my behaviour was 'normal behaviour' until I turned 16 and was told that it wasn't normal at all.. which led to the diagnosis by 3 school counsellors, 1 college counsellors, 3 hospital counsellors, my GP and a psychiatrist.
By Hannah Louise8 years ago in Psyche
Happiness
There comes a point where you just don’t care anymore. Care about what everyone says about you. Care what everyone thinks about you. Society gives us a whole list of things that we “have to do.” Just simple things that I, as a person, must do to comply with everyone else and be deemed socially accepted. When I was growing up, my mom was a major influence on me. I wasn’t a very confident or socially outgoing child. I kept to myself. I didn’t have many friends. I didn’t really have the urge or want to do what everyone told me I had to do in life. But why? Why can’t we all make our own way in life without having to give in to what everyone expects us to do and behave. More importantly, why can’t we all make our own decisions in life without being attacked or marginalized for doing what makes ourselves comfortable.
By James Roller8 years ago in Psyche
