Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Trichotillomania: Impulse Control Disorder
You’ve probably never heard of Trichotillomania and if you have you probably know someone or are someone with this disorder. People refer to this as a BFRB, or a body focused repetitive behavior, and it is a compulsive disorder where people pluck or rip out their body hair. This doesn’t mean that it is OCD, but it does share the traits of repetitive behaviour, compulsions, and can be prevalent in OCD patients. In other words, you can have TTM and not have OCD, or you can have OCD that involves TTM.
By Nicole King8 years ago in Psyche
5 Things to Do When Your Partner Is Having a Psychotic Episode
I found out about five to six months ago I suffer from bipolar disorder and psychosis. I have never experienced such a hard and complicated disease before. My psychosis experience has changed my life completely and has really put a damper on my relationship with my boyfriend, Brook. When I am having episodes I hear another girl in the house. She sometimes speaks really loud and I can make out the whole conversation and sometimes she whispers. I hear a variety of different things from normal conversation to sexual conversation and hearing a couple have sex.
By Christine russell8 years ago in Psyche
An Open Letter to My Abuser
How are you doing? I am doing alright, it’s been a while since you thought of me, hasn’t it? I think of you more than I should. What you did to me taints my every action; it forces me to second-guess every single person in my life. Does that guy really like my shirt, or are his eyes looking to my breasts? Is she grooming me, or is she genuinely my friend? Who is using me and who isn’t? Every day a question like this passes my mind, and to be honest I blame you. You took my innocence away when I was 13. You stole the last drops of my childhood and forced me to grow up. I remember exactly what you did, no detail has moved from that day.
By Eadlyen Greenwood8 years ago in Psyche
The Man in the Mirror and His Music
The man in the mirror keeps looking at me. He speaks to me and knows what will break me. He picks away at me like I will crumble. Sometimes he transcends the mirror and sits beside me on the couch or holds a knife to my face, whispering that I should let him take over or kill myself now. When we were little we used to toss a baseball back and forth. Or we would take turns scoring goals in soccer. My imaginary friend looked just like me. I grew up, and he became less imaginary and far more destructive.
By Scott A. Vancil8 years ago in Psyche
A Deficit of Attention
It's an odd thing. Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is invisible among adults, by and large — say the term and the immediate thought is of semi- or entirely- feral kids, tearing around supermarkets and being rude to teachers; of Ritalin and use of the kind of food additives that can dye kids sunset-orange. But adults do have it. It's like most pathological conditions, in that you can't eradicate it from your overall makeup so instead you have to learn to live with it or turn it to your advantage. As with lion-taming, you come to a mutual understanding — on the lions' part, that you're in charge and so long as they have your full attention they will do your bidding. On your part, it's that if you let your mind wander, the lions can go to town on you. So it is with ADHD, except that very lack of attention is the lion. Except it's more like a chimp.
By Stu Neville8 years ago in Psyche
A Eulogy for My Not yet Dead Brother
I wrote my brothers eulogy six months ago, on another sleepless night spent wondering when I’d get the call. I hadn’t spoken to him since Christmas, but the slow suicide of someone you love is not something that can be ignored. Even if you ignore the person themselves.
By Jemima Daisy8 years ago in Psyche
I Am Not Depressed
"This is what depression looks like," says the pharmaceutical commercial. As my blood boils, we see a pathetic looking person who looks simply like they've give up, thus validating what the strong have always conferred upon those who've been hit by mental illness. A $40 co-pay to see a therapist shouldn't be a surprise then or that New York State's public health plan does not cover mental illness. It doesn't help either that "depression" suffices as a medical term, which misrepresents anyone who's experienced this condition. Let me clarify.
By Rich Monetti8 years ago in Psyche
A Society in Need of Physical Touch
Have you ever been standing on a bus and someone accidentally brushes your hand with theirs, and you just get a sudden euphoric rush, simply from having another person touch you. You may be touch starved. I never thought there would be a term for it, I always just thought I was lonely and couldn't figure out why. This has helped me realize a few very important things that are helping me, albeit slowly, turn my life around.
By Andrew Bryant8 years ago in Psyche
Suicidal Ideation
Let's talk about something I'm all too familiar with, something I have experienced first hand. Let's talk about suicide. These days it seems suicide in the media is everywhere you look. From live streams and beloved celebrities to the much more controversial 13 Reasons Why." We've come a long way as a society when it comes to hard to discuss topics like mental health, and yet are we any closer to truly understanding the reasons behind suicide and suicidal ideation?
By Christina Woodcock8 years ago in Psyche
