First-Person Essays

Smitha Murthy writes about choosing solitude, living with ADHD, and how she arrived at the decision to get a dog.

Sumit Singla writes a semi-monthly column on ADHD, parenting, life, animals, and other distractions. In this first column he writes on how his ADHD diagnosis helped make sense of his world

Struggling with a reading slump, Ananya Tripathy reflects on lost literary magic, emotional burnout, and the shift from dusty pages to video games.

Prachi Sharma writes about her mother's handwritten recipe book, how she taught Prachi to cook her dishes and the grief of her sudden passing in 2022

Riddhi Jadhav gives a glimpse of life in Mumbai as slows down time to describe one particular train commute on a working day

Ananya Tripathy writes about growing up as a curious child, managing social expectations, and changing herself to fit in

Amy George reflects on how she got introduced to KPop through SHINee and how she moved through grief after Kim Jonghyun's death

Riddhi Jadhav writes on grief and loss of a stranger, of people and pets we are acquainted with but have never met and how to manage your feelings.

Anima Nair speaks of anxiety, relationship struggles, and dark spaces both physical and mental in this personal essay

Snigdha Ghosh Roy writes about how her anger stemmed from being unseen and unheard and was a problem of being unable to express herself safely

Rhea Pal shares her reflections on her grief after her father's death and on how we're not taught enough about managing grief

As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. Barring minor changes for grammar and sentence structure, we have kept the voice of the author intact. The first time I met Gurdeep, it wasn’t some lightning-bolt moment. No dramatic music, no butterflies, just an ordinary afternoon at our family’s Dosa...

As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. Barring minor changes for grammar and sentence structure, we have kept the voice of the author intact. Sometimes, healing begins not with music, but with the sounds you can’t un-hear. It began with a call I never imagined. A friend. A...

As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. Barring minor changes for grammar and sentence structure, we have kept the voice of the author intact. Why? How? What?… This is the stage when these questions are never-ending. The toddler, who was a curious explorer using their newfound “speaking” abilities,...

As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. Barring minor changes for grammar and sentence structure, we have kept the voice of the author intact. What does loneliness feel like when it’s not just metaphorical, but physical? When it wraps around you like the scent of disinfectant, the sound...

As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. Barring minor changes for grammar and sentence structure, we have kept the voice of the author intact. I had always been a quiet person with a small friend circle. Life had had its ups and downs, but it was in the...

This is a personal essay written by the author, sharing their individual journey and experiences. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this piece belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MyndStories. This essay has not been professionally vetted or reviewed for clinical accuracy. My last essay was about life...

This is a personal essay written by the author, sharing their individual journey and experiences. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this piece belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MyndStories. This essay has not been professionally vetted or reviewed for clinical accuracy. Have you heard the saying, “Don’t...

This is a personal essay written by the author, sharing their individual journey and experiences. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this piece belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MyndStories. This essay has not been professionally vetted or reviewed for clinical accuracy. I am a mother of two...

Trigger warning: This story contains descriptions of domestic violence, emotional abuse, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised. As a first-person essay, this does not require review by our team of Reviewers. They say life is a series of choices, but sometimes, choices are made for us – by fear, shame, and a twisted sense of...