Rights for all artwork remain that of the collaborator. Please don’t be a f*cking dick and try to steal our art. C O V E R D E S I G N : Lauren Florence I N T E R I O R : Julia Rowinski
NOTE FROM THE CURATOR: THIS IS A TRIGGER WARNING FOR CONTENT. This issue deals with a range of mental health experiences, some are very personal to our collaborators, and deal with mental health struggles. Please be advised if you are sensitive to these topics and use viewer discretion. IF YOU NEED HELP, PLEASE SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. While we hope to contribute to the conversation of mental health, this content is not intended to replace the advice of professionals in the field of mental health. We have included a short list of resources compiled by collaborators to help connect you with qualified professionals and organizations should you need them. VOTE. Awareness and understanding are imperative. But remember that so many people need access to services they just can’t afford. We also need legistlative awareness and action.
GUEST COLLABORATOR JULIA ROWINSKI - Baggage Handling: Easy Does It. Springfield, MA. March 2014.
C O L L A B O R AT O R
AYLA MIROLO The background is some of the many stupid things people say to those with mental health issues and mental illnesses. Please people, stop being eejits about mental health. And IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY. If anyone ever tries to tell you otherwise, obviously their tiny little brains can’t process what’s going on and they’re not worth your consideration anyways. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T AY L A :
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
APRIL MORALBA The one of the hardest things about dealing with a mental illness is the overwhelming sense of feeling isolated, alone and completely misunderstood. Even your closet family and friends may feel like they are a million miles away in the same room. Reaching out can feel impossible, useless or even unsafe if the people around you aren’t supportive. But you are not alone. There are people who love and care about you who will help you cope with your pain and help you towards a fulfilled life. Even having one person who knows how you are actually doing might change everything. If you can’t reach out to anyone around you, there are so many affordable or free resources like the National Suicide Prevention hotline, Better Help, Talkspace, your religious center or other community based resources. LEARN MORE ABOUT APRIL:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
L E A R N M O R E A B O U T G U E S T C O L L A B O R AT O R N I C K K I N G :
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
BILL CUNNINGHAM I spent a lot of my youth feeling bad and guilty about being depressed. At the time, I didn’t know that chemical imbalances in my brain caused me to be different. I would get asked ‘why are you so tired all the time?’ and I wouldn’t have a good answer. Thanks to support from people very close to me, I sought help and was diagnosed with chronic depression. Medication was the shame-free solution for me. LEARN MORE ABOUT BILL:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C U R AT O R & C O L L A B O R AT O R
BRITTANY ARITA
“I feel better and better and worse and then better.” - Frightened Rabbit. Healing is a beautiful word, and it’s not linear. I’ve struggled with being a shy introverted person all of my life, and in the past five years started to realize, hey maybe this is more than being introverted, maybe it’s anxiety? A few months ago I just started to realize things felt overwhelming, and the thought of therapy actually seemed like something I could handle. The idea of it has always been my worst nightmare; sitting in a room with a stranger. Talking. Non-stop. Just about yourself? Fuck. That. But I’m now two sessions in and I can’t believe how much I’m actually talking to my therapist. There’s something to be said for a third party, free of baggage and judgment, just listening. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T B R I T TA N Y:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
LAUREN FLORENCE It took me a long time to realize that the root of most of my problems was my lack of love for myself. It’s very hard to be true to yourself in this day and age, let alone love yourself unconditionally. I have made an effort to take time for myself, appreciate who I am in this moment and be proud of my accomplishments and values. We all have so much to offer this world, don’t lose your spark. LEARN MORE ABOUT LAUREN:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
JESSICA FIMBEL WILLIS Mental health has always been an important topic for me as I have suffered from depression, anxiety and ADD for most of my life. It took me a long time to be comfortable talking about it and that’s part of the problem. I realized that by not being open about it I was helping to reinforce the stigma around it. Some people may disagree with how open I am, but I am hoping that if more people speak freely, that those who are struggling will feel more comfortable seeking help. Today, after 15 years of trying what feels like every combination of medications and seeing countless therapists, I can celebrate that I have found what works for me. I hope that by sharing this that I somehow inspire someone else to get the help they may need. LEARN MORE ABOUT JESSICA:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
G U E S T C O L L A B O R AT O R
ASHLEY SIMEONE This piece was originally commissioned by Kassie of @wildcraftingwisdom in conjunction with the August release of her podcast, The Bitter and Sweet. The podcast will talk a lot about mental health and touches on holistic healing. In this illustration, I wanted to capture the simultaneous pain and comfort that comes with one’s personal healing and demonstrate in a visual fashion the manner in which health and healing comes from the light within ourselves, a light we’ve all got even when it doesn’t feel that way. Being a human is hard and we’ve all got our battles and struggles: know that you are never alone. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T A S H L E Y:
I N S TA G R A M
WILDCRAFTING WISDOM
C O L L A B O R AT O R
KAITLIN CALLENDER This year I was officially given the diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I’ve always felt anxious to some degree but that feeling never had an official title for me. I’ve always felt jittery - to much caffeine? Maybe I was just nervous or scared about something new. I’m a worrier just like my grandma. I should go do something, I’m just anxious because I’m bored. Sometimes I forget to breathe and have to gasp a little - could I really be that out of shape? Nope, I’m just one of 6.8 million adults in the US that experience GAD. LEARN MORE ABOUT KAITLIN:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
KAT SCHOBER This is Yoga With Adrienne’s catchphrase and yoga has always been a big part of my mental health. In yoga and in life, don’t have to be on the same level as everyone else. You just have to be taking care of yourself and figuring out what feels good and fits well with your level. No comparing, no stressing, just finding what feels good for you. I try to keep this phrase in my back pocket so I can remind myself when things aren’t feeling good that I am in control and eventually I will find comfort in a hard or anxious situation, and if I don’t, then maybe I need to re-evaluate. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T K A T:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
MOLLY TAAFFE Just keep swimming. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T M O L LY:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
NATALIE FERRO This is one of my favorite quotes from “The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer. It speaks to mindfulness and our world around us. One of the things that I think causes pain, is fear, be it fear from the past or fear of the future. So what if we started living fearlessly? L E A R N M O R E A B O U T N ATA L I E :
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
KATE LALIME My anxiety seemed to come out of nowhere in my mid-twenties. While it’s much more manageable these days, it still sneaks up on me from time to time. Talking about mental health is so important! Being able to talk about my anxiety with others has been instrumental in learning to manage it. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T K AT E :
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
PAM GALANTE LISTEN when your friends and family confide in you about things they are having a hard time with in their life. SHARE with those around you when you are having a hard time; whether it be talking to friends, family, or a professional. PAY ATTENTION to those around you who may be having a hard time, but may not be able to say anything. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T PA M :
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
SHAUNA Lynn Panczyszyn LEARN MORE ABOUT SHAUNA:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
C O L L A B O R AT O R
WE’re INTO it There are good days, bad days, and everything in between. It’s on those tougher days that we all need to try and see a little something good, even when it’s difficult. L E A R N M O R E A B O U T W E ’ R E I N T O I T:
WEBSITE
|
I N S TA G R A M
RESOURCES HOTLINES Crisis Text Line text CONNECT to 741741 National Suicide Prevention Hotline (800) 273-8255 (TALK) The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 (US) www.thetrevorproject.org Trans Lifeline 877-565-8860 www.translifeline.org
Insight Timer (Meditation app) insighttimer.com Happify: (Emotional health app) www.happify.com
THERAPY 7Cups: www.7cups.com TalkSpace: www.talkspace.com Man Therapy: mantherapy.org
PODCASTS • Jen Gotch is Ok...Sometimes • Mental Illness Happy Hour • The Hilarious World of Depression • Self-Service with Jerico Mandybur (Self care focused) • My Favorite Murder (True Crime focused) • WTF with Marc Maron (Interviews)
SELF-CARE Headspace (Mindful meditation app) www.headspace.com Yoga with Adrienne (Videos) www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
CONNECT Find a Doctor: www.zocdoc.com Find a Therapist: www.psychologytoday.com/us Find Health Care: www.healthcare.gov
PUBLICATIONS Anxy Magazine: anxymag.com ORGANIZATIONS Brain & Behavior Research: www.bbrfoundation.org Treatment Advocacy Center: www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration: www.samhsa.gov/suicide-prevention National Alliance on Mental Illness: www.nami.org National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery: www.ncmhr.org Mental Health America: www.mentalhealthamerica.net Bring Change to Mind: bringchange2mind.org Semi Colon Project: projectsemicolon.com Active Minds: www.activeminds.org
After Silence (Sexual Assult/Rape) : www.aftersilence.org Social Anxiety Support: www.anxietysocialnet.com Eating Disorder Support: www.eatingdisorderhope.com/recovery/support-groups/online Trans Lifeline: www.translifeline.org GET INVOLVED: Browse + Track Mental Health/Illness + Healthcare Bills: www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/mental_health/6176#text=%22M ental+Illness%22+ Know your representatives: https://www.commoncause.org/findyour-representative/ Register to Vote: https://www.vote.org For an extensive list of resources: www.reddit.com/r/CasualConversation/wiki/support
IS SU E
#18
•
J U LY
2018
•
M E N TA L
HE A LTH