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Shannen

Sadcore Sundays: “It’s Not Real” by Mabel Ye

Posted by strange on April 14, 2019
Sadcore Sundays: "It's Not Real" by Mabel Ye

The title “It’s Not Real” reminds me of talking to myself during a panic attack, trying to convince myself that the negative images and thoughts spiraling in my head are not real. Contrary to the chaos and energy overload of a panic attack, Mable Ye‘s song is a chill, mellow and melancholy self-reflection. If you’re in need of existential crisis questions asked in a surprisingly calm way, this #SadcoreSundays song is for you.

Posted in: Sadcore Sundays, Sadcore Sundays Features, Shannen | Tagged: it's not real, mabel ye, mixed rice zines, music for panic attacks, queer asian musicians, queer azn musicians

Zine Review: “Nurture Your Loneliness Like it is a Small Animal in Need of Being Held” by Lora Mathis

Posted by strange on April 3, 2019
Zine Review: “Nurture Your Loneliness Like it is a Small Animal in Need of Being Held” by Lora Mathis

My Own Loneliness


Loneliness is something I’ve struggled with for…majority of my life. I think to an extent everyone feels lonely from time to time, but the intensity differs. Mine can get, uhh, bad. Since I was in third grade, my friends have either moved away, decided to not be my friend anymore, developed romantic feelings for me that they couldn’t separate from our friendship, stopped hanging out with me when I stopped playing shows (I used to organize music shows and play them too), didn’t want to deal with my mind obstacles anymore, or I had put too much on them to take care of me. A therapist at the
Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Audre Lorde Health Program, Women’s Primary Care in West Hollywood explained that these consistent and repetitive events created a developmental trauma, and that is why the feeling of loneliness and loss for me can be unbearable. My fear of saying the phrase “best friend” out loud is synonymous to the intense fear Hogwarts wizards and witches have of saying “Voldemort” – except that instead of fearing that Voldemort will appear, I fear that my best friend will disappear. Anybody that called me their “best friend” I knew had signed our friendship death warrant.

Posted in: Media Reviews, Self Care, Shannen | Tagged: alone, fear or being alone, grief, grieving friends, guidance for loneliness, healing from loneliness, healing from loss, heartbreak, journal zine, loneliness, lora mathis, losing friends, loss of friends, mental health zine library, mental health zines, self care, self love, self-growth zine, sitting with loneliness, transition zine, zine, zine for anxiety, zine for depression

Self-Harm: Creative Ways to Stop the Habit

Posted by strange on March 13, 2019
Self-Harm: Creative Ways to Stop the Habit

Self-harm can become a habit that is difficult to stop. Below are two tips to help you replace it with a healthy, healing choice.

Posted in: Self-Care Practices, Shannen | Tagged: anxiety, depression, depression help, how to not self harm, how to stop a habit, how to stop self harming, self care, self care reminder, self care reminder card, self harm

Why Everyone Should Take the FREE Mental Health First Aid Training!

Posted by strange on February 21, 2019
Why Everyone Should Take the FREE Mental Health First Aid Training!

What if people actually knew what to say and do to help you through your depression spiral, panic attack, or other mental health crisis? Do you have mind obstacles and yet feel conflicted as to what to do for someone else struggling?

Posted in: How to Help a Friend, News & Events, Shannen | Tagged: #thestrangeisbeautiful, ALGEE, how to help a friend with mental illness, how to talk to someone who is suicidal, mental health first aid, mental health first aid training, mental health training, shannen roberts, the strange is beautiful

How to Make Your Own Mental Health Zine

Posted by strange on February 12, 2019
How to Make Your Own Mental Health Zine

Zines (pronounced “zeens”) are self-published booklets that anyone can make. You can make them different sizes, and put anything you’d like inside them. Below is a prompt to make your own mental health zine, instructions on how to create it, and four examples of mental health zines created by The Strange is Beautiful’s staff.

Posted in: Lily Ren, Mental Health Zines, Sanjana, Sarah Smith*, Self-Care Practices, Shannen | Tagged: anxiety zine, depression zine, how to make a mental health zine, how to make a zine, lily ren, mental health zines, mental illness zine, mind obstacles, nataline ziola, sanjana manjeshwar, shannen roberts, the strange is beautiful, zines
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