Letter from the editors: Where’s your head at?
Photography Alex Robertson
Are we still doing this? Is it still happening? Where does it end?
Here we go again, another Spring in the grip of lockdown. Of course, a seasonal shift is welcome; the first warm rays of sunshine and the steady upward ticking of the daylight hours are a double blessing when the only pastime available to us – outside of our own, by now, suffocating four walls – is a stroll in the great outdoors.
And although there remains a bittersweet tinge to natural beauty as long as we are unable to utilise it to our heart’s desire – that is, as fully free and social human beings – the easing of the winter gloom at least brings a respite of sorts from seasonal depression, which can complicate the picture of mental health at the best of times (let alone right now).
Of course, mental health was a major problem in the pre-Covid world, as far away as that can seem. A decade of grinding austerity had both ramped up the adverse material conditions that can so often lead to mental health issues, and decimated the systems that were in place to deal with them — systems that had only just begun to understand such problems themselves. It was not for nothing the mental health situation was so frequently deemed a “crisis” (and even compared to an “epidemic” prior to the emergence of the now ubiquitous coronavirus).
But acknowledging the situation was already bad is not to say that Covid-related insecurity and lockdown restrictions didn’t make it significantly worse. We have all had our own personal moment of lockdown ennui, so it is not difficult to empathise with statistics showing the number of adults with depression has doubled since the start of the pandemic, or to understand the dire warnings laid out by leading mental health experts (even when they resort to the over-worn world war two comparison).
“For a year now, we have all been steeped in the idea that we must pay for our physical health with our mental wellbeing,” writes our contributor Ruby. But when “we are being honest about the banal realities of emotional pain. I see that as true progress,” she continues. Because of the huge toll the pandemic has taken on us – both in terms of lives lost, and the emotional labour individually required of all of us – the dialogue about mental health has never been more raw and open than now.
With that in mind, we wanted to take this as an opportunity to discuss some of the ways in which Covid and its associated restrictions have affected us mentally, as well as the ways in which people have been coping with it. The last few months have seen us endure a particularly gruelling shutdown in the UK, with lockdown fatigue, bleak weather and an aggressive second wave all combining to steadily erode morale. As ever in our inter-connected world, the sense of FOMO has been very real, with images constantly fed to us of parties, raves and even festivals in countries that haven’t mishandled the virus quite so spectacularly. The feeling that we are quite literally trapped on a floating prison, barred by other, more competent countries, certainly hasn’t helped.
We have learned from the experiences of our contributors that painting a picture of mental health that feels complete is impossible, because each struggle is somewhat different, and there are so many. But also, that it is important to collect those stories – which we believe are, nonetheless, widely identifiable – to keep the conversation around mental health open, and to keep problematising how we currently go about dealing with it.
Our writers have drawn on a diverse range of personal experiences, from grief, to loneliness, to burnout (with many a coping mechanism thrown in for good measure), to paint a picture of mental health that feels at once complex and yet thoroughly understandable.
Dria, who lost her father to Covid-19 last year, writes from the US about the complications of dealing with such an overwhelming loss at a time when nothing is normal, and all usual advice goes out the window. In the UK, Francesco explores the impact of lockdown-induced solitude through the lens of technology. Delina recounts a hugely relatable tale of lockdown burnout, an affliction it has certainly been hard to avoid in the UK.
For housemates Cal and Erica, 2020 was an opportunity to grow closer, bonding over their experiences with mental health, social justice, and reimagining a better world. Across the Atlantic, Jane Hertenstein went in a different direction, quite literally, as she embarked on a solo cycle from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean.
For Ruby, the impact Covid-19 has had on mental health discourse sparked a powerful reflection on her struggles with self harm.
Our four stories section contains reflections from young creatives on their turbulent year, whilst also looking ahead to the future with lessons learned and resolutions forged.
We already know how Covid life has got people’s poetic juices flowing, but this issue we are really spoiled for choice. Julian takes us on a tour through a Corona war, hospital and movie, respectively, whilst Becky lets us inside her own miniature greenhouse. Lastly, Nancy writes about perhaps the most infuriating object to us all right now, encapsulating both our imprisonment and our escape: windows.
Finally, our illustrators have created some truly stunning imagery to convey the complexities of the lockdown brain. Noemi’s soothing illustrations evoke memories of a sunrise here, a buongiorno text there, and of course, the famous lockdown yoga mat. Rosa Freya’s ocean tides are an apt portrayal of Covid stress, while Emily’s ‘House of Quarantine’ colouring book is an invaluable addition to any lockdown survival kit.
As a treat, the Quaranzine team has put together something for your ears, and for your brain. A Feel Good Playlist, now more necessary than ever, with all the anthems you need to bump to get to this summer in the right mindset. And a Mental Health Resource Pack. Here you will be able to find helpful links to charities providing free mental health support (specific helplines for different issues you might need assistance with are indicated in the pack) as well as interesting talks and podcasts we have found helpful and enjoyed.
A lot of love went into this issue. It was a rare pleasure working with such talented contributors on such important, often difficult topics and we have learned a lot.
We hope you enjoy it.
Maddie + Will
