Mental Health Awareness: With Author and Illustrator, Stacie Swift
BY SOLAMIPE ONIFADE
It was World Mental Health day on the 10th of October. A day with the overall aim of raising awareness of mental health around the world and advocacy against social stigma. While it seeks to mobilise efforts in support of mental health, it is important to note that our mental health does not only matter on a specific day, week or month. It matters now, it mattered yesterday and it certainly will matter tomorrow.
Mental health is central to everyone’s well-being and it is important to recognise that these issues can affect anyone. This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when we have all experienced change as a result of the pandemic. I guess that’s why this year’s theme, “Mental Health for all”, recognises that these impacts have been felt by all of us.
I would like to use this as an opportunity to encourage us all to be more open about mental health, and to start conversations with those who might need our support.
I had the privilege of interviewing Stacie Swift about mental health which was broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol’s Upload Show.
Stacie Swift is an author, illustrator and a mum of three children! Her colourful illustrations provide encouragement and comfort to everyone, focusing on positivity, self-care and mental wellbeing.
This World Mental Health Day, what’s one thing you think everyone should know about mental health?
“We all have mental health in the same way that we have physical health and to take care of ourselves and mental well-being is just as important as looking after our physical well-being. There's no shame or issue with having ups and downs. We all have those in our life.”
Can you tell us a bit about your journey and the work you do with the positive mental health messages?
”I began drawing when I was little and I love being creative. I did a degree in Illustration and originally, I started creating cards and prints and my work didn't have a mental health focus really at all. And then I began with some client work that had a mental health focus and realised that it was actually a really good outlet for expressing things that I was dealing with, working through things that I might have been going through. And I also supported my mom with her mental health struggles from when I was about 14.
“So the two worlds collided and I started posting daily on Instagram and it really went from there! The journey kind of began as something that was quite personal. And then it's become a much bigger thing that actually has helped me connect with people all around the world.”
What keeps you going and inspires your creativity?
“The community that I've kind of created on Instagram is a huge inspiration to the work that I create; knowing that it helps other people. Also, using my illustrations as a tool to process the things I'm going through and to work through my own ups and downs or the ones that my friends might be going through.
It's a constant source of inspiration and keeps me motivated to keep putting work out there.”
You’ve got a huge reach of over 250k followers on Instagram! @stacieswift
”Yeah, it's one of those things that wasn't ever an intention to have this explosion of Instagram followers, but it's amazing to be able to connect with people all across the world. I get messages from people saying, oh, ‘I'm in Argentina’, ‘I'm in India’ and it's just mind boggling!
I sit in my studio in a small town in Cambridgeshire. But it’s wonderful to have this huge connection with people around the world.”
Can you tell us about your book and why you decided to write one?
“My book is very much an extension of what I do on on Instagram. It's a way to take the next step from those posts. There's a lot more detail. There's lots of self care prompts and some journal elements to the book as well. So I think it's a way to just sort of encourage people to really embrace self-care, looking after themselves and consolidate all of that positivity in a way that you can refer back to. And that also takes you out of the digital space, because as much as I love social media, it is sometimes quite nice and actually, an act of self care to step away for a bit and be able to have a bit of a break.
So for all those reasons, the work became a book: You Are Positively Awesome. And it's been amazing to see digital illustration become this real-life 3D thing that you can buy in bookshops.“
Stacie’s debut book, ‘You Are Positively Awesome’ was published by Pavilion in July 2020 and became a #1 Amazon Bestseller. You can find out more details here!
You Are Positively Awesome is available on Amazon. Just search your country’s Amazon page or for the UK Amazon link, click here. It is also available from all of your local booksellers and favourite independents.
What would you say has been the best response you've had from your book?
“I think just people's feedback has completely overwhelmed me, it's been such a labour of love. I’m in my little bubble, creating something and then to have people messaging me to say how it's helped them has been amazing.
In particular, I found some people messaging me to say their teenagers had found it really useful. Or young people that have messaged me to say that it was something that was helping them, particularly in these ‘COVID times’. Or people going back to school or back to learning that have needed a bit of encouragement and support.
I think, for this moment we are in right now, it is really heartening to me to know that it is making a difference to people that might be struggling through some quite tricky times.”
Have you got any plans for book two?
“I have written book two. The second book, ‘You Are Positively Awesome - The Journal’ is out there, ready for publishing next year actually. So it's been a really busy time for me.
But, it's a journal that actually links back to the first book.
It's very much so in the same vein as You Are Possibly Awesome. But with lots of things that you can work through - activities, prompts and ideas to get you thinking and working through your self-care practices and your mental health.”
Around lockdown and the effect on mental health, especially in the student population, how do you think students can take care of their mental health?
“I think it is a really tricky situation to be in, and I think there's going to be no one answer that is going to suit everyone's situation. But I think knowing that you have people to talk to, and finding if it is a space online or somewhere physically within your home or your university or wherever you might be learning, that you can go to someone you can speak to, is probably going to be something that will help a lot of people get through this time.”
“I think it's something we don't need to go through alone. And I know that's the theme of World Mental Health Day - that you are not alone. I think remembering that when you might be away from your usual support networks and your friends and family, there will be other places you can go to. This is going to be something that's going to help a lot of young people through quite an unusual and unexpected start to your education or your university life.
But for all of us, knowing that none of us are going through it alone is something we all need to hold on to and that will help us get through.”
My interview with Stacie is available to listen on the BBC Sounds app - Uploads on BBC Radio Bristol 12/10/2020.
This year’s FUZE is in aid of two charities: ArtRefuge and Black South West Network.
