Forever Falling Sideways is a large, 72 page zine about mental health comprised of personal stories, poetry, interviews, art, and tips for taking care of yourself. It can be found on Etsy for $5. Interestingly, many of the tips involved writing or other creative outlets, such as making music and producing art.
Like most zines, this one is handmade and has some stunning artwork. One of my favorites is the color photo of a woman’s feet on a slackline in the middle of a forest.
I was touched by the raw, honest emotions in this zine, and the openness of all the contributors—one piece was even written while the person was in a manic state. The zine starts with an introduction, and an invitation to “connect with you and others.” An email address is provided for anyone dealing with mental illness who wants to reach out and find new friends and support.
One of the most poignant pieces was the “Interview with Beard Culture.” It’s a Q and A about mental illness that becomes very intimate once you realize that both the interviewee and interviewer have been diagnosed with mental illness and the interviewee is the interviewer’s mother. The mother’s answers to questions about her reaction to her child’s diagnosis are authentic and tender. She also has mixed feelings about medications—she works in the pharmaceutical industry but disagrees with its practices, yet she also knows these medicines can help people.
Another piece that stood out was “Home Sweet Vessel,” where a woman writes about her experiences growing up in a sexist town. “We are creatures of habit until we get things just right, so we make mistakes again and again simply because we don’t always see them as our mistakes,” she says. I think she makes a good point, one that fits nicely with this zine’s themes of healing, recovery, and catharsis.