As you know, I love exploring the internet for awesome mental health projects to share with you. This month, I discovered The Sad Ghost Club. I was struck firstly by the name, but as I explored their site, I found so much more behing that.
The Sad Ghost Club do a number of things. Their 'About Me' bio says this:
"The Sad Ghost Club is a club for anyone who’s ever felt sad or lost. It’s the club for those who don’t feel like they’re part of any other club. It’s run by just the two of us, Laura & Lize, and we love creating comics & zines to highlight the issues that a lot of ghosties go through."
Predominantly, there's a store full of beautiful products that are prefect for gifts or as a treat for yourself. My personal favourite is their postcards:
For me, the campaign immediately stood out. (I call it a campaign because to me it's an empowering way to break down stigma and talk about mental health) Here was a group of people embracing sadness, rather than focusing on trying to change your emotions into happier ones. I hadn't seen a mental health based project do this before. It's empowering to accept yourself for the way you are. And the ghosties do just that!
They created a community of people who could self identify as 'Sad Ghosts'. They became a part of something, with pins and comics and posters that show acceptance of their feelings.
It's a club for people who either can't be a part of other clubs because of social anxiety, who feel they don't belong, or who want to be a part of a movement. It's a way of feeling less alone.
And I feel like they really get it. Take this image for example. It's about what to do when you're feeling blue. Anyone that reads my blog knows that I am adamant crafting, keeping busy and being creative have played a huge part in keeping my depression in check. This ghost comic gets it. It's cute, it's pretty, and it's actually helpful for people with mental illness.
I spoke to Laura from The Sad Ghost Club about their project, to find out what's behind the Sad Ghost Club.
- What inspired you to set up the The Sad Ghost Club?
Our fans inspired us mostly. It started as a small side project for Lize but the positive reaction she got encouraged her create more Sad Ghost comics. Then I (Laura) became part of the project and helped it grow into what is it today.
- Why did you call it 'The Sad Ghost Club'?
If we’re really honest, it kind of just happened. There wasn’t really any planning behind the name. Lize was drawing ghosts at the time and they were all sad so it kind of just made sense.
- What has the reaction been to the club and the store?
The reaction we’ve had is incredible! We’re so pleased that people understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We ship worldwide so have a global community. Our biggest fan base is America, even though we are based in South West England. We get lots of emails and comments on our Tumblr thanking us for what we are doing and sharing their stories of the positive impact we’ve had. We can’t really put it into words how it makes us feel, we are so taken back and love our fans so much!!
- If you had one message for someone who wanted to join The Sad Ghost Club, what would it be?
Being in The Sad Ghost Club can be tough sometimes, but be proud of yourself everyday and what you’ve accomplished no matter how big or small.
So there you have it! Anyone who feels sad, low, down, depressed can be part of The Sad Ghost Club. It's welcoming, it's accepting, and while it's tough feeling that way, you are not alone.
Currently, the girls are trying to raise money for their studio and workshops. You can donate here at their Indiegogo campaign where as part of the donation, you can receive little perks. (Which I did, and now can't wait for my exclusive patch and print to arrive!)
Also check out their Tumblr here, and their Instagram here.
