LAURA

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to give you an update on the status of the zine, on the funding we will be receiving, but also I wanted to talk about our fundraiser – the very inspiring and beautiful person Laura Thompson. Laura ran half a marathon in the Sheffield Round run recently, and raised an enormous £250 to help us print our zine!!!! I have never been so touched or speechless at someones raw power and kindness. The current state of the zine is unfinished, very nearly finished though!!! WHO IS EXCITED TO SEE IT?

ME!

I had been struggling with the page count to keep the cost as low as poss, which was getting really rediculous, so rediculous that I just kept opening the file and sitting on it and nearly crying about it, and simultaneously getting excited. I’ve not spoken about this as it makes me too cross, but I lost the first version I made due to copying a file over to my hardrive, so that’s been really difficult and really upsetting, I have felt so sick at the whole situation and have been avoiding it all. People like Laura have been giving me a massive BOOOOOST to keep on running (so to speak). This time last year I was way ahead of the stage i’m currently at, but hopefully people will understand. I’m sorry it is taking so long.

If anyone would like to get together to go over the page order with me that would be really helpful! Get in touch designingoutsuicide@gmail.com.

Here is what Laura wrote for us – she, like a lot of our contributors was a little conflicted with idea of the creative side of the zine – but hopefully, people will follow Laura’s lead and take to something that works for them. She has inspired us to trust in own methods of self help, and to persevere with courageous and positive actions. Love this girl!

I have battled with mental health problems for eight years, and for the first three years I had no what was happening to me. In that time, I’ve gone from a victim in denial to an ashamed failure, a survivor, back down again and now I finally feel I can talk freely about my experiences. I have tried medication and meditation, green tea, positive list-making and everything in between. But one thing I have learnt is that we can do everything in our power to prevent the wave coming over us again, and sometimes it still breaks through. We just have to ride it. (I say ‘just’ like it’s an easy feat.)

 
There are always people suffering, everywhere we go, and the best thing we can do is provide as much support as possible. I think one of the best ways of doing this is to support grass-roots projects which can help people at a local level, projects we can get involved with ourselves and create a network of people who have been through, or are tackling, similar experiences.
 
My newest trial in the prevention of depression and anxiety is running. I’ve been running a couple times a week for six months now, and whether it’s actually working or not, it’s helping me to keep a routine. When I’m angry or anxious, I can go and it feels like I’m running away. I can sometimes shake the feeling out of my body by pushing it so hard I can’t feel anything other than the adrenalin and exhaustion. Other days, when I’m feeling positive it helps me to feel free, less locked down by brick walls and responsibilities. I’ve met dozens of people who have found a similar relief in running too.
 
So when I signed up to my first race this June, I found out about Designing out Suicide and thought it was the perfect project to fundraise for. It felt so much more meaningful for me to raise money for a small mental health project which works out of its own pocket, runs workshops and creates a zine with no support, just with the help of the community it benefits. I think that’s pretty incredible. Without a look in from government funds or charity grants, DoS could receive a considerable amount to help them continue the project and help more people like me. – Laura Thompson.

THANK YOU LAURA, BIG BIG LOVE Xxxxx

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