The world’s first digital and interactive graphic novel memoir in English about students’ lived experiences of mental health, developed by a team of students and researchers at Lancaster University, will be launched at a symposium this week.

A graphic novel memoir uses comics-like illustrations to visually narrate the experiences from an authentic perspective of the author(s).

The 140-page graphic novel memoir “Things and the mind” shows and tells how diverse spaces and things – such as university library, gym, the natural environment, technology, washing machine and personal accessories - play a strong role in students’ mental health experiences!

Nine willing students, who had prior and/or ongoing struggles with mental health, shared their subjective accounts in the novel of how things and environments affected or affect their wellbeing.

Three alumni opted to share their full names as co-creators: Monika Conti (the project’s Research Assistant), Chloé Duggan and Phoebe Walsh, although all stories feature agreed pseudonyms.

The symposium introduces the graphic novel and its interactive digital resource, in conversation with different stakeholders, such as HE policy, mental health services, and the creative arts representatives.

The interactive elements of the digital novel will support readers in learning more about mental health and provide opportunities for readers’ feedback.

In that way, the digital resource creates an ongoing potential for impact in an effort to improve students’ lives and mental health.

The novel and the research is directed and edited by the research project Principal Investigator Dr Nataša Lacković and illustrated by artist and Lancaster University graphic design alumnus Andi Setiawan.

A Lancaster University team, including Dr Lacković, Dr Liz Brewster and Dr Ann-Marie Houghton, is currently developing the digital resource and its application through a series of knowledge and practice exchange workshops with stakeholders (youth charities, wellbeing services, health practitioners, teachers, artists).

The project grant was awarded by SMaRTeN, the UK’s largest student mental health network funded by the UK Research and Innovation and the ongoing Lancaster’s ESRC Impact Accelerator Account grant.

The link to the novel will exist as a standalone URL and will be featured on Lancaster, SMaRTeN and relevant external web pages, available upon the end of the impact project in January 2022.

Said Dr Lacković: “This interactive digital resource is a research outcome that celebrates the potential of digital and medical humanities, and the arts in general, in relevant stakeholders’ education, policy and professional development, towards making a positive impact in students’ and young people’s mental health.”

To register please go to: https://www.smarten.org.uk/launch-event-ldquothings-and-the-mindrdquo.html

Endorsements:

“I find this original graphic novel – which focuses on the relationship between objects, spaces and student mental health – truly fascinating. This engaging work- an innovative use of graphic medicine – makes explicit how material factors affect wellbeing and includes important points for policy makers.”

Dr Ian Williams, comics artists, physician, and writer, founder of the Graphic Medicine collective and website

“This is a profound work of art and research. Things and the Mind gives in-depth snapshots piecing together the complexity of mental health challenges faced by today’s students. It has been a privilege through SMaRTeN to support this work.

Dr Nicola Byrom, King’s College London, founder of Student Minds, and SMaRTeN’s Principal Investigator

“I found the book really interesting and I, for one, found the students feelings and stories very relatable. The preface explained in a couple of sentences what I struggles to convey in two years as a UK Comics Laureate. So, congratulations to the team on producing such an expansive tome on the narrative tool”

Charlie Adlard, comic book artist (The Walking Dead), UK Comics Laureate 2017-2019

“By involving a variety of experiences and individual circumstances this graphic novel brilliantly displays how so many of us are affected by mental illness, helping to break the stigma and continue to widen a vital, open discussion on mental health.”

Lucy Sullivan, comics and zines author/artist