SOCIETY: Alleviating sadness.

August 16, 2017

SOCIETY: Alleviating sadness.

In today’s entry we want to tell you all about this amazing project that is changing people´s life. The sad Girls Club.

This organization was founded very recently in February 2017 by Elyse Fox, a Brooklyn-born filmmaker, after releasing a documentary film about her life with depression. The inspiration behind this project came after the release of the film when young women from all over the world were trying reach out to her for help and guidance through their own mental health struggles.

But why is this project so awesome?!

First of all, the main focus of the organization is to build support groups . An online and in-person community of people helping each other. Elyse talks about how there are many woman and young woman out there who doesn´t have access to therapy and psychological treatment, being the main cause the lack of money to pay for this type of services. Also she found out of the non-existing middle ground between the Suicide hotline and professional therapy, being the program then the missing piece.

The club´s name is inspired by this frequently seen stereotype internet´s user: the sad girl. We all might have spot her around –mostly on Tumblr but can also be found on Instagram. Posting semi-nudes or highly erotic pictures her captions are all about depression or how she doesn´t give a f**k. As a former "sad girl" herself Elyse recalls how she "sometimes would hashtag her own posts with #SadGirlElyse.

Art by Sally Nixon

Is worth knowing that many people go through mental illness without even realizing they are facing one, which is the case of Elyse. She recalls how the topic of mental illness was never discussed in her home, where getting good grades and becoming a doctor was all that mattered. She then, as many of us, just grew up without being able to understand her feelings or without knowing how to talk about them.

Many women related to her struggles and that’s why she decided to found this organization looking for removing the negative stigma that surrounds mental health conversations and creating a judgment free platform.

I think we as a society are in need of more projects like this one all over the world. Currently the in-person meeting are only being held in the US, but will be remarkable to have this type of low cost or cost free programs available in more countries.

If you dear reader are facing a difficult moment in your life or are experiencing feelings that are hard to deal with, don't feel ashamed, embarrassed or weak. We all sometimes face this kinds of struggles and not everyone who seems happy it really is, as teach us the founder of this program. Seeking professional help is always the best answer. If you can't afford this know that a trustful friend or a simple online search can provide us with a hearing ear, many self-help resources or support groups like this one.