I Don’t Know How to Help You
Perzine, Jessie Duke (editor), Adam Gnade, Jonas, Trace Ramsey, Elizabeth Thompson, Alyssa Bicoy, and Kelly Bastow, Punch Drunk Press, $5 (US)
I remember the first self-help zine I ever read. It was the 15th issue of Doris: The Anti-Depression Guide. Mental health was not on the front burner in those days; it was a novel and inspiring thing having a scrappy punk share their advice on dealing with depression. It was part of what inspired me to start a zine distro. I Don’t Know How to Help You flips the script and invites its contributors to talk about how they support loved ones in the grips of crushing blues. I like the work that Punch Drunk Press has put out in the past, and I was curious to see how they would approach this topic.
The contributions are very sincere and earnest, with first-person accounts that evoke the drama of a loved one in crisis in a way that often comes alive on the page. The relationship between the depressed person and their concerned friend is such a delicate intimacy. Reading these well-informed and organized essays, it occurred to me that the zine’s subject matter is challenging. The sincerity of I Don’t Know’s approach can be a liability when you’re attempting to find a universal thread in a situation that so many people experience differently and intensely. I was uncomfortable, for example, when one contributor compared helping their loved one to “trying to defuse a bomb”.
On the other hand, I was moved by an untitled piece by Jonas. It was written from the perspective of a person who has suffered with depression — – and worse, suffered without close friends to see them through at the worst of times. Jonas sets out to describe what they feel the ideal friend would be or do, or should know. In this, I Don’t Know How to Help You really shines.
Overall I did not relate to this zine as I thought I would, but that does not mean you won’t. And for the price, it’s probably worth checking out if you’re interested in the topic. (Chris Landry)