Holly Chisolm Is Just Peachy
Mental illness and sobriety is something you have to take a day at a time. As anyone who suffers knows, you will have your good days and your less good days. Lucky for us, we have Holly Chisolm’s comic Just Peachy, to share in all those feelings with! Holly has a beautiful way of expressing her feelings that is incredibly relatable. Please read further to learn more about Holly and Just Peachy!
Where are you based?
I live in Phoenix Arizona.
What got you interested in art and drawing comics?
I’ve always been interested in art since I was young. I think I was really inspired by Calvin and Hobbes as a child and have always felt comics were an amazing way of storytelling. I had been drawing comics every once in a while in my spare time, but I really got into it when my therapist told me to start journaling. I hate journaling, so I decided to do comics instead.
Can you tell a little bit about Just Peachy? What inspired you to start it and the name?
Just Peachy started as a daily drawing journal in early 2017. I wanted to get back into art and was in a dark place mentally. I just started creating around what I was feeling and learning through suffering from depression, anxiety and addiction. I started sharing on Instagram to keep me motivated because I really thrive on feedback from others.
The name was a group effort from my friends. I had done a few comics with my character and wanted to keep my comics really quick and simple so I decided to use only one color when I was drawing them. I happened to choose a peach colored marker so my friend Rebecca came up with the brilliant name “Just Peachy.” I thought the name was perfect because of the ironic meaning behind the name as well as the tie in with the peach color I use.
Why did you decide to do comics about depression and anxiety? How do you feel it empowers you and others?
Creating comics about depression and anxiety was sometimes the only thing that could convince me to get out of bed in the morning. I would think “Wow I feel like absolute shit this morning, but if I get up and make a comic to share, maybe it will make me feel better, or make someone else feel better. I really think it’s as simple as that. My moods and feelings change every day so there is always something new to write about. I am also constantly learning and trying to improve, so I want to share how I have coped with others as a way to encourage or help them through similar feelings.
Do you find that Just Peachy has helped you with your depression and anxiety?
Some days yes, some days no. Now that my comics have a larger following, sometimes I feel pressure to update or try to monetize my art. Drawing definitely helps me, although I get much more satisfaction from drawing my comics with pen and paper rather than digital. Honestly, the biggest helps are people's kind messages that let me know that my comics have helped them. I’ve also learned SO MUCH about mental illness, psychology, mindfulness and addiction by doing research for my comics. It has been like I’m back in school in a way.
It’s not always easy to open up about personal issues, yet you have publicly shared your personal struggles with mental health and have also managed to create an online community around the essence of mental health. Can you tell us more about your experience of what it was like to undergo this process? Do you find that you are empowering others along the way?
Maybe it’s just me, but I literally don’t know how people keep their personal issues to themselves. I will share my deepest darkest secrets with almost anyone if they ask. I have found it’s the only way that I know how to feel better, and I feel like it is more honest that way. The only thing I am still cautious of is sharing my feelings about my family members or close friends, because their story is not mine to share. I hope that by being open with my feelings others are willing to share and reach out if they need to.
Speaking of empowering, congrats on going sober! Jejune was super excited to read your series “Sober Inktober.” What made you decide to record your process of going sober in comic form?
I had tried quitting or moderating alcohol in the past, but this time I was really serious about getting sober. I set a quit date of October 1st and decided to do daily comics as a way to keep myself motivated and honest. Having 70k people expecting me to stay sober for a month was incredibly helpful as well!
What has it been like going through this month? Do you find the comic makes it easier or harder? Please elaborate.
The comic definitely makes it easier for me. I went back to pen and paper for this month so that the comics would take me less time. I found that I have a lot more “free time” when I am not drinking as well because I am not hungover and don’t waste my evenings getting drunk anymore. Having something to do in early recovery is always good as boredom can be a trigger to start drinking again.
Have others shared their own journeys with you? If so, how has it inspired you?
I had someone reach out and say that because of my Sober Inktober comics, they convinced about 30 of their friends to participate in going a month without alcohol. They had alcohol-free parties every weekend and even came up with mocktails named after my comics! I found it so heartwarming and inspiring that someone was moved by my drawings that much.
After the month is over, will we still see comics from Sober Inkober?
Yes! I am planning on remaining sober, and am nowhere near out of the weeds as far as cravings and possible relapses are concerned. I imagine that I will be learning a lot about sobriety and how it effects my mental health in the coming months. I am also planning on releasing my Sober Inktober comics as a small book that people can share.
Mental illness is a sensitive yet prevalent issue that affects millions of people each year in the United States. Why is it so important to raise awareness, even for those who are not affected?
I think that everyone can benefit from learning how to be more conscious of the way they are feeling as well as things like mindfulness, meditation and “self-care”, even if they aren’t suffering from a mental illness. Almost every single person will have some depression, grief, anger or anxiety issues at some point in their life, and my comics are there for when people feel that way. I also want to show people that there is hope and that recovery is possible.
You have released your first comic book for Just Peachy. What do you hope readers will take away from your book? Will there be more books in the future?
I hope that after someone is done reading my book, they think “Wow, I bet my cousin/coworker/brother would relate with this,” and they share my book with that person. The whole goal is to help people realize that they aren’t alone and to encourage them to share with the people that are close to them. There is a plan for a second book in the works, although it will be very different from my first book.
What advice can you offer, to those who are currently suffering or dealing with mental illness?
Please, please, please know that you are worthy of love, even if you feel like you are useless or are afraid you will never get better. There are people who’s whole careers is to help you get better, so go see them if you can!
What is your life motto?
Don’t take anything personally.
Please list any websites and social media you would like Jejune to promote:
Instagram: @justpeachycomic
Her book can be purchased here.
