Gemma Correll's Anxietyland: A Graphic Memoir of Panic and Alcohol

Cartoonist Gemma Correll, known for her illustrations on mental health, has published a new book titled 'Anxietyland' (Penguin, £25). The book is a graphic memoir exploring her lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression disorders, and her complicated relationship with alcohol, which she personifies as 'Boozy'. Correll, who moved from the UK to Oakland, California in 2015, describes experiencing back-to-back panic attacks in 2018, leading to a diagnosis of panic disorder. The book uses the metaphor of a theme park called Anxietyland, featuring rides like the Emotional Rollercoaster, the Depression Obstacle Course, and the Downward Spiral. Correll first turned to alcohol at age 16, and later during her brief time at Homerton College, Cambridge, where she dropped out after two weeks due to intense anxiety. She eventually attended art school in Ipswich, Suffolk, where she rediscovered her passion for illustration. The extract concludes with Correll's decision to give up alcohol, noting it was a good start but not a complete solution. The book is published by Penguin and is available for £25.