Sarafin
Sarafin is an artist and writer, studying cartooning and comic book illustration at a respected career college in Toronto, Canada. An aspiring satirist, Sarafin began a webcomic entitled ‘Asylum Squad‘ (a remake of an older project) during a year-long stay in a psychiatric facility, while recovering from psychosis. 44 separate page-long strips were composed and uploaded before her hospital discharge. Since then, she has continued the series, which she hopes to have published in book form some day.
Sarafin has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a label she chooses not to use for herself. A firm believer in the power of mind over matter and holistic medicine, she has found relief through both conventional and alternative health care practices. She conquered depression with help from eastern and western philosophy, changes to her lifestyle, and with love and support from a terrific family.
Sarafin is also an advocate of the Mad Pride movement, which celebrates the creative side of madness, and seeks psychiatric reform. She taught an artist workshop during Mad Pride Vancouver 2006, and helped organize for Mad Pride Toronto 2009. Her hope is that the ‘Asylum Squad’ comics (which deal with mental health issues) will reach younger consumer and psychiatric survivors, and instill in them a stronger sense of willpower, and greater hope for a better quality of life.
You can now view all of The Psychosis Diaries strips at http://www.thepsychosisdiaries.com and of course the ongoing series is available at http://www.asylumsquad.com. Sarafin can be contacted by email at: splitminds@gmail.com