Anxietyland: A Memoir of Panic and Perseverance
“Anxiety cannot be eliminated, but it can be managed.”
A Personal Narrative, Not a Self-Help Guide
Cartoonist Gemma Correll has released a graphic memoir titled Anxietyland, which chronicles her lifelong experience with anxiety and panic disorder. This is not a self-help guide; it is a personal narrative of struggle and perseverance.
The Book’s Opening: A Week-Long Panic Attack
The memoir opens in 2018 during a week-long panic attack that led Correll to seek hospital care. From there, it traces her history of anxiety back to childhood.
Anxiety as a Theme Park
Correll represents her internal experience as a theme park with rides such as the Emotional Roller Coaster and the Worry-Go-Round. She describes a persistent internal sensation she calls "The Bad Feeling," illustrated as a sharp-toothed pink blob.
Coping Mechanisms and Diagnosis
As a young adult, Correll attempted to manage her anxiety with alcohol and work. After hospitalization, she attended an outpatient mental health clinic where she learned coping strategies and was officially diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder.
A Key Takeaway
The memoir emphasizes that anxiety cannot be eliminated but can be managed.