By Erica Crompton Pentahotel in Birmingham rests just a stone’s throw from the Chinese Pagoda monument and, also, the city centre. I arrived with Paul and we found ourselves pent-up with excitement – the parking just outside left enough change for drinks and its entrance was accessible not to mention
By Erica Crompton Hungry and in a hurry? Thai cuisine café Rosa’s is unlikely to disappoint as the sun sets over Birmingham’s former Paradise Parade site. Set atop the high and mighty Hill Street, it’s quite the journey to arrive here in a wheelchair, but the Panang curry, Pad Thai
By Caroline Butterwick North Staffordshire has been my home for over a decade. I love exploring where I live, and I’m still discovering places to visit for a great day out. Being partially sighted and experiencing tiredness from medication I take for my mental health, accessibility is key when planning
By Erica Crompton Hope Street, Belfast’s Holiday Inn lights up green in the evening which makes for an eerie entree. But we don’t mind this at all as we enter as it boasts both steps to the entrance and a step-free entrance for wheelchair users. A bottle of Pinot Noir
By Erica Crompton “Is this the Quail or the egg?” It’s only after sampling the vast array of local Belfast beers and whiskeys that I ask this, but the friendly staff take it in their stride: “It’s the bird,” offers the understanding waitress all pristine black shirt, matching apron and
By Erica Crompton Opening a conversation with local residents is how you really get a feel for the charm and elegance of Belfast and a sense of how this UK city has emerged from conflict to become a safe, popular short-break city. Today it stands as one of the world’s
By Erica Crompton In 2002 I booked a one-way ticket to New York City with no plans to return. I took a job at the late Santa D’Orazio’s photographic agency and spent my time eating Burritos in Brooklyn by night, while chugging photographic portfolios around magazines based in Lower Manhattan
Memories of the Rave By The Last Skeptik I love performing anywhere in California. The vibe of being in the sunshine, playing music in LA – the city which birthed so many of my favourite records is a mad concept, and there is no better feeling. Everything feels like you’re
By Jim Leftwich, CEO NoLongerLonely.com Clasping at air All thought in celestial space My thoughts I do not own All originality is banal It makes no difference Locked inside or put upon the page Puncturing the rind of the mind Thoughts flow in But others are sucked out I stand
By Joe Tuesday Having recently come out of a relationship and feeling sorry for myself I decided it would be a good idea to see if the stuff I’m made out of is still somewhat sought after by the opposite sex. I’ve never been great at dating and forming relationships,
The writing community on Twitter is a place where you can read beautiful words, showcase your work and meet lovely people. Just last week, while promoting my zine on twitter, I checked all three when I stumbled across poet Darren Hobson. The below poem, Flames of the Furnace chimes with
The Easter prior to lockdown was a long sunny weekend. Families got together, couples went for romantic meals – I had nothing planned. I was just lay on my bed in my room listening to the parties outside and feeling a deep sense of regret that I not only didn’t
Dear friends, family and colleagues, Hello from a sparklingly frosty Staffordshire. I’m delighted to present issue 4 of Hopezine today, attached, which is hot off the press. You can buy yours today. And past issues as well as paintings can be brought here. In this special winter 2020 edition of
By GC In early June 2019, I came home from hospital without the twins I was expecting. My beautiful son and daughter were born alive, but too small to survive for long. I can’t find adequate words or phrases – in this language at least – to describe how dark
By Stevie Saranga One day a wandering holy-man, a mysterious mendicant visited our hill-top ashram. He had taken a vow of staying no longer than three days in any one place and like a bumble bee, travelled the earth taking a little nectar from each tiny flower, pollinating as he
By Erica Crompton Today, as coronavirus sweeps across the globe, everyone is staying at home and it feels like the playing field has evened out for people with severe mental illness (as well as the elderly and disabled). It’s made hermits of all of us. There are various things I
By Bhakti Vinode, Gardener (as seen in The Guardian) My story begins in London when I was 20 years old. Myself, and my new friend Glen were walking around the West end of London. We spent all of our money and Glen suggested we go to the Hare Krishna temple
By James Leftwich, CEO NoLongerLonely.com I’ve never tried to commit suicide. However I certainly have thought about it. I’m not a religious person but I do have a belief that life is quite precious and that abandoning it is something of a violation. Suicidality is a repudiation of long-term thinking.
Feeling low in lockdown? You’re not alone, as Editor Erica Crompton shares her nostalgic tragedy and urges readers to make the most of what they have Once upon a time, in a world where I had a secure job, partner and Herne Hill mansion; I had had a meeting with
By Rachel Melinek I watch on terrified. I can see a woman in white in the doorway holding a baby. The figure stands there looking at me, I’m so scared I run back to bed and put my head underneath the covers. Seeing the vision makes my ability to sleep
By Nutan Modha There are cold facts about ‘suffering’ with mental illness in this age. It’s a cruel and silent isolator. However, here we are in 2020, with Corvonavirus and the external world is on the brink of a shrinking populous, and mass isolation. News sources from MSM to independents
By Erica Crompton A very strange time for the whole of the world Testing times ahead! An ill-fated holiday yesterday evening And we could finally return to our beds But today has been quite wonderful Compared with recent times A bright spring day with fresh new growth On the trees
Many papers cover creativity and mental illness. Here, Hopezine Editor Erica Crompton delves into the discussion… Abstract Many papers have written about creativity and mental illness, and whether mental illnesses can improve creativity (Waddell, 1998). This report aims to address this conundrum. Furthermore, according to Waddell, there are limited scientific
Child of the world, María Llewellyn, suffered sleepless nights and self-doubt until losing a loved one to suicide prompted her to see a therapist and learn to love herself.
By Hopezine’s Editor, Erica Crompton “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an appreciation of antiques. I grew up with parents who loved car boot sales, charity shops and all things vintage (before it became cool). More recently, I’d brought myself a tiny, white cottage in a little village
Author Graham Morgan tells of his life and small wonders that help keep him sane and breathe much love into his life… Graham Morgan is the Author of START – a memoir of love and compulsory treatment for mental illness, Twitter: @GrahamM23694298; Facebook: Graham Morgan – Author. Image: The boat
By Divya Modha The fluid undertones of the first few bars had me captivated. It’s make or break, I know then if I should listen or skip to the next tune. An impressive intro makes me believe, and feel like a hip-hop head produced and wrote this EP with friends
Music speaks to Corin Liall Douieb AKA The Last Skeptik. In Issue 2 of Hopezine, the rapper relays how different genres of song have helped with his anxiety, self-harm and depression.… Making and listening to music has helped me in so many different ways during my life. From the big
When I started CFT (Compassion Focussed Therapy) I had been referred for my ‘low-mood’ which I had felt was like a separate depression to my schizoaffective disorder. One of the side effects of taking a high dose of anti-psychotics is that I get very tired. Imagine for a minute, if
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus. For me, the invincible summer can be found in Lesmahagow, some 25 minutes south-east of Glasgow, just off the M74, writes ERICA CROMPTON. Here I discovered a spiritual eco-farm retreat through Worldwide Opportunities for
Yoga requires a few things that impact and reduce your stress level, says CHERYL MACDONALD, and the first stress-reducing component is breathing. When we become calm, this stabalizes the functioning of the mind. Many yoga styles have a structured breathing protocol. When you focus on your breathing, it automatically
It took writer RUBY C a few minutes walking up and down the same street, Google Maps in hand, to find Master Oh’s Jung Shim studio, discreetly tucked away behind the sensory onslaught that is Oxford Street, the throbbing loins of the West End. But when she found this hidden
I’ve had a tough 12 months and my anxiety has been so bad I’ve ended up in hospital for one night last month, writes Hopezine editor Erica Crompton… “When I heard from the PR from Faye’s Fitness in Wirral my ears pricked up. We all know that exercise is good
