The following is a list of literary journals by / for people with mental illness, or about mental health. These publications have a creative (rather than lifestyle) focus.
* Inclusion here does not equal endorsement. Please do your own research before submitting.
All links are current as of August 2020. If you find a non-working link, or if you know a publication that should be added to / deleted from this list, please let me know.
Thank you!
— Nicole Melanson
Ailment – Chronicles of Illness Narratives
Submissions from patients (those with chronic mental and physical illness), caretakers, family and friends affected by a loved-one’s illness and practitioners (healthcare providers) will be considered. Responses to the creative prompt may be submitted in non-fiction, essay, poetry, photography, drawing or painting form.
Amygdala’s goal is to build a sense of community by creating a platform for people to bring mental health issues into dialogue. We seek to achieve this through original works including: creative non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and art. We are looking for work that elucidates the wide range of issues and emotions mental health disorders evoke.
Asylum: The Radical Mental Health Magazine
Asylum is published 4 times a year and is a forum for free and open debate about controversial issues in mental health and psychiatry. They accept articles, stories, poetry, cartoons and other art with mental health themes.
Blanket Sea is an arts & literary magazine dedicated to showcasing the work of artists and writers living with chronic illness, mental illness, and disability.
Buddy considers writing on any topic, of any style and by writers of any experience. We are also a safe space for writing about mental health (MH).
Doll Hospital is an art and literature journal on mental health.
Luna Luna is an online diary and community dedicated to personal essay, poetry, idea, magical living, exploration of shadow and truth.
The Mirror is a submissions-based literary arts magazine working in alliance with Active Minds at Ithaca College to generate conversation surrounding mental health through creative media. Through art, photography, personal essay, fiction, and poetry that reflect on mental health, we create to open an opportunity to break the silence.
Open Minds Quarterly is a glossy 28-page consumer magazine with paid circulation, which features poetry, memoir, fiction, interviews, reviews and other writing and art by people whose experiences are often diagnosed as mental illnesses or addictions, and by our supporters and allies.
Outsider Poetry, a literary review for those who create with mental illness, are self-trained, or create art and poetry that challenges cultural and academic norms.
Peculiars Magazine is a platform created with the aim of bringing awareness around mental health, through art. We showcase artists from all over the world: some are photographers, some are poets, some are illustrators, some are writers… but they all have one thing in common: they’re fighting their demons. They’re survivors.
The Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health’s online literary magazine, The Perch, complements our program’s core focus on issues of health in the community and personal journeys through life. Our magazine takes a broad and holistic view of mental health as encompassing its physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects.
Psychological Perspectives: A Quarterly Journal of Jungian Thought
This unique and substantial publication voices, explores and documents a wide range of professional and personal issues related to Jungian thought and practice. The journal offers original articles, interviews, fiction writing, book, video and film reviews, art, illustrations and poetry.
Silakbo is an effort to uplift stories in the context of mental health awareness. As art allows for catharsis and self-expression, we aim to uplift stories of mental health awareness through creative means: be it a poem, a painting or a playlist, any medium that best expresses your story is welcome.
* CLOSED
|tap| lit mag aims to publish poetry and prose by marginalized voices on the themes of trauma, grief, mental health, and social justice.
Transition Magazine is a truly unique publication, published twice annually by the Saskatchewan Division of Canadian Mental Health Association. We solicit original, unpublished articles, as well as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, book reviews, and visual art (black and white) that represent current mental health issues in our province and reflect on their impact on individuals.
Turtle Way™ is an online creative arts magazine showcasing the work of individuals suffering and recovering from mental illness. Each issue of Turtle Way™ may include poetry, photography, artwork, and prose (including quotes, meditations, opinion pieces and essays) from individuals with mental illness and/or those who love them.
“Asylum: the radical mental health magazine” (formerly the “magazine for democratic psychiatry”) publishes article, stories, poetry, cartoons and other art with mental health themes ~ it has an open submission policy…
more info can be found at:
www . asylummagazine . org
very best wishes,
Jackie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great. Thanks for letting me know! Adding it now. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much for this list! Fresh options for one of my pieces! I will try and share it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Karen. Good luck with your piece!
LikeLike
Thank you! Your success with your work has inspired me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi! I’m an assistant poetry editor for Buddy. a lit.zine. We are a mental health safespace and publish writing of most any topic and genre. Our website is buddylitzine.com. Thanks so much for providing your list! Happy writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Ashley, thanks for getting in touch. I’ll add you guys in now. Cheers, Nicole
LikeLike