Meet Jovanny Ferreyra, better known as The Artidote

sThe energy radiated by mental health activist Jovanny Ferreyra (Jova)’s social media handle @theartidote, comes alive in offline sessions during his recent India tour

The performance room at TagMango, in Juhu, Mumbai, is charged when Jovanny Ferreyra steps onto the stage and settles onto a purple couch, breaking into a wide smile. The audience, largely in their 20s and 30s, in the midst of scribbling questions on paper for him to attend, stops mid-way. There is rapt attention for the mental health activist, better known as Jova. He is the founder of the world’s largest online art-for-mental-health platform @theartidote, and for the past five years, has built safe spaces both virtually and on-ground, pioneering the fusion of art and mental health awareness alongside building a five million-strong community.

He asks us to get a little more comfortable in our chairs. “Just one per cent more comfortable,” he says, adding that he doesn’t know what he is going to talk about. “It all depends on what you have shared on those coloured sheets. Look out for that moment of clarity, a spark where you feel bliss and an idea that helps you move forward.” This sets the tone for the next two hours where he talks about heartbreak, peer pressure, keeping up with a fast-paced life, anxiety and freedom. We walk out feeling connected to every stranger in the room, who holds similar dreams, tribulations and fears, reinforcing the power of a community.

The Artidote India tour 2022 held in Mumbai and Bengaluru is the first event that kick-starts Fastrack’s new initiative "Unwind," in partnership with Paytm Insider focusing on the youth’s mental health and well-being. “A lot of young people struggle with mental health and may not have access to the right information or have support systems," said Ajay Maurya, Head of Marketing, Fastrack. Unwind aims to make conversations around mental health more comfortable.

Edited excerpts from an interview with Jova.

On your website you call yourself a recovering warrior. What led you to creating @theartidote?

I spent two decades of my life in a state of fear, not being comfortable with who I was and fearing the world outside of me. This began when I was 10 years old, living in Mexico with my family. My father had applied for the green card to the United States and after a decade of waiting, we moved. This move provided many opportunities but also put me at the receiving end of bullying in school. I spoke Spanish, dressed differently, and thus was an easy target. It created a series of micro-aggressions that ended up making me afraid of people. I thought if I went to a new place, people would hurt me. I became an introvert, and could no longer express myself in the fear of being judged.

Fast forward to the present day, I am now speaking all over the world. This is the result of a switch, one that has involved a lot of work. One day, I came across a piece of art on Tumblr. It made me feel good, and I realised that even in my lows, art was a balm. This led me to create @theartidote.

What is an empowerment coach and what is the responsibility that comes with it?

When I started my journey, I toyed with many words that would fit the work I was doing. What I was doing was really healing myself, and then sharing the knowledge I had accumulated with others, without assuming that everything that worked for me would work for others too. It is about encouraging followers to think for themselves and explore the world in their own ways. This is my biggest responsibility.

Tell us about your connection with India. This is your fifth trip to the country.

My connection with India runs deep. My first trip here was due to a heartbreak. At the time I was in Munich and my then girlfriend was in Pune. I had no means to fly to India so I turned to my Artidote community and expressed the wish to take the online forum offline, especially to India. I got my first sponsor within 24 hours. My relationship ended but it set me on a path of self-discovery. I have friends in Bengaluru, Pune, Goa and Mumbai whom I consider my soul family; India makes me feel at home.

In 2018, during my second trip to India, a friend introduced me to yoga with a 45-minute-long session. The magic happened in the last 15 minutes when we were in silence, which allowed us to integrate what we had practised. At the end of it, I found myself in a state of blankness. When I sat at work, I was able to delegate tasks with absolutely no second thoughts. I realised I can put my body through a series of movements that will impact my mind. I have spent the next four years of my life exploring the relationship with my body and mind, by relying on breath work. All I do is sit with myself and tune in.

In one of your earlier interviews, you say that Indians are receptive to mental wellness and are open to talking about it. Can you expand on it?

India holds a unique space in globalisation. With half its population below the age of 25, it is an indication that this population comprises people who grew up on the Internet. There is so much information available, both positive and negative. Indian youth have the exposure and craving to speak about things that we feel the most but talk about the least, especially in a country that has so many taboos, right from opening up to talk about mental wellness to sexual wellness.

How do you understand the psyche of your audience, from country to country, city to city?

I speak to the local people, and try to understand the underbelly of the society. With India, I have seen its realities and understand its complexities. The first phrase I learnt here was one which literally echoes the emotion of the country: Log kya kahenge? (What will people say?). It reflects what the society is like, and the pressure of this is heavy. A lot of youngsters and older people I have spoken to admit that this mindset is one of the bigger evils.

Tell us about the art and writings you feature. Sometimes, we see a post and feel the frame is custom made for us. How do you keep the content relevant?

I am a one-person team. The only thing I look for when I am curating content is whether it makes me feel something. For a short while, I had opened up the possibility of entries, but it overwhelmed me. As I’m friends with a lot of artists across the world whose creations I appreciate, I take their permission to share their work and give them due credit on my posts.

What are your grounding practices?

I love having a good conversation with a close friend or family member where I get the space to share my feelings. Apart from that, breath work is perhaps the simplest thing to do. Take this from a body that felt social anxiety for decades, even when he was alone in his room. I also love to hit the gym and go for a good run.

Affirmations, journaling, manifestations are all trending words today. What is your take on new-age spirituality?

I think it is a rite of passage for anyone who wants to delve deeper to understand and take control of their emotional well-being. I think it came about because of the need to bring spirituality into this new ecosystem.

I see this new-age spirituality as the creation of a new language. Sometimes it might get forcefully woke. For a very long time, I was afraid of entering into this space. “Will power corrupt me? Am I capable of doing what I think I can?” I had to go through an internal journey to trust myself with @theartidote.

Tell us about your move from Munich to Mexico.

In 2020, I had hit rock bottom. I lost my job as a tour guide in Munich, and had panic attacks, leading to an intense breakdown. The thing about healing is that it is a continuous process; sometimes we have to re-heal a part we think we have healed. I would put all the knowledge I had accumulated since 2014, and teach it to those who needed it, and that’s how coaching came in. I wanted to do this in a space where I felt most inspired, and zeroed in on my home ground, Mexico.

Is a book in the offing?

Yes, I have the title already (laughs). I want to call it Healing Thoughts. Imagine reading something that made you see the world differently. One day, I’ll get to it.

Also Read: Masoom Minawala on failure, privilege and staying honest on social media

Also Read: Mumbai-based restaurateur Gauri Devidayal on the lessons she has learnt from failure

Also Read: Why are people ghosting each other?