Help with a project

wow, thank you for that @grubbytoes, there is definitely something I can make with that. Regarding your previous comment about reading about other peoples experiences, I guess that is part of the reason for the whole project as well. I am struggling with certain aspects of this collection of photos as an exhibition because I am worried that some may perceive it as highlighting the negative aspects of mental illness, whereas the intent is to share the experience to create inclusiveness, so that people don't feel alone in the way that they are, or the illness they are experiencing. I keep swinging from thinking that it will be ok, to thinking that it will be negative and offend people that do have a MI. Does that make sense? Open to any comments on that one as well. Thank you so much again for sharing.

Hi @sphinx,

What you say makes complete sense, I know I struggle with telling what I feel are other peoples stories, that I feel like I won't do them justice.

Look, I can't speak for others obviously, but the thing I constantly find myself reaching out for is others personal experiences. The internet, in my opinion, is so full of definitions written by psychologists, but often what I really want to know is "how does it feel for you?" and I find it quite difficult to express what I actually experience to others, I wish I could communicate telepathically my experiences when someone asks, "so bipolar, like how is that exactly? is it this?"

And if you are worried about it all being negative, who knows, maybe another community member will have an image for you about how it feels to be on the path of beating something they are battling, or what it feels like to have hope that things will get better.

@grubbytoes I find your avatar image a kind of recovery image. I have sometimes liked taking photos of my feet, lately my feet in the sand at the beach. Maybe with bipolar there might be something good about grounding with our feet...

@sphinx I understand your fears about the way you are representing mental illness. These kinds of questions often arise with artistic projects. With the ones I have been involved with in the past, I have often worried about expressing 'darkness'. I have usually gone ahead with the projects anyway because I think art has a slightly different role in the world than social commentary. I tend to think expressive arts exist to depict the whole range and all shades of human experience.

ha! @Mazarita, I felt the same way when I saw @grubbytoes avatar, and just the screen name put a smile on my face. Thank you to both of you for your replies, as this is what I feel as well, I just need to make sure that others think like that as well. I just want to "tell it like it is" in picture form, so there is no point in taking a picture of fluffy bunnies and daisies if nobody thinks these things. although @grubbytoes you said what I have also been thinking would be a good idea, if someone were to give me a recovering, or post recovery picture, that would be a nice balance.

Thanks @Mazarita and @sphinx. I' glad you like my avatar and screen name. They make me smile, which is why I chose them, but it's pretty cool that it makes others smile too. Actually there's one on here that cracks me up everytime, I love it, it's an avatar of a little kind of pug dog, ass up. Brilliant!

and @Mazarita it's funny what you say, about the feet and grounding thing. You know I often do crave the feeling of bare feet on dirt, grass, sand, stone, whatever .. it stills me, and it feels good. And watching my toes wigggle is a good cheat go to for finding the more joyful side of myself.

Hi there,

I think it's an awesome idea. I'm new to the forum myself and I am well at the moment so it's difficult to describe in words what I feel when I'm unwell. But in one word if it helps... "suffocated".

Good luck with your project. It sounds like a fantastic idea 🙂

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@sphinx wrote:

Hi. I am new to the forum and not sure if I am posting this in the right place! Basically I am after some help with a project that I am starting that will help raise awareness about mental illness.

I have suffered from anxiety for a number of years. I am an amatuer photographer that has just had my first mini exhibition and am now wanting to do another that surrounds mental health issues. I would like to ask people if they could write to me in words a picture that describes what their illness feels like (does that make sense?). So any feedback to how I go about this, or if anyone woud like to volunteer their description would be greatly appreciated (it would be done anonymously with just the illness and age noted). I am very aware of wanting to do this in a manner that does not offend anyone.

The end goal is to create photos from these descriptions and exhibit them with proceeds going to mental health organisations. Thanks very much

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