How Art Can Help Us Communicate Our Mental Health Story

Using Art to Combat the Social Context of Mental Illness

Everyone should share in the prosperity, I argue. That's Bart Simpson for you!

My goal in sharing my experience is to help dispel the stigma associated with bipolar disorder by being as transparent as possible about my disease. Giving something back from my crazy little existence. I believe that bipolar disorder enhances my creative abilities, but I'll never know whether my creativity would have been the same if my mood had been more stable.

Artists emerge in many kinds, as do repairing the scars of mental illness. Art comes in many forms; writing is my major art form, but I also like collage and a variety of crafts.

What is your major go-to for artistic expression?

Seeing art and artists is immensely diverse; we share our mental health experiences in a manner we feel comfortable with, sharing them in a way we can offer others a glimpse into our heads, enabling people who understand but still stay tight on our particular tale.

Art Requires Bravery

Sharing our struggles via art is a great, daring method to overcome the stigma around mental illness. Even if we keep our work close to our hearts and don't let it meet another set of eyes, we are sharing it with ourselves.

We show ourselves where we have some control over the turmoil in our brains, an outlet to assist us in communicating our actual sentiments. A place to turn when the world is too much.

Our weapon of choice, whether it be a pencil, costume, charcoal, painting, or even a flower bed, is ours to explore and extend to express who we are within.

Creating needs bravery.

De-Stigmatising 🧠

De-stigmatizing the issues of mental illness might seem like an uphill struggle, a war not worth undertaking. Worry not; each step we take to communicate knowledge about our experiences produces a new, deeper understanding.

Mental illness has traditionally been considered a disadvantage, full stop, end of story.

I believe that's bull honky! Yes, having a chronic condition has several downsides.Such as the stigma associated with them... nevertheless, it's not all doom and gloom, or, in the case of depression, it is...

Using art may help us learn to convey our narrative, discover how we are linked to the environment around us, and so much more. One in five (20%) Australians aged 16–85 encounter a mental disorder in any year (*1).

Seeing how widespread mental illness is, isn't it necessary to share so others feel safe expressing their unique voices too?

I absolutely think so.

How we de-stigmatize via sharing our art:

Increases exposure on actual mental disease sufferers; we are individuals first.

Helps other fighters know that it's fine not to be okay...

Shows ways folks may express themselves and reach out to others like them

Makes us feel less alone in the world of high-functioning "normies."

Presenting an intervention on public stigma by disclosing the reality of our diseases

Showing that the stigma is false and shouldn't prohibit us from obtaining treatment

Creates a network and strength around instilling bravery in those experiencing similar situations.

A strategy to educate the broader population about mental illness

Contribute to getting a better picture of what the pain looks/feels like.

I could go on and on about the advantages of creative expression pushing against the stigma, but let's leave it there. If you are wondering about further ways our work combats the stigma, please let me know. ❤

Your support means more to me than you can ever imagine by reading this.