This thesis discusses the relationship between photography and mental healthcare to reduce symptoms of those diagnosed with a mental illness. My research contacts photographers who use photography as a form of art therapy to showcase and express their emotions that they cannot verbally communicate. Combining with my own practice of using photography to channel mental health struggles supports this thesis to acknowledge the extent photography can help with mental health emotions.
Introduction
If you are a sufferer of a mental illness, you will always have a way to cope with your illness; an antidote. Whether that being self-harm, eating, not eating or journaling; you will always have that way of coping either for a moment or for a while. This dissertation is discussing how photography is used by many as a coping mechanism for a mental illness as a form of art therapy. Within this essay, I will discuss how I have contacted several photographers to discuss this topic and whether it can be recommended to others to help with their illness. My motivation for the topic of this dissertation is to inspire others that suffer with a mental illness to look into photography as a form of art therapy as a coping mechanism for their mental health battles. As a sufferer of mental health issues, I use my chosen practice of photography to help express my emotions and inner thoughts that I cannot put into words.
MAIN BODY
FACTS
Within this chapter, I will discuss the known facts of mental health illnesses within our modern society.
Mental illness; a topic not understood by many. In our society, mental illnesses are becoming more talked about and more known. The phrase ‘man up’ is less used and more people are beginning to ask for help. We now have World Mental Health Day to raise awareness, artists rapping about suicide and publicising the suicide national health line, help groups, apps, websites and much more to help people overcome or discuss their illness. We are becoming a generation that is becoming more aware and more understanding of the invisible illness that is mental health. “One in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.”
More facts about mental health. How has it increased or decreased? Common types? Discuss what is anxiety what is depression etc.
ART THERAPY
This chapter is discussing the topic of art therapy. What is art therapy and how can this help with a mental illness.
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy using art as a medium to address emotional issues and as a primary mode of expression and communication. The creative process of making art can help patients to resolve issues, manage behaviours, express feelings, reduce stress and improve self-esteem. If you are diagnosed with an illness, whether that be mental, emotional or physical you will always search for an escape from that illness. It has been found that art is becoming a common method to help others escape the emotional effects of illnesses through art making and becoming creative. As it can be difficult to discuss emotions verbally, art helps express experiences and emotions that are difficult to put into words. Art therapy’s purpose is essentially to heal or increase coping skills. All types of art can be used within art therapy from painting, photography to illustrating, collaging and sculpting. Painting is the most common use within art therapy. Putting paint to paper allows an endless amount of freedom. The colours used can represent emotions. Using bright colours contrasting with darker colours convey the emotions the patient is feeling. “Art therapy stands in contrast with other kinds of creative or expressive arts therapies that use dance, music or drama. One of the major differences between art therapy and other forms of communication is that most other forms of communication elicit the use of words or language as a means of communication.” Art therapy looks at illnesses in different ways, encouraging patients to express the emotions they have tried to ignore, disregard and hide from others. Contrasting with the general treatments for illnesses, art therapy is recommended for mental illnesses as the patient can express feelings without the use of verbal communication. For those with mental health problems, art therapy is recommend by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent as a treatment for schizophrenia and related conditions.
LOOK INTO A TYPE OF ART THERAPY
Researching into the topic of art therapy, it can be used through personal sessions one on one with the patient and therapist or through group classes. Within classes, it allows the patient to become creative yet also explore verbally their emotions when communicating to fellow patients and class mates. Within the book, Art Therapy by …, Butchalter discusses the techniques explored within a standard art therapy class. Sessions include drawing with eyes closed, incorrect hand, fellow students hand and simply drawing squiggles. The job of an art therapist is to encourage the patient to explore into the depth of their emotions, channelling their energy into each piece of work. Although art therapy is encouraged by therapists, it does not mean a patient cannot do this on a personal level. Art therapy is a subject available to explore personally without the support of others. Our modern society allows therapeutic art to be showcased online for fellow patients to discuss and relate too.
Photography for some is used within art therapy. The simplicity of taking a photograph to express personal emotions is more appealing to some than drawing or painting. The camera can be used to capture current emotions, parts of personal life, self-portraits or even in a documentary style to log daily tasks or activities. Researching into the topic of using photography as a common course of art therapy I have discovered several photographers battling with mental illnesses, who use their passion and chosen practice of photography to express their emotions or channel the concept of mental illness within their work. Using photography as communication for emotions rather than for art, it does not mean prior experience with photography is recommended. The purpose of art therapy means that anyone can practice it. Photography as an art therapy creates an endless amount of outcomes due to no two illnesses being the same. The techniques used can create different emotions from grains, colours, shadows and lighting expressing darker stages of illnesses to beginning to overcome the battle with the illness.
Discussing this topic with photographers, I can see 4 out of 7 photographers I have interviewed use photography after their depressive episode to channel out further emotions to others.
OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS
This dissertation is a topic that is personal for myself due to battles with anxiety and depression. Photography helps express these battles to others and for myself to channel my emotions into something positive.
Contacting photographers, I can see how photography has been used to overcome an illness or decrease the pain in a depressive episode. Within this chapter, I will begin to discuss the emotions of the photographers I have contacted, their coping mechanisms and how photography has helped with their battles with mental health.
Within our society, we are lucky that there are several online platforms available to express emotions and share inner thoughts. Fragmentary and Broken Light Collective are online non-profit charities, creating an online surface for photographers to showcase their work created around the concept of mental illness.
Broken Light Collective is a website that showcases different photographers work who suffer with an mental illness. Broken Light Collective is slightly different to Fragmentary as anyone is able to submit work anonymously and also as an individual image rather than a series. Photographers are able to display their work here knowing that it is a safe and accepting environment striving to support, inspire and help others through the use of photography. The website is there to get support whilst showcasing the personal emotions felt and knowing that ‘you’ are not alone. It is very important to talk about mental illnesses and not suffer alone and that is why this website is so important. Even if you are not a photographer or creative, you can access this website to get support, talk to others, read others stories and learn how people cope.
DANIELLE HARK
Danielle Hark is the founder and director of Broken Light Collective. Hark went that extra step further to help herself and others discuss their mental illness by creating Broken Light Collective. I was lucky enough to be able to contact Hark for information about her photography and how she battles with her mental illness. During college Hark began battling anxiety and depression after the loss of her father to ALS. “It was a good distraction and a way to express myself. It has helped me in many situations since.” Hark discovered photography helped her to fight against her depression during a panic attack which left her paralysed leaving her unable to breathe in between fits of crying. This went on until she pulled out her phone and began photographing herself. “My tears stopped, my breathing slowed and I became more present. That was a profound moment for me.” Founding Broken Light Collective was during a dark phase within Hark’s life where she was unable to leave her room due to panic attacks. Hark began to share her work online creating a community for others to share their stories of mental illness through the use of photography. “Within a few days, when the submissions started coming in, I felt less alone and knew that this site could be something really special.” Discussing with Hark how powerful the use of photography can be to showcase emotions, Hark said “I would strongly recommend photography to anyone who is struggling. It doesn’t matter if you understand the technical aspects or have a fancy camera. It can just be snaps with a phone camera in your room or as you take a walk around the block. The therapeutic benefit can come from the act of going out and taking a photo, or finding one you like, or sharing your favourite photo with someone. It is not about the technique, or the finished product. Photography puts you in your environment, It helps you to be mindful and present. Taking photos can be calming and can help ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression, among other mental health challenges. It may not be a cure, but along with other treatments, photography can be a helpful tool and create beautiful art.”
MATTHEW LEES
Through Fragmentary, I was able to discover more photographers battling with mental health issues. This website has created an incredible platform for photographers to showcase their work whilst discussing personal emotions and the inspirations behind their work.
Matthew Lees is a photographer from Manchester exploring the conflict of living with anxiety. The work Lees creates “acts as a self help therapy for myself as I try to heal without the aid of prescribed drugs, as I am in constant conflict with what my head is thinking and what my heart wants.” Matthew Lees created the project Therapy 2 during university after losing his entire work and failing his first term which only made his anxiety and stress worse. Lees used photography when he was unable to leave the house due to not wanting to face the world, creating the first project, Therapy 2, of many which explores how he feels about his mental health.
STEPH WILSON
Steph Wilson, a photographer from … creates outstanding photographs surrounding the topic of mental health antidotes. Wilsons work has been featured within Dazed Magazine due to combining elements of fashion and fine art to create an incredible collection focusing on several antidotes used by mental health sufferers as a coping mechanism for their illness. Wilson incorporates hidden messages within her photographs to show antidotes from evidence she has collected through the use of literal and symbolic interpretations. The title, The Bell Curve, is a metaphor for an antidote used by Wilsons best friend, Grace. When Grace is feeling anxious, she begins to dig her nails in her skin to create half moon shapes within her palms; this being her way to calm and relax herself. “There was such affection in my friend Alice’s tone when describing the half moons created by digging her fingernails into the skin as a form of distraction. It really made me realise that you fall in love with your anxiety as much as you learn to despise it.” The Bell Curve is also how Wilson describes anxiety: there is a peak, and after that peak it eventually drops. Relating to this on a personal level, when suffering through a panic attack you are convinced it will last forever, however, understanding that at most it can last is 20 minutes often reduces it’s duration and the pain during the attack. Skin is also shown through the use of colour pallets within the images from the background to the pale models featured within the images. The Bell Curve is named this due to Wilson’s anxiety being the inspiration behind Wilson's project along with combining emotions Wilson collected from others when creating this shoot. Wilson battled with anxiety for over 10 years and channeled the symptoms of her anxiety disorder to use them to create something of a positive affect. Other messages within this collection include the dream-like feel within the styling of the models. This is reflecting how Wilson began daydreaming as a self taught way to zone out and enjoy the dislocation of her surroundings. The styling, by Tereza Ortiz, represents comfort through duvets and pyjamas along with claustrophobia through the use of heavy layers, thick textures and multiple models.
The combination of fashion to show the concept of mental health issues creates an outstanding unique collection not like many others. An image that stands out is this image below featuring a male model with match sticks used to hold open his eyes. Within this photograph, Wilson is incorporating the lack of sleep which is a symptom of depression and anxiety. Wilson uses a male model within her images to showcase the fact that men suffer with mental health issues as well as woman. This was a vital choice when creating Wilson’s images to remind society that men are also victims of anxiety. The increase of men's mental health issues has increased by …. and men now total 75% of suicide cases within the US. Although this collection has a fashion feel to the images, Wilson discusses how the photographs were not intentionally created to have a fashion aesthetic to it, this was just created through the use of colours and styling which were not picked for fashion purposes, but for literal representations of anxiety. “Anxiety, however, is ugly and prickly and hollow. It doesn’t deserve a fashion trend.”
Contacting Wilson to discuss her anxiety struggles, Wilson explained how photography helped with her anxiety as a way to have a hold over something. “It must have had something to do with conducting the situation and being in control.” Contrasting to other photographers I have contacted, I can see how Wilson’s use of photography is not to express her emotions as she states “I’ve always been very open and honest about any mental health issues and anxiety, the photography shone more a light on a general reflection of the scope of anxiety and it’s symptoms, the vastness of coping mechanisms and how wide spread it is.”
HOW DOES SHE CONTRAST TO OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS
Christina Riley
Christina Riley began photographing her mental health during 2011 when she stopped taking her bipolar disorder medication and beginning to feel depressed and manic. During this state Riley became unsure to who she was, with such powerful emotions Riley felt the need to express her emotions to others by using her passion for photography. “It’s difficult to explain just how much of a compulsion it was. My camera was with me always as I lived through months of highs, then the lowest lows of depression and anxiety. By taking the pictures, I was able to see what was going on. When living in that other world, everything felt like a dream. Taking pictures was a glimpse of reality and a bit of a distraction.” Riley kept the grain on her images and she felt this was a good way to show the emotions and space that she was experiencing during this time, with the weird colour and imperfections expressing the disconnected state she was in. Christina Riley is a representation of how photography can help bring you back from the edge, using your emotions and your passion to express to others the battles you are facing; getting that help you need. Whilst creating her images Riley began sharing her images on a blog along with her poetry allowing others to begin finding her work. This is when the founder of Straylight Press, Tony Fouhse, offered to publish her work as a book. BACK TO ME was now born, selling over ??? Copies worldwide, Riley has become an inspiration.
Riley received incredible reactions to ‘Back to Me’ inspiring Riley to create further work. The positive feedback from the public allowed Riley, and others, to know that they are not alone helping each other to feel understood. “I had a conversation with someone who actually told me their friend committed suicide at one of the spots pictured in my book, and he told me he was happy I got through my episode ok. The positive feedback from other photographers and artists who I respect has been really nice and encouraging as well. I think putting myself out there so honestly, really set me free.”
The use of self-portraits within photography is an incredible unique take for a photographer to use. Partly, as this creates images that are unlike others. The use of self-portraiture within Riley’s work allowed her to photograph whenever the feeling of anxiety struck. The images are unplanned, spontaneous and raw showcasing mental health issues at their peak. Riley explained that within this stage of her life that the use of photography was a way to pull her back to reality. Discussing this with Riley she said, “By taking the pictures, I was able to see what was going on. When living in that other world, everything felt like a dream. When I slowly recovered, I was able to see how powerful the photographs were. I was also able to revisit the episode and realise I didn’t want to get that sick again. It motivated me to take care of myself more and also brought me to a more focused place with photography. I learned just how helpful it is for my mental sanity and how important it is to share honest experiences with the world. “
For my dissertation, it is expressing how art therapy and mainly phototherapy can be used as a coping mechinism to express emotions we are unable to put into words. Riley is a prime example of how photography can help bring you out of insanity and channel the darker thoughts into something so empowering and outstanding. ‘Back to Me’ not only helped Riley out of emotional states, but allowed others to connect to her work and feel understood. Riley’s aim was not to explain anxiety to non-suffers, but to show the invisible illness in a visible way through her photographs. Riley added, “I would love for people to discover how useful photography can be to deal with mental health issues. It has helped me immensely and it would be great if it could save others as well.”
PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHING PATIENTS
Mental health issues are more talked about, accepted and understood in modern society. The quantity of known sufferers has increased from ** to *** from “2000”. Mental health issues are treated differently now, with support groups for adults and counselling within schools for children. It is becoming more helped for those out of society such as in prison and different countries.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Mental illness is a topic explored by many photographers to support their work and create around a controversial topic. Searching mental illness photography into Google, Tumblr or Pinterest you will be flooded with photographs of models sat in dark spaces, curled into balls, grabbing their head and screaming. This presuming to others that this is how a mental illness makes you feel. Anorexia is shown by tape measures around the waist, Bulimia is shown by a larger model standing over scales, Substance Abuse is shown by being surrounded by pills and Anxiety is shown by dark shadows screaming around you. Sufferers of mental illness can assure you that this is not the general symptoms and how one feels. The images created appear to be created for an aesthetically pleasing view rather than for a self-healing process, presuming that they have not suffered from an illness. Researching into mental health photography deeper, you are able to find several photographers battling with mental illnesses that use photography as a form of therapy. Websites such as Fragmentary and Broken Light Collective are important platforms to showcase work and offer support for patients allowing an in-depth view of the common struggles and battles patients suffer through daily. Art, photography and music are each important to bring attention to the subject of mental health struggles along with discussing the topic and common emotions of mental health. This allows photographers to show the symptoms are not each the same and it can occur within anybody.
Below are several images stereotypically found from common searches within Google or Tumblr. As a sufferer of a mental illness, I do not find these offensive but I do however feel they create the illusion that mental illness is a illness that makes you crazy or mentally unstable. The photographs showing a model screaming create this illusion that sufferers sit at home screaming for help and we cannot contain our emotions which isn’t always the case. This topic can be difficult to create images on that are not seen as stereotypical or common. Not two illnesses are the same as each person is different with different battles and emotions.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
In this chapter I am going to discuss how photography has helped with my mental illness. This will address the topic I am writing about from a personal point of view.
Anxiety and depression are the most common mental illnesses affecting 1 in 4 people. Anxiety and depression are painful, meaning the simplest daily tasks begin to feel impossible. For myself, I have always felt slightly different; felt slightly sad. I can be in the happiest of scenarios and still feel lost or not myself. This dissertation is discussing how suffers of mental illnesses use photography as an antidote to help with their illness, this massively has helped improve my illness. I am not open to discussing my battles with depression or anxiety, as I know compared to others I am a light grey on a scale to pitch black. Photography is my way to show my emotions and discuss my battles with others. In contrast to other photographers, I create photography based on my emotions once I feel slightly better. Knowing that the emotions I feel will be channelled into photography and into my work help each day. I have many antidotes to help with my mental health issues, including journalling and expressing my emotions on the App, Vent. Journalling is a way to get out all of my emotions, close the book and get on with my day. This allows me to go back and read my thoughts to create work.
I base my photography around my illness, not to make others aware or to let others know I feel how they feel, but to help myself. It is my way of expressing how I feel, in some ways allows myself to understand how I feel and why. This allows me to understand mental illness as a topic, exploring into each illness and the emotions carried with the invisible illness. When I first experience that photography helped with my battles with depression and anxiety was within college. It is here where I began exploring into this topic as I somehow felt connected to the context of mental illness inspiring my photography unaware that my emotions were more extreme than I had originally found. Exploring into each illness is how I began to realise my battles with anxiety and depression were common and the thoughts were carried by many. I channelled all of my emotions into my work and felt this really had a huge impact on how I felt and how I could express how I was feeling to others.
DISCUSS A PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE PREVIOUSLY CREATED – my depression photograph of Frankie drowning, the work created with my insecurities on them.
Anxiety; feeling unease, discomfort and nervous that escalates becoming mild or severe. Anxiety for me is being in crowded situations, deadlines, meetings, public speaking and some times speaking in general. Showing this within photography can be very cliché and create stereotypical photographs that can be seen as offensive to patients that struggle with mental health issues. An image I have created to showcase anxiety is below. Creating this image during college during a project based around common mental health issues. This project explored into each illness where I was able to create images from the common symptoms and emotions. My anxiety during this period of time was extreme due to deadlines and personal relationship issues; I felt trapped and suffocated. Using a cloth as a way to show suffocation, I can now see is cliche however due to this being the first time I had explored photography as a form of art therapy, it fit how I felt during this time. This supports how photography can be used as an antidote for mental illness, not to help others but to help the patient as a form of expression. During this period of time, my emotions felt uncontrollable which inspired the project around mental health. This isn’t implying that my photography is only around the topic of mental illness because it is not. This is implying how I use my chosen practice of photography and my passion for photography as a therapeutic experimentation.
Previously, I have discussed the use of journalling as a coping mechanism so I am able to log current emotions. I feel quotes inspire my work whether being of my own or from others found online. Our society has become more open to discussing mental illnesses which is lucky for those who have become familiar to burying emotions to suffer in silence. Due to this, social media has become a place where we are able to express current emotions which can become useful for inspiration for work. The App, Vent, created in …… has become popular within our generation having over …… active users. Vent is an anonymous platform to share thoughts with other users and also show support for others. Within the app, you are able to chat with Vent’s team of communicators for those of us who are scared to open up to family members or friends. Vent has inspired several of my pieces of work by capturing emotions of others and channeling this into photographs.
A quote I have currently worked with is, “Depression; it is like drowning but not being able to die.” This inspired the below piece of work. Underwater photography was a topic I had not explored before. Due to photography being a new subject I had starting experimenting with, this piece was a great achievement showing exactly how I felt. The model looks very peaceful and contempt whilst drowning in the extremely cold water. During this time, I had not yet become open to discuss the subject with peers or family meaning I kept emotions bottled up and buried underneath a smile. This is what I tried to show within this image as the model seemed at peace with drowning. Drowning in emotions is shown within this image but also drowning in anxiety, deadlines and stress whilst keeping a peaceful mask on the outside.