For years and decades now, people have suffered from mental illnesses. Even though it was not treated as such during the early times where many people who had mental illnesses were considered possessed, doesn’t mean that it did not exist. Whether we believe in the concept of “being possessed”, mental illness is not something we can deny. But, because it is a relatively new concept and still being explored, the fact that many people have been working on its awareness should be applauded and appreciated.
These people are not just psychiatrists, psychologists, or even researchers. Artists, activists, and social workers are also included in the list. Like so, there is an artist named Silvi who is working on her own unique ways to portray some of the most common disorders and mental illnesses. She is a Korean-born Canadian and makes amazing illustrations, those that depict what the actual illness feels like. Human beings are ready to accept any physical or bodily illnesses or diseases, but they find it hard to accept and understand what mental illness is. This is why these illustrations are very important!
In her own words; “I don’t want to claim originality for this character design idea,” she said. “I’ve seen multiple artists depict mental illnesses as monsters. What motivated me to do my own version was because these depictions seemed to either romanticize or demonize mental health disorders. Majority of them focused on manifesting some sort of creepy creature that causes pain to their victims. I didn’t want to draw monsters. I wanted to draw how they feel, and that was the initial motivation.”
Scroll down to check out her illustrations!
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1. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
“Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. ADHD also affects many adults. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought).
An estimated 8.4 percent of children and 2.5 percent of adults have ADHD. ADHD is often first identified in school-aged children when it leads to disruption in the classroom or problems with schoolwork. It can also affect adults. It is more common among boys than girls. (American Psychiatric Association)”
2. Alzheimer
“Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away (degenerate) and die. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that disrupts a person’s ability to function independently.” -Mayo Clinic
Silvia is well aware of how hard it can be to draw these mental illnesses. It is not very easy to understand and even if it is, the manifestation of these disorders in humans is sometimes really hard to see and pinpoint. Because of that, she never fails to add a proper description from a credible source; “My dark drawings are not perfect, and the experiences of those suffering from them can differ for each individual. I’ve made sure to include excerpts from credible sources on each mental health illness I covered in the description of my Instagram posts. The last thing I want is spreading misinformation.”
3. Anorexia
“Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh) nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives.
To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia usually severely restrict the amount of food they eat. They may control calorie intake by vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas. They may also try to lose weight by exercising excessively. No matter how much weight is lost, the person continues to fear weight gain.
Anorexia isn’t really about food. It’s an extremely unhealthy and sometimes life-threatening way to try to cope with emotional problems. When you have anorexia, you often equate thinness with self-worth.
Anorexia, like other eating disorders, can take over your life and can be very difficult to overcome. But with treatment, you can gain a better sense of who you are, return to healthier eating habits and reverse some of anorexia’s serious complications. (Mayo Clinic)”
4. Anxiety
“Quite often, the term “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” are used interchangeably, but they are not the same condition.
Anxiety disorders include disorders that share features of excessive fear and anxiety and related behavioral disturbances. Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat. Obviously, these two states overlap, but they also differ, with fear more often associated with surges of autonomic arousal necessary for fight or flight, thoughts of immediate danger, and escape behaviors, and anxiety more often associated with muscle tension and vigilance in preparation for future danger and cautious or avoidant behaviors. Sometimes the level of fear or anxiety is reduced by pervasive avoidance behaviors. Panic attacks feature prominently within the anxiety disorders as a particular type of fear response. Panic attacks are not limited to anxiety disorders but rather can be seen in other mental disorders as well. (DSM-5)”
It sometimes feels very sad to imagine that people are suffering from these mental illnesses and many others that are worse as well. And though many doctors are working hard to find a cure for these, it is proving to be very difficult if not impossible. It is also important to psycho-educate people about the do’s and don’t’s. Most important of all is early detection and early treatment.
5. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
“Antisocial personality disorder: a pattern of disregarding or violating the rights of others. A person with antisocial personality disorder may not conform to social norms, may repeatedly lie or deceive others, or may act impulsively. – American Psychiatric Association
Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others harshly or with callous indifference. They show no guilt or remorse for their behavior.
Individuals with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. Because of these characteristics, people with this disorder typically can’t fulfill responsibilities related to family, work or school. – Mayo Clinic”
6. Bipolar Disorder
“Bipolar disorders are brain disorders that cause changes in a person’s mood, energy and ability to function. Bipolar disorder is a category that includes three different conditions — bipolar I, bipolar II and cyclothymic disorder.
People with bipolar disorders have extreme and intense emotional states that occur at distinct times, called mood episodes. These mood episodes are categorized as manic, hypomanic or depressive. People with bipolar disorders generally have periods of normal mood as well. Bipolar disorders can be treated, and people with these illnesses can lead full and productive lives. (American Psychiatric Association)”
7. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which time people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things or cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions.
Many people have focused thoughts or repeated behaviors. But these do not disrupt daily life and may add structure or make tasks easier. For people with OCD, thoughts are persistent and unwanted routines and behaviors are rigid and not doing them causes great distress. Many people with OCD know or suspect their obsessions are not true; others may think they could be true (known as poor insight). Even if they know their obsessions are not true, people with OCD have a hard time keeping their focus off the obsessions or stopping the compulsive actions.” -American Psychiatric Association
8. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
“Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault.
PTSD has been known by many names in the past, such as “shell shock” during the years of World War I and “combat fatigue” after World War II. But PTSD does not just happen to combat veterans. PTSD can occur in all people, in people of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and any age. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.
(DSM-5)”
9. Depression
“Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living. -Mayo Clinic”
Well, we are glad Silvia is working towards spreading awareness. And that too, with actual facts from the book. We just hope more and more people start treating mental illnesses as what they are rather than shutting themselves out of it completely. Let us know what you thought of Silvia’s amazing work in the comments section below! Don’t forget to look after yourself, your mental health and others around you!
