Illustration and mental health

Leah showed me this article:

Mental health week: How drawings on social media are changing the conversation

It talks about how people who feel isolated or struggle to find ways to express their feelings are finding comfort, support and a voice through drawings and illustrations about mental health issues.

These first two are done by Robot Hugs. Their simplicity and nondescript characters enable the audience to project themselves into these situations. The second one in particular will resonate with a lot of people who've struggled with depression, as a lot of the time mental illnesses aren't treated the same way as physical ones. Diseases of the brain are just as valid, and these comics widen the audience and the conversation about mental health, as more and more people share them. Sharing the comics and drawings on social media also provides an easy way for people who are struggling to ask for help without feeling like a burden.

Robot Hugs says they're e-mailed a lot by people saying when they share the comic, they're saying 'this is how you can help me'. He also says that comics are a much more accessible way to talk about mental health, as although there's a lot of writing about it, a lot of people don't have the time to read it or don't want to, but 'everyone's got ten seconds to look at a comic'.

This one by Sylvie Reuter is very simple with no dialogue, but through the pictures and composition alone, it is a very accurate and universal portrayal of what depression can feel like. A lot of people don't understand the ups and downs of depression. It's not just feeling sad all the time, you can have happy periods and still have fun, but it's always just kinda sitting there on your shoulder, waiting.

Reuter also adds that sharing things online anonymously can be a big pressure lifter, similar to Robot Hugs, whilst also getting some validation and support for your feelings.

Rubyetc adds to that by saying that drawing is a way of connecting to people and seeking support without leaving the house or talking to people face to face, which can be a hard task when struggling with depression or anxiety.

All the artists agree there needs to be a broader discussion on issues besides just depression and anxiety, as although these are probably the ost common, many people are still scared of talking about the scarier mental illnesses or symptoms, such as OCD, schizophrenia, bipolar and psychosis for example. 

One artist not mentioned in this article is Ellen Forney, who did draw a graphic memoir about her own experience with having bipolar, which touches on the scarier aspects of it, but as it's a graphic novel and not strips or a cartoon, it's less accessible. I may write another post about it at some point.

Again, this illustration by Lauren Reis touches on the idea that these images should translate across different cultures, class levels and languages by creating the character Selfie. It's pretty nondescript, so it's a good character to project your own feelings on to.

She also says that much of the writing on mental health doesn't touch on the actual feelings and emotions of mental illnesses, and drawings add that more human, personal and relatable touch.