Mental illness can be very tricky to write about and study because it’s a confusing and dividing subject. As a society, we do our best to try and help those with mental illnesses, however, it’s incredibly hard to understand their illness and why it acts the way it does.
Art can be confusing as well. It’s a subjective form of expression that, like mental illness, can be both dividing and baffling. There is, however, an answer to both of these bewildering parts of life.
Enter Japanese artist Avogado6. She has been posting on her Twitter for some time now different images that describe mental illnesses very poignantly. During this article, I will try to decipher some of these messages using research and personal experience, but of course, their meanings are subjective. Hopefully, if you need it, you’ll be able to find some comfort in the illustrations created by this very talented artist.
The slow march of time will eventually be our downfall. Whether it’s fast or slow, for some the end may be welcomed and those who welcome it are just waiting for time to run out.
Just like everything else in this world, the people who are genetically disposed to love you will also disappear. The look on the boy’s face is less surprised or distraught, but calmer and almost accepting.
Your creator, whoever that may be, apparently didn’t finish you before putting you on to this world. Whether they ran out of time or simply just didn’t care, you’re thrust into life stringless and not totally put together.
If you burn too brightly to light up the world for others, then eventually you will burn out and inevitably, melt into a messy, sticky pile of wax.
The only way to survive, the only way not to be noticed by those that would try to find and/or hurt you, is to curl yourself up in a ball and hide.
Paint on a smile and switch it day to day, but on the inside only you know that it’s not really there. Watch as once the day is up, your smile drifts away like smoke and suddenly you’re left with nothing.
Our relationship with the animal kingdom, specifically our pets, can be the answer to a brief amount of happiness. Also, they will always provide for us free, unquestioned love whenever we need it the most.
The love and time that we put in our art can really haunt us the moment it’s broken apart. Whether it’s by accident, natural or unnatural forces, the moment our art is attacked it feels like we personally are being broken or misshapen.
Depression can keep us in bed all day and we can feel like we’re shackled too it. Even though the key is within our reach, we would rather fuse with the bed than get up and face the day.
Motivation can feel like some unknown, unseen power that comes from nowhere. When we’re down, we can feel like our batteries and motivation have been violently ripped from our bodies.
The more you push forward, the more you can feel like everyone behind you is trying to pull you back. Whether that’s actual toxic people in our life or a metaphor for our mind and doubts, the important thing to do is to keep pushing forward.
Feelings, especially toxic ones, can feel trapped in our body just trying desperately to break free. If left unchecked, they can result in violent behavior hence the knife behind the subject’s back. The message here is to try and get help before toxic feelings become violent tendencies.
The more work we pile up, the more of our beautiful, colorful thoughts escape from our head. The message here is to find a good balance between work and our creativity, so as not to exhaust ourselves.
We can often feel chained and kept down by our hearts, especially those of us who are overly empathetic or constantly try to please others. The important thing about this illustration is to find a good balance between following our brains and our hearts.
Society’s has a tendency to exclude or shun individuality, as it is occasionally seen as scary, weird or even evil. The subject in this image is trying to make themselves feel normal by destroying their individuality. While being an individual may scare some, it’s actually pretty cool for others. Just try and find those who find you cool for being you.
Finally, even though the rest of our lives may be in shambles, social media allows us to shrink our world down to just the best parts. There are two messages here– one, for those posting on social media just remember that your real life is more important than your online one and two, those envying others on social media remember it’s not always as it seems.
