A to Z of Mental Health
Client : Personal
Category : Healthcare . writing
Year : 2018
The letter z was featured by 36 days of Type !
Mental Health Awareness through 36 Days of Type
For 2018 edition of 36 days of type, I attempted to learn about mental health from practicing Psychiatrists and document what I learn for the public. The project aimed to document and communicate A-Z of mental health terms that aren’t commonly discussed in India
J is for Judgement
U is for Understanding ECT
Helping young people build mental resilience, from the earliest ages, in order to cope with the challenges of today’s world, was the focus of 2018 World Mental health day. According to WHO, the way to help prevent mental distress and illness among young people, and to manage and recover from mental illness, begins with awareness.
D is for disability and certification in mental health
G is for giving psychological first aid
Q is for Quacks and magico-religious treatments
S is for Self Stigma & the why try effect
I have to suffer from this illness, everything they say about me is true, I deserve to suffer because that is who I am”
This might be an unfamiliar thought to some of us, but for those who suffer from self stigma, this is an everyday reality. Here, you not only suffer from the disease, but you also believe the stereotypes about your disease, internalize them and believe your illness defines you and makes you who you are and what you can become. You stop yourself from trying and just being.
Of course, no matter what the stories are, you don’t deserve your suffering. No one should make you feel that way,
not even you.
Process
Through discussions with a team of psychiatrists, I handpicked the words. Further, I wrote about each one of them & illustrated the letter.
What the process felt like
Impact
This project from May 2018 has impacted a minimum of 100 strangers who have messaged me regarding how it has influenced them, helped them breathe or helped them learn. It was also part of exhibition at the Lalit Kala Academy art gallery calicut where people from different strata of society viewed it and gave their valuable feedback.
credits: Dr Shilpa V. S , Dr Sheena G Soman, Dr. Sajal Sathiadevan, Dr. Surabhi Hiwale, Dr Srinivas Rajkumar, Dr Shipra Somvanshi, Dr Lavanya Sharma, Saurabh Vashishtha