This is my version of the more popular ( ; ) mark. A paper clip is a very simple innovation. It is just a twisted metal but it can keep things together (not permanently though, but still). I even had a paper clip tattoo to remind myself every day that “I should keep things together”. For me, it symbolizes life more because it has a starting point and an end point. There is also direction of movement that can depict how people live their lives. Can be from outside going in, or being in touch with what is inside and slowly discovering the world outside.
In this series, I would like to visualize the most common mental illnesses and disorders a lot of people, especially the youth, are facing right now. Through these minimalist illustrations, I hope to promote awareness and understanding of the alarming problem.
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Anxiety
Depression
So accurate, it's like you're alone in the world... I struggle with it daily, and this is perfect
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
All OCD patients are not obssessed of organizing things. Their obsessions can be towards something else, for example collecting something. For example some hoarders are OCD patients. But I understand that it is difficult to express the diversity of OCD with just one simple art picture.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
reflects the duality of my sense of self...literally two different people depending on where I am on the roller coaste
Dissociative Identity Disorder
This one speaks to me. The one normal paper clip surrounded by the stranger ones on all sides: it's like the strange ideas talking to the one in the middle
I have DID and it's not nearly this colorful. I'm getting absolutely sick of people doing art pieces about mental illness and only representing them with b******t stereotypes.
for me, at least, it would be more accurate if the center one was tiny and the others were huge and crowding the tiny one. DID isn't what you'd think of as multiple personalities, exactly. they don't feel like "your" personalities. they're more like roommates you're forced to share a head with.
Yeah. It’s sort of like this. It’s simplified for sure, but I won’t go on a rant about my DID because I’m not the the mood :/
This interpretation looks like multiple personalities due to the variety of colors. If that is the case, then this interpretation is false. Schizophrenia is a disconnection from reality and perception. Dissociative identity disorder (DID) would be more accurate for this.
I'm confused it says it is Dissociative Identity Disorder. Did it say something different before?
Load More Replies...Eating Disorder
Substance Abuse
It's like the paperclips are drugs, and they're coming out of a container of drugs
I think you're obsessed with paper clips, sir. But both your project and your tattoo are great!
Load More Replies...Quite often projects like this don't translate that well to people who don't already know what it would feel like, but I think your paper clips work. Also, your write up managed to get your point across in a factual manner instead of the usual style where people come across as whiney emo a******s crying for attention. I'm very impressed.
This is really inspiring, because I deal with depression and anxiety on the daily. I find this to be comforting, to know that I'm not alone in my troubles and I know that there are other people out there that are dealing with the things I am too. The paper clip perspective is gorgeous, the way you thought of the meaning is amazing, and I'm going to copy you (if you don't mind, of course) and get a paper clip tattoo. Thank you so much for this, I appreciate this very much :)
I don't particularly identify as having any mental illnesses, but I really understand your art and understand mental illness a little better as a result. How you've managed to achieve that with paperclips is beyond me!
Many of us can identify with occasionally experiencing some lighter versions of the symptoms or traits of various illnesses. Exhibits such as this one help us to recognize our own interactions with the symptoms and begin to get an inkling of what it is like to be fully involved with an illness.
Load More Replies...If someone told me to represent anything with paper clips, I'd question their mental health, lol! But somehow you've done it. Symbolic, meaningful and powerful. Well done!
These are, for the most part, based on stereotypes and stigma. Anorexia isn't the only eating disorder, ocd isn't simply wanting things to be "neat", and DID isn't as "colorful" as you make it look here.
I have quite a few mental illnesses and this makes me very happy that someone, anyone has the option to try and understand what we feel on the outside as well as the inside. A lot of "us" don't like to tell anyone or to even speak out about it. Kudos to you to for being able to capture all of this, especially with just using J gm paperclips.
I love these, that depression one is so accurate it's actually upsetting.
I am actually diagnosed with the first six on the list and been free of number eight for fourteen years now , I think the illustration makes perfect since. Each one illustrates how it makes makes you feel, 1.anxiety= scattered and chaotic. 2.Depression= Very alone. 3.OCD= everything around me is organized and neat just as the paper clips are accept that purple one at the bottom , not only is it crooked but it is also upside down , that one represents me, my world is organized but i'm off kilter. 4.PTSD= as the paper clip in number two it is alone , but it is not smooth like the other ones looks almost rippled and frail. it can do the same job as the other paperclips but can't handle the same kind of pressure a normal paperclip can and could snap at any moment causing everything to fall apart.5.Bi Polar=The same as Depression accept you are alone on two different planes one up one down. 6. DID=I am the one in the middle being isolated by the other personalities feeling like they are
continued from above ......... closing in on me , taking over , and once again the one in the middle represents being alone
Load More Replies...Love these. I love how you can be able to interpret all these with just clips
This was really great. I'm a counselor and this is very representative
If you don't think a particular entry fully conveys a mental illness or disorder, then create your own version. Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two experiences with the same mental disorder are alike.
For schizophrenia there could be a transparent paperclip and a bunch of other ones like it surrounding a normal one
i think i get what you mean, on one hand it is inspiring and valuable to approach those issues, to increase awareness. But what seems weird after a while, is when so many artists try to interpret states of mind, that they just aren't going through themselves..
Load More Replies...I think you're obsessed with paper clips, sir. But both your project and your tattoo are great!
Load More Replies...Quite often projects like this don't translate that well to people who don't already know what it would feel like, but I think your paper clips work. Also, your write up managed to get your point across in a factual manner instead of the usual style where people come across as whiney emo a******s crying for attention. I'm very impressed.
This is really inspiring, because I deal with depression and anxiety on the daily. I find this to be comforting, to know that I'm not alone in my troubles and I know that there are other people out there that are dealing with the things I am too. The paper clip perspective is gorgeous, the way you thought of the meaning is amazing, and I'm going to copy you (if you don't mind, of course) and get a paper clip tattoo. Thank you so much for this, I appreciate this very much :)
I don't particularly identify as having any mental illnesses, but I really understand your art and understand mental illness a little better as a result. How you've managed to achieve that with paperclips is beyond me!
Many of us can identify with occasionally experiencing some lighter versions of the symptoms or traits of various illnesses. Exhibits such as this one help us to recognize our own interactions with the symptoms and begin to get an inkling of what it is like to be fully involved with an illness.
Load More Replies...If someone told me to represent anything with paper clips, I'd question their mental health, lol! But somehow you've done it. Symbolic, meaningful and powerful. Well done!
These are, for the most part, based on stereotypes and stigma. Anorexia isn't the only eating disorder, ocd isn't simply wanting things to be "neat", and DID isn't as "colorful" as you make it look here.
I have quite a few mental illnesses and this makes me very happy that someone, anyone has the option to try and understand what we feel on the outside as well as the inside. A lot of "us" don't like to tell anyone or to even speak out about it. Kudos to you to for being able to capture all of this, especially with just using J gm paperclips.
I love these, that depression one is so accurate it's actually upsetting.
I am actually diagnosed with the first six on the list and been free of number eight for fourteen years now , I think the illustration makes perfect since. Each one illustrates how it makes makes you feel, 1.anxiety= scattered and chaotic. 2.Depression= Very alone. 3.OCD= everything around me is organized and neat just as the paper clips are accept that purple one at the bottom , not only is it crooked but it is also upside down , that one represents me, my world is organized but i'm off kilter. 4.PTSD= as the paper clip in number two it is alone , but it is not smooth like the other ones looks almost rippled and frail. it can do the same job as the other paperclips but can't handle the same kind of pressure a normal paperclip can and could snap at any moment causing everything to fall apart.5.Bi Polar=The same as Depression accept you are alone on two different planes one up one down. 6. DID=I am the one in the middle being isolated by the other personalities feeling like they are
continued from above ......... closing in on me , taking over , and once again the one in the middle represents being alone
Load More Replies...Love these. I love how you can be able to interpret all these with just clips
This was really great. I'm a counselor and this is very representative
If you don't think a particular entry fully conveys a mental illness or disorder, then create your own version. Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two experiences with the same mental disorder are alike.
For schizophrenia there could be a transparent paperclip and a bunch of other ones like it surrounding a normal one
i think i get what you mean, on one hand it is inspiring and valuable to approach those issues, to increase awareness. But what seems weird after a while, is when so many artists try to interpret states of mind, that they just aren't going through themselves..
Load More Replies...