We all live with hopes and dreams we carry around like a shiny balloon to be proud of. It is when someone or something dashes these dreams, we are left with a deflated, defeated feeling of loss and loneliness that is hard to overcome.
We all have little inner voices that guide us through life, like our conscience. It is when the inner voices scream louder than reality that the mental health struggle tips the scales towards self-harming behaviors.
Abuse comes in many forms, not just physical. In this piece, I have tried to convey, not only the many types, but also the feelings a victim experiences during these types of abuse. The word itself is outlined in words of abuse and associated terms and feelings. The body of each letter is filled with images depicting a few of these.
The persona of an individual suffering abuse or mental health issues has a compulsory duality, almost required by society. On the outside, all seems beautiful, healthy and "normal" to those we meet and interact with on a daily basis. On the inside is where we hide our pain, depression, grief, and more that is always threatening to overtake the soul.
In the struggle of mental health or abuse, it often feels like we are stuck in an infernal abyss. We see others thriving in their possitivity, success, and freedom making us feel even more oppressed by our situations and feelings.
Depression often feels like the bottom of a deep, dark well we cannot escape. People are walking by, blissfully ignorant to what lies deep within the cold, dark recess of our well. We try to climb the slick, jagged rocks, and sometimes we succeed, other times we get stuck and eventually fall back to the muddy floor. Other times, the well fills with water forcing us to tred or drowned in our own desolation.
