Over the span of several class sessions, I worked on an art piece that reflected on an aspect of my identity that has been oppressed. Through the process of creating this piece, I came to terms with several events where I received unjust treatment from others that resulted from their reactions to my disability; a diagnosis of mental illness. In the following paper, I will explore why the circumstances of these events and how they have affected the way I perceive my mental illness. In addition, my awareness of the stigma and misunderstanding of mental illness and how it will influence the clinical services I will provide in the future is examined. During my freshman year of high school, I experienced a psychotic episode, which resulted in
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The woman’s figure is abstract instead of realistic, which symbolizes my distorted view of the world resulting from the symptomology associated with my mental illness. The woman’s head is cracked open exposing her brain to the men pictured at the right. When I was first diagnosed, the physicians I encountered where cold in temperament and instilled in me that I was my mental illness, not an individual who has a mental illness. They sought to treat my condition with medication that affected my brain chemistry, instead of viewing my illness from a holistic …show more content…
Her face depicts an expression of calmness and her warm smile inspires in me the notion of kindness. This woman represents a nurse I encountered during a recent hospitalization. When I first entered the inpatient unit, I underwent a strip search that involved me getting naked and having two women examine my body for signs of self-harm. These women made comments on my birthmarks, and the stretch marks on my stomach that significantly dented my self-esteem. Also, I had to squat and cough to prove that I wasn’t hiding any items that I could use to hurt myself. Although I understand that these procedures are in place to ensure my safety and assess my current state of crisis, I felt like I was criminal who had committed a
The woman’s figure is abstract instead of realistic, which symbolizes my distorted view of the world resulting from the symptomology associated with my mental illness. The woman’s head is cracked open exposing her brain to the men pictured at the right. When I was first diagnosed, the physicians I encountered where cold in temperament and instilled in me that I was my mental illness, not an individual who has a mental illness. They sought to treat my condition with medication that affected my brain chemistry, instead of viewing my illness from a holistic …show more content…
Her face depicts an expression of calmness and her warm smile inspires in me the notion of kindness. This woman represents a nurse I encountered during a recent hospitalization. When I first entered the inpatient unit, I underwent a strip search that involved me getting naked and having two women examine my body for signs of self-harm. These women made comments on my birthmarks, and the stretch marks on my stomach that significantly dented my self-esteem. Also, I had to squat and cough to prove that I wasn’t hiding any items that I could use to hurt myself. Although I understand that these procedures are in place to ensure my safety and assess my current state of crisis, I felt like I was criminal who had committed a