Posted byPaul Falcone
— 18 Comments

What if mental illnesses were shown on the outside? 

Would we still be afraid to ask for help?

The slideshow below is showcasing some of the shots that were taken during my last photo shoot for my project Consumed. As someone who has personally fought both depression and anxiety I looked for a way to personify this invisible illness that no one can see.

How does anxiety feel? 

Anxiety creeps up on you and suffocates the surrounding air. You can feel it approaching but theres nothing you can do to stop it. It consumes you with the idea that what could go wrong, will, and leaves you stuck in your tracks. As the thoughts continue a depression sinks in as you realize that you are not the one in control of you thoughts. 

And then you start to feel alone.

Consumed by your illness.

I hope these photos help you represent what you fight like they did for me, and I hope those who have trouble understanding what anxiety (and depression) feels like, understand a little more.

See more shots below.

And always remember you are not alone.

You are loved.

PF

Want to submit to this site and share your story, art, or article? Email wemustbebroken@gmail.com

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© Paul M. Falcone

18 comments

    1. Umad,

      I could see why you could think that. But if you look at the photos as a series of photographs you can see there could be other ways to look at it. I attempted to show that it is a way of personifying a “darkness” reaching for you that many people who fight mental illness can identify with. If you look at just the final images with the model painted black with the hands covering her I could see how this could potentially be interpreted as racist. But this photo is also part of a larger whole, entitled “Consumed”, which will include all different races, genders, an sexual identities. I did not intend to offend anyone.

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  6. As a person who has battled with depression for about 30 years, I can appreciate the representation. It captures that feeling of the darkness which engulfs one. Some may describe it as a thick sludge that threatens to overtake one making it impossible to breathe. Imagine a dinosaur trapped in a tar pit. Or it could be envisioned as fish, birds, and various forms of sea life caught in an oil spill.

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    1. I feel the same way. While I have only fought depression for only 10 years, I felt I needed a way to articulate what so many people can’t put into words. This was interesting because I thought it could equally depict both depression and anxiety in one series. But its all to often that the two coexist. Thanks so much for your comment. Feel free to share!

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  8. Beautiful. And that word still does this no justice. Keep it up, and remember: Great art will always offend someone, somewhere. No matter the subject or topic. It’s inevitable. It means there’s passion, heart, and inspiration behind what you’ve done and that passion will light a fire in people. Either positive or negative, depending on how it was perceived. So once again, amazing stuff. Looking forward to your next piece.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment. I know with any art there can be opposition, and I do my best to comment in a constructive manner. Feel free to share these images if you connected with them! Can’t wait to work with you in the future.

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      2. just a heads up! it’s not 100% finished but i got some stuff live. Cant sit around and be stagnant, it kills me! Whenever you get the time, go ahead and send me what ever you’d like me to feature. Looking forward to reading it 🙂

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