Another change in focus ..

Right, I've decided to change the direction of my extended essay yet again..
I am going to instead look at the link between creativity in mental health. There is lots of really interesting information on this that I keep stumbling across. I feel that it is more narrowed approach to looking at depression and anxiety and i think I'd enjoy researching It much more. I think that it could also make for some interesting studies and questionnaires.

What am I going specifically explore within this?

Why are creatives more creatives diagnosed with anxiety and depression than people in other industries?
Are anxious people more likely to be creative? Because they use it to escape? To express their thoughts to help them cope?
OR
Is the creative industry a cause of anxiety and depression? The pressure, personal exposure, negative feedback, long hours, constant stress?

I could look specifically at illustration??

Mental Health awareness Case Study Notes

 

REFLECTION 1 : SOI feedback

On reflection to my feedback it is clear that looking at weather illustration can be effectively used to educate young people about mental health is far too broad. I would like to explore how much illustration can do to actually help past just raising awareness. Mental health is also an umbrella term so I am going to focus specifically on anxiety and depression. I am also going to stick with a student demographic and maybe focus specifically on how illustration can be used to help young men. Male suicide and depression have been massive in the media at the moment and I have seen it a lot myself. It would be interested to find out why and if there is anything I can do to help. My potential new research question could be ‘to what extent can illustration be used to help young men (/people?) suffering from anxiety and depression’?

In exploring this it would also be interesting to look at weather an illustration alone can actually spur change or if there is more to it. Does it need to be backed by a campaign? Do the materials used to make the illustrations and means of distribution need to be ethical/ support the cause? Does it need to raise money for a charity? Can creativity alone make a difference or do there need to be more people involved. Everyone in my research so far seems to think image making is simply the first step in spurring change. Going this direction also definitely suits my practical interest in exploring how art can be used to comment on and expose social issues.

In terms of ongoing theoretical research I am going to look more into anxiety and depression, the symptoms, statistics and what people have tried to do about it in the past. I am going to look at how artists have dealt with this topic and if sufferers find their work helpful. I am also going to look at how platforms deal with it – indie magazines, pod casts, websites and people’s comments on them. (Suggested: The Sad Ghost Club, My Favorite Murder, Drift) I am also going to look at past campaigns and the impact they have had. Finally, I want to interview people to see what they think of the media boom and if they have found anything helpful or unhelpful.

Practically, I am really unsure what route this work is going. Usually, I like looking at really controversial issues and using visual metaphors to create interesting contrasts and make comments. If I continue down this path my work will ultimately have to be much more sensitive. I’m not sure yet if this is a good or a bad thing but I know I am going to find it a challenge. However, I definitely want to use my work to test weather illustration alone can make a difference. It could be interesting to craft some sort of campaign based around my research or to explore the best way to reach young men with my message – fashion? For now I am going to focus on the theory to see where that takes me..

Project Proposal/ Presentation Feedback Reflections

• General feedback: 
• Looking at weather 'Illustration is an effective way of educating people on mental health issues' is far too broad. 

• Based on the feedback:
• I am going to look at weather it can help instead of raising awareness, to see if illustration can do more than just telling people it exists.
• Mental health is also an umbrella term so I am going to focus specifically on anxiety and depression.
• I am going to stick with a student demographic and maybe also focus on men - male suicide and depression are massive in the media at the moment.
• A potential new question 'To what extent can illustration be used to help young (men/ people) with anxiety and depression?'

• Research to do next: 
• Research into anxiety and depression, what are the symptoms, what are the statistics - what have people tried to do about it?
• Read into the psychology, what treatment paths are there
• Look at illustrators who deal with it, how do they do this, in what way does their work help sufferers?
• Look at other platforms that deal with it - podcasts, indie magazines, websites
• Sad Ghost Club, My Favourite Murder, Drift, Mental Health Awareness Day
• Read articles and comments based on these platforms. Do people think that they are helpful?
• Which parts do people specifically find helpful?
• Look at campaigns targeted specifically at male mental health - how are they helping?
• Interview people - what do they think of this boom in the media? What have they come across that has been useful/ unhelpful? Show them works by illustrators, which are the most powerful to them and why?
• Look at the stigmas attached to mental health traditionally. What have people done to try and overcome them?
• Alternatively, I could instead of looking at weather illustration can be used to help young people with anxiety and depression actually look at the rise in coverage of mental health in the media and its impact on sufferers. 

• Practically: 
• I am totally unsure on the practical element!! I wanted a project that would allow me to create powerful perhaps controversial visual metaphors but if I continue down this path my work will end up having to be much more sensitive.
• If I wanted to go this route I would have to explore creativity and mental health or social media and mental health.
• I could propose a campaign based on my research or use it to craft some tshirt designs? They would have to send a subtle message, be desirable to young men and send their profits to charity.

I need to keep gathering lots of material, then after my tutorial next week I can see what interests me most and re-write my question/ start my practical research!

SOI Slideshow

What work do I want to create for COP this year?