I came to Reachout to connect with new people who are on the same wavelength as me in terms of mental health and also creatively.

Using art to help with my mental health.

In 2015 I had my first psychotic breakdown. I was studying at the time in sixth form and I was only 18 years old.

My life seemed to take an unexpected turn and I started to struggle with getting out of bed, hearing voices and becoming increasingly paranoid and anxious. Everything, for me, started to feel dark. It truly felt like my world was coming to an end and I felt like I couldn’t go on.

I started to use creative outlets to help combat my dark thoughts. I sketched and painted until I couldn’t anymore and when I wasn’t sketching or painted I was thinking about what my next project would be.

I started with little steps to pick myself back up again like going out in the garden and watching the birds cheep and drawing what I could see and writing how I felt in my journals and sketchbooks. Once I found a bit more confidence again I attended an art group and met like minded people who where going through similar things to me, which helped me feel less alone and isolated.

Whenever I have a bad day or a good day I know I can turn to my art and express myself through this whether that be collage, printmaking, drawing or painting. It just keeps me going and regardless if a piece doesn’t come out just as I like it, it’s really good to remind yourself that it is honestly just the process of doing something and thinking I’ll try again or I can implement something else.

I came to Reachout to connect with new people who are on the same wavelength as me in terms of mental health and also creatively.

I am so thankful I did because it has made me feel less alone and has helped me discover that I am not the only one who feels the way I do.

"In this painting, the tree represents how long I've been going through things and the growth within myself. The owl represents my nanny rising, and the path is my journey past to present. I'm hopeful it gets brighter...fingers crossed .

It’s weird how artworks have many meanings. Originally I wanted this to be houses.”

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