hi don't know if you remember me i popped up a while back but then vanished again (holiday then laryngitis) but i'm back again anyway this is an image for the social issues challenge - i don't normally do this sort of thing - not much into reality - but i'm willing to give it a go temporarily before returning to whatever realm i normally occupy my issue here is self-harm and mental illness it's probably not particularly subtle and i'm not totally satisfied with it but i'd like to know what you think anyway i think it's an important subject - i know people affected by it please give feedback thank you flopsy

here is the thumb

quite effective...so much so it's difficult for me to look! and it is an important subject as you said. it's a powerful image!!

Added to challenge page.

Strong image and definately not easy to look at, but that makes it effective. Not know what you wrote and just looking at it, I'd be guessing suicide is the social issue, but it could also be tooth decay or shaving problems.. it's not quite clear. ;)

Excellent depiction of a major Social Issue...and Your Post is ...very clear. I applaud You on Your Challenge....and, yep...I remember Your Intro to the Forum Flopsy.

Maybe I'm just thick headed. ;)

• JA is amazed at the outstanding number of people who dispute this fact * Flopsy, welcome back. I for one remember you, and this is one hell of a return! Excellent picture. I like the streaks on the front of the sink, add that little bit more reality. (",)

LOL@TwoPynts!! And man, this is a "slap-in-the-face" pic! The sight of blood makes me feel EXTREMELY bad in a mental of course, but also in a physical way! Hard to explain really so anyway, Ur pic is definitely effective and I guess u succeeded in what u intended to do! ;)

Oh, I thought it was the result of Laryngitis.... lol. A great image... not really squeamish... I deal with mental cases in my work... bang your head on a wall = BLOOD. This looks like it could even be a bad case of sore gums or red and yellow food DYE!!!! The fact that the plug is in the sink seems a bit strange... like a tie-dye with corpuscles.... ok... maybe I'll stop there. I like this one! Good luck with the challenge!

addiek - not food dye, it's actually bubble bath(!) (a warming blend of sandalwood and ginseng - the bubbles in the picture betray me slightly) and thanks for everyone's thoughts and comments (sorry if i sometimes take a while replying to posts i don't always have easy access to a computer) Flopsy

Following what you wrote leads me to the following interpretation. It is solely my own fleeting opinion and not meant to offend or be taken personally in any manner.

Through this photo I see a sad story of a struggling person. Here is someone with a mental health disorder causing them to feel trapped within the realms of their own inescapable mind. As the bubbles, the person is desperately trying to stay afloat attempting not to get sucked into following through with his thoughts of sucide. For he knows that would only lead to an even darker place with no return. However, the photo does portray hope for this person. With enough will this person could help to free himself by asking someone else to open the valve to the taps. Hence a cleansing of fresh, new thoughts to help clear his muddled mind.

The symbolism in your photo has so much meaning and depth that I just have to share what I see.

*Mentally disturbed people often are viewed as messed up, which in turn is being symbolized by messy/dirty stains.
*The sink symbolizes the mess in their mind that feels like a pit they are trapped in.
*The bubbles portray the person.
*The blood shows us that the person wants to spill their blood symbolizing death.
*The drain is the dark, irreversible place one would go if they died.
*The taps are self-explanatory.

Thank you so much for sharing this piece with us!!!

Message edited on: 03/05/2005 02:56

Mz, unfortunately feeling like doing this sort of thing doesn't give you any opportunity for such analysis. At the time it boils down to one thought; nothing matters, it just seems like the right (or only) thing to do.
Take it from someone who a few years back spent a whole day looking for something to hang himself with - at the time it seemed perfectly rational, now I look back and think "whaf*ck?" The only good thing is that there wasn't anything suitable and I couldn't bring myself to go out to the shops.

(",)

p.s. I'm not getting at you here, so PLEASE DON'T take it personally, coz it's the way society thinks in general, but 'mentally disturbed' can be classed as deeply offensive to people with depression. If you suffer from any illness that is caused by a chemical imbalance you get sympathy - unless it's a chemical imbalance in the brain, when you get avoidance, dismissed or even abuse. Power to the elbow of all charities and individuals who try their best to change this. I hope what Flopsy has shown and what I say here leads EVERYONE to be a bit more understanding towards sufferers and not to think it's "all in the head"

Message edited on: 03/05/2005 05:03

Jordy, I completely appreciate your input and do not take offense to you sharing your opinion. In my post you will note that I am referring to one person and not mentally imbalanced people as a whole. I see your point about not having the capability to analyse the sitution. Yes, 'some' mental health sufferers are so unstable that they do not have the capacity to anyalyse the pros and cons when faced with the desire to take their life. They will simply have the thought and do it with any means they have. However, for the most part, there are many mentally imbalanced people who struggle with suicidal thoughts, sometimes even for years on end, who are fortunately balanced enough to hold on to life. That is more the type of person I envisioned while viewing Flopsy's artistic presentation. As for my insensitive use of mentally disturbed, I sincerely apologize. Never was it my intention to offend you are anyone else. Imbalanced usually is the word I would have chosen, but it escaped me last night in the wee hours. Sorry! I sit here smiling to myself at the irony of this all. That I have somewhat been chastized for my insensitivity regarding mental health sufferers. You see, I am the one who is usually advocating on behalf of those with mental health issues. Having had some education in mental health I have much empathy for the victims of those disorders and hope to one day make it my full time occupation to help mental health consumers and their families. Thank you JordyArt for being a fellow advocater. I'm pleased to know you overcame your struggle, as did I. Ciao :)

Mz, don't worry about apologizing, I didn't aim that at making you feel guilty :-) You didn't offend me - public opinion en masse is what does that. Your words mean a lot; as for having overcome the struggle, I haven't done that yet - a point which has been made even more poignant tonight when I found out some news about someone I used to know which has knocked my spirits somewhat, even though it's good news for them and overall good for me that they are out of my life a little bit more. sigh There are many times I feel that keeping a happy 'mental balance' is too much like any other dependancy or addiction, and there are still too many times when I feel like "falling off the wagon", so I guess I fall into the category which you describe first! Thanks for your reply, though, and I hope you get there with your aim ;-) Mike.

Geesh, I don't even know you JordyArt/Mike and I feel like giving you a hug. I get the impression a past lover has finally moved on. I can relate to that as can many others. My range of feelings went from relief to be rid of his grief, to sadness over that chapter being closed and trying to figure out what was next. What am I blathering on about?? ;o) Life is such a bloody roller coaster and once you have suffered from a bout of depression it can strike easier the next time. As screwy as our world is there is also a lot of good. That is one way I keep my head above water, I concentrate on the good and try to enjoy life through friends, photography, humour, music and enjoying the outdoors by hiking and getting away from it all. Mind you I live in the bestest place in the world so I'm kinda blessed. ;o) Ok, now I'm sounding like some simpleton who is trying to preach that life is all butterflies and cupcakes and if you just skip through the streets singing you'll be cured. LOL! I guess my point is, grasp life and live it. If things don't go our way to we need to say to hell with for it wasn't meant to be! Far too many of us take life too serious and I refuse to be one! Maybe more of us need to be like Tedz. After all there is no chance he suffers from any type of mental imbalance right? ROFLMAO!! Ok, maybe he isn't the best example. Just kidding!! ;o) HUGS :)

I have My Eye on You MZQT...and I am a Living example of "The Shinning"....and..."One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"...Muuuuuuuuah....always think of You with fondness. *manly Hugz....Insanely Yours :]

LMAO@Brian!!!

thank you so much for your feedback MzQt and JordyArt and sorry i took so long to reply MzQt, your analysis is brilliant (i have to admit that the bubbles weren't in fact intentional, but the rest i thought about very carefully) one more point is the perspective from above, and the blackness around the sink i wanted to put across how, when someone is cutting themself everything is focused on that one event and on the blood and nothing else matters for that one moment which is what makes it an escape a lot of people said this image was hard to look at and that was why i said before i wasn't totally satisfied with it because i wanted that but not only that from my experience, a self harmer may feel a revulsion at their actions but at the same time a sort of satisfaction and relief (maybe those aren't quite the right words but i can't think of the right ones) at least from my experience anyway i don't think i put that across very well but i suppose its not an easy subject i agree totally with what JordyArt said about mental illness being percieved as "all in the head", it's not it's in the head and in the body and its everywhere and more people need to understand that thank you all again Flopsy (reading over this i'm not sure i've made any sense at all, sorry if that's the case)

Don't worry Flops, you made sense ;-)

We thank you, you thank us, I reckon we such all have a group hug..... :-)

(",) Edit : should have a group hug. Sorry, it was the 'naked bodies pressing together' thought that put me off. Eh? what? What do you mean I didn't say it would be a NAKED group hug?

Message edited on: 03/07/2005 13:14

LMAO@Mike!! No u didn't and we didn't read that anywhere either oh man oh man what a strange idea! O_o

Flopsy, your message is quite clear through both your words and your expressive photo. No need to feel misunderstood, you did an excellent job!! :) Tedz, I'm so touched you think of me with fondness, compared to blondeness. Which I sometimes think I come across as. ;o) Who's getting neked with who??! I've seen from Mike's 'JordyArt' account he already has a head start on the nekedness. Very well done pic, btw. :)