Oh, so they were moving. Thank goodness! I thought it was just my medications. Sometimes it looks like the curtains are breathing too. Oh, and my floor! Landsakes! Sometimes it’s like there’s no floor at all!
o_O
This sounds entirely like you’re currently tripping on shrooms. Bravo, good sir, for seeking to open your mind. I’m glad you were relaxed enough to enjoy the more positive things the experience has to offer.
Actually S.A.D is a form of depression, as is bipolar disorder. Depression is a spectrum of disorders, not just one. The one people think of is Major Depressive disorder, but there is also Bipolar disorder which has again many subtypes, and Seasonal Affective disorder, which could be argued is a form of Bipolar as it has 2 different points of mood between which the affected person fluctuates.
These are very nice however the agoraphobia one is not quite accurate. The poster here is portraying what most people believe agoraphobia is, The fear of open spaces. Agoraphobia however, often goes hand in hand with claustrophobia and sufferers enjoy truly open spaces. It is more of a fear of crowds and leaving a comfort zone
Agoraphobia (from Greek ἀγορά, “marketplace”; and φόβος/φοβία, -phobia) is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of wide open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions
Actually… according to the DSM-IV, the Bible of psychotic disorders, “The essential feature of Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack…or panic-like symptoms” (p. 432).
Similar to generalized anxiety disorder. True agoraphobic patients usually don’t stray from home because they are afraid of new situations.
I believe what they say is that disorders are more common than many people think. To acknowledge this is not to defeat “the purpose”; it is to feel less alone.
Rubbish. People who are of a sane mind should be able to enjoy that and be proud of that without someone else shoving some bogus theory that we’re ‘all somewhat disordered’ down their throats. What you are essentially suggesting with your ridiculous statement is that there is at least one thing wrong with everybody, which is a terrible way to view others and life.
The vast majority of people are mentally, perfectly healthy. What kind of mental health professionals have you been gathering your information from, or did you just make that bit up?
You can’t seriously believe that everyone is to some degree mentally ill. Or are you really that stupid? It is trivialising to people who DO suffer from real agony because of mental illness and it is also INSULTING to people who have been blessed with a healthy mind.
My goodness, Jan you’re so angry. Are you aware or do you suffer from a dissociative identity disorder and not even know it? The very first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem… come on Jan we’re all behind you.
People who are of better mind should be able to enjoy ‘that’ and be proud of ‘that’ knowing that what someone calls their habit is relevant to them, as a person, and that what someone else ‘suggests’ doesn’t particularly matter if it’s of opinion.
Maybe an overreaction, and not the best way to convince everyone of your blessed sanity, but Jan has a point here.
Saying everyone has a unique way of looking at things is okay, even saying that everyone has strengths and weaknesses is okay, but saying everyone is mentally ill or disordered — as someone who has suffered mental illness, I find that troubling. The way my brain worked in the worst months of my depression was far from “wonderful,” which is what David said above.
The posters are quite clever and appropriate, though. One for bipolar disorder would be interesting.
It bothers me that you find suggesting that a “sane” person has a mental disorder would be insulting, and that people without mental disorders should be proud. I think your purpose would be better served if you changed proud to grateful and got off your high horse. Mental disorder is nothing to be ashamed about, and more people would be able to come forward and get treatment if people would stop treating it as such. No one chooses to have a disorder.
I have had clinical depression and anxiety disorder for most of my 23 years of life. I am no way ashamed of this fact nor do I feel as if I do not have a “healthy mind” unlike you blessed souls without any kind of affliction. I am medicated and I live a perfectly normal and happy life.
I think you overreacting the way you did there, Jan, completely destroys the point you were trying to make. There is absolutely no reason to go about calling people “stupid” and all that.
I do get a little miffed when people try to act as if they know what it feels like to have depression because their boyfriend broke up with them and that was the saddest they had ever felt, or like they understand a panic attack because they were nervous once about something, but it is comforting to know that people are at least TRYING to console me and let me know that I am not alone. It’s called empathy.
I think your post is very ignorant and uninformed and perhaps you should understand a little bit more about disorders for posting. Saying people of “sane mind” should be proud is like first saying anyone with a disorder is insane, which we are not, and second we should be ashamed of whatever that is different with us. And let me tell you what, I have never in my life met someone who is 100% “sane” or mentally sound. Please, let me know if you have, I would LOVE to meet that unfortunate individual.
I agree with you, Nicole. Everyone has a mental or emotional problem to some degree, but it only becomes a “disorder” when it starts to interfere with your life. Take OCD for example. Pretty much everyone has something that they’re nitpicky about for no real legitimate reason. That’s normal. But there is a difference between someone who hates it when their desk isn’t neat and someone who will have a panic attack if someone moves anything on their desk. There is a similar line with depression.
So I agree that no one is totally “sane”, but that is normal. It’s only when it begins to seriously interfere with a person’s life that it becomes a disorder that needs to be treated. I too have suffered from major depression, and I agree that it is very different from just being sad for awhile. I also am on meds, which helps. People with a mental or emotional disorder aren’t necessarily crazy. Having depression or OCD is very different from having psychotic delusions. A mental or emotional disorder is an illness, like mono or the flu. You can’t help if you have it, and you’re still a valid person when you are suffering it. People who do not suffer from any real mental disorder need to be more accepting and understanding of those who do, and people who DO suffer from mental or emotional disorders need to be more understanding of those who don’t. Don’t hate, educate.
How would you design an ADHD poster? I would put very random shapes and one bouncing (with dashed lines) between them all. Probably it would be very colorful and whimsical looking.
that may be, but the keyword here is Minimalistic. On another note, to say that one has a “disorder” is saying that there is an “order” that everyone should adhere to, the answer to curing a mental “disorder” is in the finding of the perfect “order”. You will never find the perfect “order” because the perfect “order” does not exist = mental disorders do not exist, but are mere emotions.
Actually, there is a certain chemical balance in the brain which must be met. So while you might not think of brains as having an ‘order’, they actually do. It doesn’t mean everybody thinks or feels the same way, it just means that everything is balanced. Mental disorders are caused by an imbalance of chemicals. Therefore, mental disorders are not just emotions, and do actually exist.
Except not. A patient is only classified as having a mental disorder if the affliction is “abnormal, causes life to be inefficient or difficult, and is harmful to self and/or others.”
No, not everyone has a disorder. A disorder disrupts normal daily functioning to some extent. Most people function well given their unique set of life circumstances.
Sure we all have some slight disorder. OCD is pretty common but most of us don’t have a disorder that’s at such a high degree that it severely affects our lives and way of living.
I think these are great designs, but it’s a shame that non-normative gender identity is still considered a “disorder” just like homosexuality was before 1973.
I have now removed the Gender Identity Disorder poster from this series. The area of correct clinical definition is something I did not address when creating these posters. I am happy to say that I have learned something through this exercise. Please read more on my decision here:
I’m FTM Trans and I actually like the poster for Gender Identity Disorder (GID). I think it was accurate and while I’m not sure whether or not GID should be in the DSM, I know that it is there now and probably will be there for a long time so I don’t think the OP was wrong in putting it there.
That is ridiculous and beyond touchy. I think PC has become insane in the last couple of years … we have to tip-toe around everybody because EVERYTHING is offensive to EVERYONE.
You think it’s NOT a disorder to feel that your physical gender does not match your mental one? Or is that a normal thing that most people go through? The poster does not suggest that there is anything wrong with being trans, neither does it suggest that there’s anything wrong with having OCD, depression or agoraphobia. Or it is really that offensive to be lumped in with people who suffer mental illness?
I think you need to deal with your own prejudices before you call others out on theirs.
Jan, many cultures through-out history have completely accepted trans people and did not consider it a disorder. Look up the native american two-spirt for example. They considered it a third gender. But the dysphoria that results from having GID is believed by some to be cause not by the GID itself but by society forcing us to be the gender we do not wish to be. I am trans and I’m not really sure whether GID should be in the DSM but I understand the argument because I dunno, I really don’t think being trans would be a big deal to me at all if people would have just let me do the things I wanted to do from a young age. What gave me stress in my life was society. And if you look at the beginning of the book in the DSM in order to be classified as a mental disorder the stress resulting from the disorder cannot be a result of society but must come from internal. So yes, it is a very valid argument that GID shouldn’t be in the DSM. But it is also very controversial because we can’t really prove that if society was accepting of it, that trans people would be just fine and dandy until society actually becomes okay with it. And we can’t just make that happen so don’t hold your breath for it to change anytime soon. All I know is, getting homosexuality out of the DSM was one of the first great big steps in getting homosexuality to be accepted.
What do I know? I’m just a big ol’ tranny. :]
I’ve been linked to this page by one of my students – great designs! Is it possible to buy or otherwise obtain some copies? I know of a psychology classroom where these could be great conversation pieces.
imagine my thrill as I’m browsing reddit and click a link that brings me to 22words. Abe- when you’re crowned king of the internet, remember the little people.
Interesting double take on the OCD poster – initially seeing it different to the rest (which have the shape represent the person) – you can initially see a pattern of shapes and one askew, but then realise that one askew might be the person with OCD who has everyone (in this birds eye view) slightly askew to them.
First off, these are fantastic pieces, very creative and thought provoking. Though, with the above comment in mind, I think it’s sad, almost to the point of offensive, that OCD has become so trivialised. You dont “know you have “OCD” tendencies when you can’t focus on anything else but that mis-aligned cube and can’t control your urge to straighten it out”, you know you have OCD tendencies when you cant leave the house without checking time after time that your hands are clean and the lights are off, and even when you do manage to leave the house, you do it with such anxiety and near dread that it is literally all you can think about. My housemate has previously undergone extensive therapy to combat OCD, and in his case it has been successful, although without going into examples there is still very clear evidence of his condition in his day to day actions. This is not to say that I disagree with the OCD poster, it is a very effective way of showing the condition. But being drawn to the square and having an urge to straighten it out doesnt even scrape the surface of how people with OCD act on their compulsions, and how much it can hinder their day to day life, and I have seen first hand how upsetting statements like the one the moron above me has posted can be for genuine OCD sufferers.
Yeah, OCD is an anxiety disorder. It isn’t just annoying that the square is out of place; it’s stressful. It is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the “Obsessive” doesn’t necessarily refer to obsessively following the urge to do the compulsion. It refers to actual obsessions, or intrusive thoughts that you can’t get out of your head, that drive the need for the compulsion. The compulsion is really just a coping mechanism.
You’re right, a complex malfunction of the human brain isn’t simple. But perhaps, by making a simple poster to REPRESENT a disorder, you are helping those people by showing the problem in a simple, uncluttered way, making them feel less like outsiders or “freaks”. Further, you are helping laypeople like myself, who have no experience with disorders of the brain, to figure out what all them fancy words mean by using a simple representation of the disorder, and showing us that tho the disorders are present and effect many people we may know, there is no reason to fear, shun, or otherwise discriminate a person with a disorder. Your comment is the only pretentious thing here. I’ll bet you go to art galleries and crow there too ~.o
I found them delightful! Well executed with nice, clean lines, really gets the point across (even if they aren’t an exact representation :P)
Perhaps simple Tony, but definitely still cool. And super creative. I have an appreciation for any new way to look at mental disorders (and narcolepsy :)Way to blend modern art with the soft sciences! Keep on keeping on with your brilliant ideas.
Thanks for the post. I am getting a lot of reactions at the moment and I’m really glad that people are talking about it – this poster series has already achieved what I wanted.
The comments are fascinating! That a set of posters can get people debating mental health issues is impressive. Job well done and would love to see the series extended at some point.
We need one for someone who’s undergoing an existential crisis or I’d love to see this person’s artistic take on HPPD (Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder) or derealization. How ’bout a visual depiction of Michael Hoffman’s version of ego death?
There’s not such thing as Gender Identity Disorder; or at least there shouldn´t be… I’m psychology stundent and totally disagree with that clasification of transsexualisim or transgender…
As someone with depression, I think the depression poster would be much more effective if it was completely, 100% black, with the word “Depression” in gray. It’s minimalistic in the extreme, but I think that much more accurately portrays the fact that real depression isn’t a raging sadness, it’s an empty, numb, dark abyss.
i agree – to me the white box represents a “light at the end of the tunnel” (aka hope), which is NOT present at all in depression. other than that, i think these posters are amazing.
I respectfully disagree with you, Lee and oddity. As someone who has suffered from depression for four years and has been hospitalized three times for it, I understand what you mean by the abyss. However I thought the gray at the top represented a sort of weight pressing down on the depressed individual and making it even harder to escape that abyss. When I saw the poster, I didn’t see raging sadness; I saw profound emptiness.
As well, I definitely didn’t see the white box as a light at the end of the tunnel at all. Because all the other posters include minimalist representations of the sufferers, I figured that white box was the depressed individual, and I thought the way it stood out against the dark really showed the extreme loneliness that comes with depression.
I would also say that these posters are especially meant, I think, for people who have no experience with the disorders. From an outside perspective, a completely black poster might seem somewhat vague and not bring across the nuances of the disorder.
Mostly, though, I thought the effect when scrolling down the page of the gray fading into black was an excellent way to represent hopelessness and physically recreate the sinking, drowning feeling of depression.
These were really cool in my opinion. :) Though I had to look up some of the things to actually understand it…
And I think the anorexia one is that the circle it the person, the line is like a mirror, and the oval is what the circle thinks they look like (’cause, if looking from above, the oval would be fatter than the circle, I think). Also, for the depression, maybe it’s that the square fell down that dark abyss and knows they can’t get out again. Would being OCD be like being a perfectionist to the extreme? So if anything is out of place, they freak out (not exactly, maybe, but something like that)? I don’t know too much about these things, so if I got something wrong here, blame my not-knowingness… :)
I suffered with depression when i was younger (im 20) and i agree with the depression poster being all black. i think there should still be a white or grey square though…maybe in the middle? with ‘depression’ written towards the bottom. Love the concept… definitely got people talking. Quite infuriating some of the comments and also very contradicting. i counted only two intellectual comments that i think everyone should really consider. Maybe they would console everyone…
Also, i realise this is contradicting but i can’t help but say that if you feel alone, it’s because you are alone. everyone is alone…and it took me a while to be ok with that.
This link was posted up on my advertising design degree facebook page by the way :) pretty sure the design and concept was well recieved by the majority :)
Having a rather intense case of A.D.D., I tend to show the typical pattern of occasional O.C.D. behaviors. But that poster made my eye twitch.
Well played. lol
I work in behavioral health and have interacted with patients possessing a few of these conditions. These posters are well thought out and remarkably accurate in their simplicity. I applaud the designer.
Just want to throw this out there, there is a difference between Obessive Compulsive PERSONALITY Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive ANXIETY Disorder. People who have OCPD are the people who have rituals or have to wash their hands x amount of times or open and close doors.
These are brilliant. Very moving. Thanks.
Oh, so they were moving. Thank goodness! I thought it was just my medications. Sometimes it looks like the curtains are breathing too. Oh, and my floor! Landsakes! Sometimes it’s like there’s no floor at all!
o_O
This sounds entirely like you’re currently tripping on shrooms. Bravo, good sir, for seeking to open your mind. I’m glad you were relaxed enough to enjoy the more positive things the experience has to offer.
If you’re scrolling down while you look at the OCD poster, the squares *do* look like they’re moving.
this totally happened to me as well …
The Depression poster would also work well for Seasonal affective disorder.
Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression.
It is in winter, but in Spring it tends to cause a week or two of hyperactivity and joy. I’m now sure how you’d show this in a poster..
Easy, make the white dot yellow..
Actually S.A.D is a form of depression, as is bipolar disorder. Depression is a spectrum of disorders, not just one. The one people think of is Major Depressive disorder, but there is also Bipolar disorder which has again many subtypes, and Seasonal Affective disorder, which could be argued is a form of Bipolar as it has 2 different points of mood between which the affected person fluctuates.
Bipolar has a depression component, but is its own form of mood disorder. Its not technically part of depression.
They’re brilliant – my favourite is the OCD one
I loved the OCD one. Brilliant.
Quite brilliant.
These are very nice however the agoraphobia one is not quite accurate. The poster here is portraying what most people believe agoraphobia is, The fear of open spaces. Agoraphobia however, often goes hand in hand with claustrophobia and sufferers enjoy truly open spaces. It is more of a fear of crowds and leaving a comfort zone
Agoraphobia (from Greek ἀγορά, “marketplace”; and φόβος/φοβία, -phobia) is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of wide open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions
Actually… according to the DSM-IV, the Bible of psychotic disorders, “The essential feature of Agoraphobia is anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having a Panic Attack…or panic-like symptoms” (p. 432).
Similar to generalized anxiety disorder. True agoraphobic patients usually don’t stray from home because they are afraid of new situations.
You’re right. I know, because I have had Agoraphobia for 20 years.
Agoraphobic square is having kind of a stage fear in front of people who he constantly thinks that they are watching him.
I just assumed the wide open area represented leaving one’s safe zone and going out in public, therefore being around lots of people.
quality and very brilliant
The OCD one had me feeling a little uncomfortable.
According to mental health professionals, EVERYONE has some sort of disorder. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
As an aside, the poster designs are thoughtful and well-executed.
Absolutely, yes! …and thus they are not actual “disorders” but just individual life problems that everyone struggles with in their own personal way…
Everybody’s brain works a little differently and that’s a natural and wonderful thing!
I believe what they say is that disorders are more common than many people think. To acknowledge this is not to defeat “the purpose”; it is to feel less alone.
Rubbish. People who are of a sane mind should be able to enjoy that and be proud of that without someone else shoving some bogus theory that we’re ‘all somewhat disordered’ down their throats. What you are essentially suggesting with your ridiculous statement is that there is at least one thing wrong with everybody, which is a terrible way to view others and life.
The vast majority of people are mentally, perfectly healthy. What kind of mental health professionals have you been gathering your information from, or did you just make that bit up?
You can’t seriously believe that everyone is to some degree mentally ill. Or are you really that stupid? It is trivialising to people who DO suffer from real agony because of mental illness and it is also INSULTING to people who have been blessed with a healthy mind.
overreaction much?
My goodness, Jan you’re so angry. Are you aware or do you suffer from a dissociative identity disorder and not even know it? The very first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem… come on Jan we’re all behind you.
People who are of better mind should be able to enjoy ‘that’ and be proud of ‘that’ knowing that what someone calls their habit is relevant to them, as a person, and that what someone else ‘suggests’ doesn’t particularly matter if it’s of opinion.
Maybe an overreaction, and not the best way to convince everyone of your blessed sanity, but Jan has a point here.
Saying everyone has a unique way of looking at things is okay, even saying that everyone has strengths and weaknesses is okay, but saying everyone is mentally ill or disordered — as someone who has suffered mental illness, I find that troubling. The way my brain worked in the worst months of my depression was far from “wonderful,” which is what David said above.
The posters are quite clever and appropriate, though. One for bipolar disorder would be interesting.
It bothers me that you find suggesting that a “sane” person has a mental disorder would be insulting, and that people without mental disorders should be proud. I think your purpose would be better served if you changed proud to grateful and got off your high horse. Mental disorder is nothing to be ashamed about, and more people would be able to come forward and get treatment if people would stop treating it as such. No one chooses to have a disorder.
Take a Xanax and calm down already. Goodness!
I have had clinical depression and anxiety disorder for most of my 23 years of life. I am no way ashamed of this fact nor do I feel as if I do not have a “healthy mind” unlike you blessed souls without any kind of affliction. I am medicated and I live a perfectly normal and happy life.
I think you overreacting the way you did there, Jan, completely destroys the point you were trying to make. There is absolutely no reason to go about calling people “stupid” and all that.
I do get a little miffed when people try to act as if they know what it feels like to have depression because their boyfriend broke up with them and that was the saddest they had ever felt, or like they understand a panic attack because they were nervous once about something, but it is comforting to know that people are at least TRYING to console me and let me know that I am not alone. It’s called empathy.
I think your post is very ignorant and uninformed and perhaps you should understand a little bit more about disorders for posting. Saying people of “sane mind” should be proud is like first saying anyone with a disorder is insane, which we are not, and second we should be ashamed of whatever that is different with us. And let me tell you what, I have never in my life met someone who is 100% “sane” or mentally sound. Please, let me know if you have, I would LOVE to meet that unfortunate individual.
I agree with you, Nicole. Everyone has a mental or emotional problem to some degree, but it only becomes a “disorder” when it starts to interfere with your life. Take OCD for example. Pretty much everyone has something that they’re nitpicky about for no real legitimate reason. That’s normal. But there is a difference between someone who hates it when their desk isn’t neat and someone who will have a panic attack if someone moves anything on their desk. There is a similar line with depression.
So I agree that no one is totally “sane”, but that is normal. It’s only when it begins to seriously interfere with a person’s life that it becomes a disorder that needs to be treated. I too have suffered from major depression, and I agree that it is very different from just being sad for awhile. I also am on meds, which helps. People with a mental or emotional disorder aren’t necessarily crazy. Having depression or OCD is very different from having psychotic delusions. A mental or emotional disorder is an illness, like mono or the flu. You can’t help if you have it, and you’re still a valid person when you are suffering it. People who do not suffer from any real mental disorder need to be more accepting and understanding of those who do, and people who DO suffer from mental or emotional disorders need to be more understanding of those who don’t. Don’t hate, educate.
Oh yeah, nice posters :P
Insulting? do you feel like people who have mental illness are somehow less valid as people, or at least less valid than you are
It would be good to change the word “disorder” to “difference”.
How would you design an ADHD poster? I would put very random shapes and one bouncing (with dashed lines) between them all. Probably it would be very colorful and whimsical looking.
that may be, but the keyword here is Minimalistic. On another note, to say that one has a “disorder” is saying that there is an “order” that everyone should adhere to, the answer to curing a mental “disorder” is in the finding of the perfect “order”. You will never find the perfect “order” because the perfect “order” does not exist = mental disorders do not exist, but are mere emotions.
great art though, very creative. :)
Actually, there is a certain chemical balance in the brain which must be met. So while you might not think of brains as having an ‘order’, they actually do. It doesn’t mean everybody thinks or feels the same way, it just means that everything is balanced. Mental disorders are caused by an imbalance of chemicals. Therefore, mental disorders are not just emotions, and do actually exist.
I’d give an ADHD poster a strong, dark red background and then place in the foreground a kinda bored now ooh, kitty! *chases*
Except not. A patient is only classified as having a mental disorder if the affliction is “abnormal, causes life to be inefficient or difficult, and is harmful to self and/or others.”
No, not everyone has a disorder. A disorder disrupts normal daily functioning to some extent. Most people function well given their unique set of life circumstances.
Sure we all have some slight disorder. OCD is pretty common but most of us don’t have a disorder that’s at such a high degree that it severely affects our lives and way of living.
I love the OCD one.
yeah, i laughed out loud at that one.
Great collection..
OCD one was very good except I got a bit worried because I wanted to fix that off square compulsively
I think these are great designs, but it’s a shame that non-normative gender identity is still considered a “disorder” just like homosexuality was before 1973.
Homosexuality is correctly spoken still a disorder. know the definition of a “disorder”?
homosexuality is no longer considered a disorder by the DSM-IV.
One of my friends (who is mtf trans) said that she considers gender dysphoria a disorder becasue it interferes with her day-to-day functioning.
One can also look at it as a genetic disease or severe hormonal problem ;)
I have now removed the Gender Identity Disorder poster from this series. The area of correct clinical definition is something I did not address when creating these posters. I am happy to say that I have learned something through this exercise. Please read more on my decision here:
http://www.adaptcreative.co.uk/2011/03/my-view-on-gender-identity-has-changed/
I’m FTM Trans and I actually like the poster for Gender Identity Disorder (GID). I think it was accurate and while I’m not sure whether or not GID should be in the DSM, I know that it is there now and probably will be there for a long time so I don’t think the OP was wrong in putting it there.
hmmm -
That is ridiculous and beyond touchy. I think PC has become insane in the last couple of years … we have to tip-toe around everybody because EVERYTHING is offensive to EVERYONE.
You think it’s NOT a disorder to feel that your physical gender does not match your mental one? Or is that a normal thing that most people go through? The poster does not suggest that there is anything wrong with being trans, neither does it suggest that there’s anything wrong with having OCD, depression or agoraphobia. Or it is really that offensive to be lumped in with people who suffer mental illness?
I think you need to deal with your own prejudices before you call others out on theirs.
Jan, many cultures through-out history have completely accepted trans people and did not consider it a disorder. Look up the native american two-spirt for example. They considered it a third gender. But the dysphoria that results from having GID is believed by some to be cause not by the GID itself but by society forcing us to be the gender we do not wish to be. I am trans and I’m not really sure whether GID should be in the DSM but I understand the argument because I dunno, I really don’t think being trans would be a big deal to me at all if people would have just let me do the things I wanted to do from a young age. What gave me stress in my life was society. And if you look at the beginning of the book in the DSM in order to be classified as a mental disorder the stress resulting from the disorder cannot be a result of society but must come from internal. So yes, it is a very valid argument that GID shouldn’t be in the DSM. But it is also very controversial because we can’t really prove that if society was accepting of it, that trans people would be just fine and dandy until society actually becomes okay with it. And we can’t just make that happen so don’t hold your breath for it to change anytime soon. All I know is, getting homosexuality out of the DSM was one of the first great big steps in getting homosexuality to be accepted.
What do I know? I’m just a big ol’ tranny. :]
Amazing depictions! Very well done!
Cool! I like the narcolepsy one, I read a book in which one of the characters had narcolepsy. Great art!
narcolpeys is a neurological disorder, not mental disorder.
Yeah and it’s also genetic.
Hi,
I’ve been linked to this page by one of my students – great designs! Is it possible to buy or otherwise obtain some copies? I know of a psychology classroom where these could be great conversation pieces.
Thanks
I imagine that’s possible, but you’ll have to visit the source that I linked to at the top of the post.
Thanks for reading!
imagine my thrill as I’m browsing reddit and click a link that brings me to 22words. Abe- when you’re crowned king of the internet, remember the little people.
Interesting double take on the OCD poster – initially seeing it different to the rest (which have the shape represent the person) – you can initially see a pattern of shapes and one askew, but then realise that one askew might be the person with OCD who has everyone (in this birds eye view) slightly askew to them.
You know you have “OCD” tendencies when you can’t focus on anything else but that mis-aligned cube and can’t control your urge to straighten it out…!
First off, these are fantastic pieces, very creative and thought provoking. Though, with the above comment in mind, I think it’s sad, almost to the point of offensive, that OCD has become so trivialised. You dont “know you have “OCD” tendencies when you can’t focus on anything else but that mis-aligned cube and can’t control your urge to straighten it out”, you know you have OCD tendencies when you cant leave the house without checking time after time that your hands are clean and the lights are off, and even when you do manage to leave the house, you do it with such anxiety and near dread that it is literally all you can think about. My housemate has previously undergone extensive therapy to combat OCD, and in his case it has been successful, although without going into examples there is still very clear evidence of his condition in his day to day actions. This is not to say that I disagree with the OCD poster, it is a very effective way of showing the condition. But being drawn to the square and having an urge to straighten it out doesnt even scrape the surface of how people with OCD act on their compulsions, and how much it can hinder their day to day life, and I have seen first hand how upsetting statements like the one the moron above me has posted can be for genuine OCD sufferers.
Yeah, OCD is an anxiety disorder. It isn’t just annoying that the square is out of place; it’s stressful. It is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the “Obsessive” doesn’t necessarily refer to obsessively following the urge to do the compulsion. It refers to actual obsessions, or intrusive thoughts that you can’t get out of your head, that drive the need for the compulsion. The compulsion is really just a coping mechanism.
Pretentious, simplistic rubbish.
As if a complex malfunction of the human brain can be expressed so simplistically:
Pathetic. Simplistic. Patronising.
You’re right, a complex malfunction of the human brain isn’t simple. But perhaps, by making a simple poster to REPRESENT a disorder, you are helping those people by showing the problem in a simple, uncluttered way, making them feel less like outsiders or “freaks”. Further, you are helping laypeople like myself, who have no experience with disorders of the brain, to figure out what all them fancy words mean by using a simple representation of the disorder, and showing us that tho the disorders are present and effect many people we may know, there is no reason to fear, shun, or otherwise discriminate a person with a disorder. Your comment is the only pretentious thing here. I’ll bet you go to art galleries and crow there too ~.o
I found them delightful! Well executed with nice, clean lines, really gets the point across (even if they aren’t an exact representation :P)
Touchy Tony! Touchy Tony!
Tony, apparently you do not understand the meaning of the Minimalistic Art form.
Perhaps simple Tony, but definitely still cool. And super creative. I have an appreciation for any new way to look at mental disorders (and narcolepsy :)Way to blend modern art with the soft sciences! Keep on keeping on with your brilliant ideas.
well illustrated..
Thanks for the post. I am getting a lot of reactions at the moment and I’m really glad that people are talking about it – this poster series has already achieved what I wanted.
Amazing—stopped me in my tracks!! Powerful impressions!! Thank you—dz
DON’T WORRY MY OCD-RIDDEN FRIENDS, I FIXED THE SQUARE!
http://i.imgur.com/nXjRT.png <<<
Thank you. That’s much better.
When I saw this that was the first thought that popped into my head-”someone should edit the square fixed!”
Looks like you beet me to it…
I’m kind of bummed out that the letters “OCD” are not alligned in the exact middle.
these suck
I agree with the P…no one should have to feel like that and your equation is not equal to everyone.thus, apprehensive
Please make more!
It’s amazing what messages you can deliver with minimalistic design. Coming up with a minimalistic design is an art in itself. Nice work!
The comments are fascinating! That a set of posters can get people debating mental health issues is impressive. Job well done and would love to see the series extended at some point.
So gorgeous.
gr8 piece of creativity….nice work….
Is there a disorder when someone takes everything waaayy too serious? Like 1/2 the people here finding fault with these very funny posters…
Love these! Where can I purchase full size prints??
-also-
PLEASE MAKE MORE!!!
We need one for someone who’s undergoing an existential crisis or I’d love to see this person’s artistic take on HPPD (Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder) or derealization. How ’bout a visual depiction of Michael Hoffman’s version of ego death?
There’s not such thing as Gender Identity Disorder; or at least there shouldn´t be… I’m psychology stundent and totally disagree with that clasification of transsexualisim or transgender…
Thank you so much for these works. I was deeply and unexpectedly moved by your images. Please keep up your work. You are inspiring.
Good stuff – insightful and humorous where appropriate.
A fun riff on narcolepsy would be kleptomania … and just delete that triangle.
wow simply awesome, need lots of sense of humor to understand
Love them all! I’m a senior psychology student.
As someone with depression, I think the depression poster would be much more effective if it was completely, 100% black, with the word “Depression” in gray. It’s minimalistic in the extreme, but I think that much more accurately portrays the fact that real depression isn’t a raging sadness, it’s an empty, numb, dark abyss.
i agree – to me the white box represents a “light at the end of the tunnel” (aka hope), which is NOT present at all in depression. other than that, i think these posters are amazing.
I respectfully disagree with you, Lee and oddity. As someone who has suffered from depression for four years and has been hospitalized three times for it, I understand what you mean by the abyss. However I thought the gray at the top represented a sort of weight pressing down on the depressed individual and making it even harder to escape that abyss. When I saw the poster, I didn’t see raging sadness; I saw profound emptiness.
As well, I definitely didn’t see the white box as a light at the end of the tunnel at all. Because all the other posters include minimalist representations of the sufferers, I figured that white box was the depressed individual, and I thought the way it stood out against the dark really showed the extreme loneliness that comes with depression.
I would also say that these posters are especially meant, I think, for people who have no experience with the disorders. From an outside perspective, a completely black poster might seem somewhat vague and not bring across the nuances of the disorder.
Mostly, though, I thought the effect when scrolling down the page of the gray fading into black was an excellent way to represent hopelessness and physically recreate the sinking, drowning feeling of depression.
congratulations. creative and clever. great design ideas.
Did anyone notice the one block out of order under OCD?
OH!! i did once you pointed it out. genius! good catch
The narcolepsy one made me chuckle. ;o>
I don’t get the anorexia one, would someone explain please :) sorry!
That is a crazy way to look at it:) Cr8tive!!!!
These were really cool in my opinion. :) Though I had to look up some of the things to actually understand it…
And I think the anorexia one is that the circle it the person, the line is like a mirror, and the oval is what the circle thinks they look like (’cause, if looking from above, the oval would be fatter than the circle, I think). Also, for the depression, maybe it’s that the square fell down that dark abyss and knows they can’t get out again. Would being OCD be like being a perfectionist to the extreme? So if anything is out of place, they freak out (not exactly, maybe, but something like that)? I don’t know too much about these things, so if I got something wrong here, blame my not-knowingness… :)
I suffered with depression when i was younger (im 20) and i agree with the depression poster being all black. i think there should still be a white or grey square though…maybe in the middle? with ‘depression’ written towards the bottom. Love the concept… definitely got people talking. Quite infuriating some of the comments and also very contradicting. i counted only two intellectual comments that i think everyone should really consider. Maybe they would console everyone…
Also, i realise this is contradicting but i can’t help but say that if you feel alone, it’s because you are alone. everyone is alone…and it took me a while to be ok with that.
This link was posted up on my advertising design degree facebook page by the way :) pretty sure the design and concept was well recieved by the majority :)
Is it wrong that I actually want to fix the OCD one..hahah
Nope, I entirely agree. lol
LOL- beautiful, I am an art student taking a psychology course- and i love this!
Information nicely presented and useful.
brilliant. there should be a graphic for that response!
Having a rather intense case of A.D.D., I tend to show the typical pattern of occasional O.C.D. behaviors. But that poster made my eye twitch.
Well played. lol
I work in behavioral health and have interacted with patients possessing a few of these conditions. These posters are well thought out and remarkably accurate in their simplicity. I applaud the designer.
These made me kind of sad. Mission accomplished!
Just want to throw this out there, there is a difference between Obessive Compulsive PERSONALITY Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive ANXIETY Disorder. People who have OCPD are the people who have rituals or have to wash their hands x amount of times or open and close doors.