What If Mental Illnesses Were Monsters?

Mental illness is always a sensitive subject and it’s hard to explain to people what it’s like if you suffer with your mental health.

There’s a certain stigma attached to mental health problems because they are invisible illnesses that people cannot see. In this collection Korean artist illustrates what mental illnesses would be like if they were monsters and it just shows how scary these conditions are.

The illustrations feature the most common forms of mental illness such as depression and anorexia, and also some illnesses you may not have heard of before such as antisocial personality disorder.

Sillvi says “I’ve seen multiple artists depict mental illnesses as monsters. What motivated me to do my own version was because these depictions seemed to either romanticize or demonize the illnesses. Majority of them focused on manifesting some sort of monster that causes pain to their victims. I didn’t want to draw monsters. I wanted to draw how they feel, and that was the initial motivation.”

Remember people that you don’t have to suffer in silence and you can get help.

You can see more of Sillvi’s art on Facebook and Instagram

Depression

Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.

Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you’re depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.

Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They’re wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression is not a sign of weakness or something you can “snap out of” by “pulling yourself together”.

The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery. – NHS

OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.

OCD can affect men, women and children. Some people start having symptoms early, often around puberty, but it usually starts during early adulthood.

OCD can be distressing and significantly interfere with your life, but treatment can help you keep it under control. – NHS

Alzheimers

The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease progress slowly over several years. Sometimes these symptoms are confused with other conditions and may initially be put down to old age.

The rate at which the symptoms progress is different for each individual. In some cases, other conditions can be responsible for symptoms getting worse.

These conditions include: infections – stroke – delirium

As well as these conditions, other things, such as certain medicines, can also worsen the symptoms of dementia. Anyone with Alzheimer’s disease whose symptoms are rapidly getting worse should be seen by a doctor so these can be managed. There may be reasons behind the worsening of symptoms that can be treated. – NHS

Anorexia

Anorexia is an eating disorder and serious mental health condition.

People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough food or exercising too much, or both. This can make them very ill because they start to starve.

They often have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they are fat even when they are underweight.

Men and women of any age can get anorexia, but it’s most common in young women and typically starts in the mid-teens. – NHS

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe.

Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview. During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal. But some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.

Anxiety is the main symptom of several conditions, including: panic disorder, phobias, such as agoraphobia or claustrophobia,  post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

The information in this section is about a specific condition called generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is a long-term condition that causes you to feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than 1 specific event. People with GAD feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed. As soon as 1 anxious thought is resolved, another may appear about a different issue. – NHS

ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural disorder that includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school. Most cases are diagnosed when children are 6 to 12 years old. The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems. People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders. – NHS

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.

Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult. These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person’s day-to-day life.- NHS

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from 1 extreme to another. It used to be known as manic depression.

People with bipolar disorder have episodes of: depression – feeling very low and lethargic
mania – feeling very high and overactive. Symptoms of bipolar disorder depend on which mood you’re experiencing. Unlike simple mood swings, each extreme episode of bipolar disorder can last for several weeks (or even longer).- NHS

Autism

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It’s something you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young. If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. But some people need support to help them with certain things. Being autistic does not have to stop you having a good life.

Like everyone, autistic people have things they’re good at as well as things they struggle with. Being autistic does not mean you can never make friends, have relationships or get a job. But you might need extra help with these things. Autism is a spectrum. This means everybody with autism is different.

Some autistic people need little or no support. Others may need help from a parent or carer every day. Some autistic people have average or above average intelligence. Some autistic people have a learning disability. This means they may find it hard to look after themselves and need help with daily life.- NHS

ASPD

Antisocial personality disorder is a particularly challenging type of personality disorder characterised by impulsive, irresponsible and often criminal behaviour.

Someone with antisocial personality disorder will typically be manipulative, deceitful and reckless, and won’t care for other people’s feelings. Like other types of personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder is on a spectrum, which means it can range in severity from occasional bad behaviour to repeatedly breaking the law and committing serious crimes. Psychopaths are considered to have a severe form of antisocial personality disorder. – NHS