Schizophrenia

" A picture of misery in angel's form.."

<tt> -a schizophrenic's self-description.</tt>


***Note: background is based off of a photograph from National Geographic.. I would cite the photographer if I could find them.***

This was a tough, time consuming project. It is about 2'x3', and is charcoal, chalk pastel, and conte.

As the title describes, this is supposed to represent mental disorders, or more specifically, schizophrenia. This disorder is so often mistaken and distorted, even glorified, and I wanted to expose it as the raw and deeply saddening disorder that it is. I also wanted to dispose of the myths that many people make mixing it up with multiple personality disorder.I have a interest for psychopathology and read a lot about it, but realize that it is nothing to be venerated. As described by schizophrenics, it truly is horrifying. Paranoia, dilusions and mistrust are all factors, and besides the lives ruined by such a delibitating disorder, the families are the most impacted.

This is how I see it:
A deep, dark tunnel of grotesque faces and disturbed lives. No where to escape the hiderance, the paranoia, the fear.
Hiding in the shadows only draws them further away from the real world, from the ones they love.
A living nightmare.


I can't imagine what they, and their families, must go through.

I can only hope that one day there will be a cure, a way out of this darkness.