Graphics Editor
Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics including self-harm and depression
Art serves as a universal method of self-expression, a way to process the world, and a medium to share ideas. Art trends often reflect societal beliefs and values, yet right now, online galleries house numerous depictions of individual self-harm, depression, and anxiety. The drawings themselves are not the problem; it’s the mindset. Artists need to stop creating pieces centered on mental health struggles just to get attention.
On the other hand, many people use their artwork to show recovery from depression or anxiety, focusing on their strength and recovery. Not only do these drawings help the artists express themselves and heal from their experiences, but they also inspire those still trying to cope with these mental illnesses and spread awareness.
On the other hand, pieces depicting methods of self-harm, the utter hopelessness of depression, and exaggerations of self-medicating neither inspire nor heal. On social media, there are videos with captions like “day 52 of drawing something every day until I’m not depressed anymore” or “what’s the point of living?” These artworks and trends actually promote and encourage mental illnesses, making viewers and artists believe that struggling with their mental health is “cool” and “trendy.”
Artists, primarily those who post on social media, need to be mindful of the effects their videos could have on viewers. There’s no problem in posting a drawing that includes aspects describing self-harm to spread awareness, but people should not post a drawing that only shows someone hurting themselves without a meaningful message. It glorifies self-harm without encouraging those struggling to seek help or spreading awareness that mental illnesses are serious health issues.
Additionally, more and more students are depicting mental health struggles for contest artwork. The initial increase in these types of contests make sense considering the United States is in a national mental health crisis, but now these contests are encouraging students to draw about anxiety or depression even if the artist does not relate. Why? Such artwork tends to place higher in competitions and garner more attention from judges, usually because they are very personal and relevant to our generation. Art featuring sadness in general receives more attention because observers often relate better to such emotions. Some artists take advantage of this empathetic quality and make sad art for contests or social media, using fake emotions to draw in views. This needs to stop.
Artists should not create pieces featuring mental illnesses just to gain attention or clout. It doesn’t emotionally benefit the creator and causes viewers to think that struggling with their mental health is desirable.
(Sources: CDC, PsyPost)
Categories: Opinion