Pandora's Box
PANDORA'S BOX—The Descent into Depression and the Healing Return Journey
Pandora's Box is an art show designed to take the viewer gradually into the dark world of depression but then bring them back full circle to the light again. The show is divided into three sections—Symptoms, Medicine and Small Blessings.
Gillian McCulloch is neither a doctor nor an expert on depression but as an artist has tried to describe her own personal experience with this illness in visual images to add to the growing discussion about this mental health issue.
This exhibit is available as an artists talk and slide presentation.
Symptoms—These paintings portray what depression feels like.
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Symptoms vary from person to person. Some people eat too much, others not enough. Some people sleep too much, others not enough or worse not at all. These conditions can lead to an inability to focus and complete tasks which may cause low self-esteem or spur inappropriate outbursts of anger or frustration. A good description of what depression feels like would be emotional and physical exhaustion.
If this illness is not addressed some people may turn to "self-medication", alcohol or drugs,which can make matters worse. Depression as an illness may not kill a person but if the symptoms become unbearable, a person may be tempted to take their own life to end the pain. For this reason depression can be a life-threatening illness. How many divorces, addictions or overdoses, unexplained car accidents and suicides are due to untreated depression?
If you or anyone you know seems to be suffering from these sort of symptoms please visit the doctor and ask for more information.
Medicine—These paintings portray ways to feel better.
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If the depression is a chemical imbalance of the brain due to lifestyle, or a seasonal affective disorder (SAD) there are medicines to balance it. Some people fear taking drugs thinking that drugs may make them feel sluggish or that they will become addicted. In fact the opposite may be true. One may feel that one is finally waking up and is more energized. Finding the right medicine may take some time but is worth the search.
Once on an even keel, healthy food and water and good eating habits should nourish the body. Learn about food and drinks that stress the body and avoid them. For those that miss the sun and struggle during the winter months there are SAD lamps,Vitamen D and if possible trips to southern sunny countries. Avoiding stress in our busy lives is difficult but making time for rest is essential.
Small Blessings—These paintings portray small moments of joy after recovery.
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Once life comes back to normal again the small blessings of life gain a greater significance. There are many of these small moments such as having a laugh with friends or seeing the smile of a baby. These few paintings remind us of some of the small joys of life that collectively make life worth living.
Though depression is a very frightening illness it teaches us about the physical limitations of our bodies. We need to continuously seek balance in all aspects of our life. We learn that the body is fragile but also that the spirit can be strong.
Read more about Pandoras Box:
Read writer Kimberlee Bastien's article 'Depression: a sneaky illness' for the New Brunswick publication Times & Transcript.
Freelance Writer and Blogger Fiona Leonard wrote about Pandora's Box in her blog "Year in America".
Shining a light on dark days, by Elissa Barnard, Arts Reporter, The Halifax Chronicle Herald