«For 21-year-old photographer Edward Honaker, experiencing depression and anxiety felt like being at war with his brain. It was only after his diagnosis two years ago that Honaker began to understand what was going on in his mind. That’s when he reached for his camera to turn his emotions into something tangible. The result is a series of self-portraits that capture his personal experience with depression. Honaker hopes his project will inspire others to not only have a conversation about mental illness, but push them to be more accepting of those who struggle with it.
“It’s kind of hard to feel any kind of emotion when you’re depressed, and I think good art can definitely move people,” he said. “When I was making the portfolio, I asked myself if I was the kind of person whom others would feel comfortable coming to if they were going through a difficult time and needed someone to talk to,” he explained. “Truthfully, at the time, I don’t think I was. I’ve still got quite a ways to go, but the whole experience made me a lot more patient and empathetic towards others. I think a really helpful way to end the stigma surrounding mental illness is to be there for others who might be suffering. You never really know what others may be going through so all you can really do is be kind and nonjudgemental.”
Comments are closed.