Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 8

Mania, 2016. 

Detail (open box).

Depression, 2016.

Detail (open box).

My Memory Boxes: 

"I decided to make my memory boxes on my bipolar disorder. 

One box on Mania and one on depression. I chose the heart-shaped box for mania because it is sometimes quite nice to be manic as you feel happy and free of inhibitions. Sometimes when the mania gets too severe it can feel bad as your thoughts are racing, hence the discordant colours I have painted on the box with jagged edges. Mania can make you feel angry and aggressive which is so alien to my nature. I am including my song lyrics to the song I wrote about bipolar disorder, called "Colours of My Mind", also an MP3 of the song sung by me.

It is very difficult when you are ill, as you are often treated quite badly, especially when you are manic. One time, when I got very ill after caring for my elderly mum on holiday, I got home and was having a manic episode I was arguing with my husband in the kitchen and lost control of my bladder in fright, so I went to the shower and cleaned myself up and put my pyjamas on for bed. Suddenly, the police arrived and talked to me in the living room and my husband in the kitchen, then they made me put my husband's slippers on as I couldn't find mine, they handcuffed me took me out to a prison van and locked me in. They drove me to the police station, fingerprinted me, took my photo and put me in a prison cell. I was very frightened, especially as I am very claustrophobic and don't like locked doors. They made me feel like a criminal at a time when I was very vulnerable. A women spoke to me finally through the cell door, she said " I hear you're not feeling very well!" I thought that was an understatement, would anyone feel well after being dragged out of their house late at night in their pyjamas and husband's slippers to be in handcuffs and treated like a criminal. I felt very badly treated. 

I was sent to a mental hospital called Woodhaven in the New Forest, too far away for anyone to visit me. It was in a lock-down state as there were a lot of violet patients there. When I arrived I felt very afraid and vulnerable as I was in my pyjamas and there were men everywhere. Luckily for me a very kind patient befriended me and gave me some of her clothes, otherwise I would have had to remain in my pyjamas and husband's slippers. I was attacked by one of the violent female patients. 

I was eventually transferred to NHS Melbury Lodge, Winchester - local to my home where people could visit me and I could finally get some of my own clothes to wear. 

One of the female patients (a friend of mine) came into my room whilst I was lying on my bed listening to music, she put her hands around my throat and tried to strangle me to death. Luckily, I had the sense of mind to grab a handful of her hair, jerking her head sideways causing her to lose her grip or I wouldn't have survived. I informed the staff, they did nothing about it.

The worse thing about this particular time I was hospitalised was that I lost my husband.  He can to visit me and said he'd taken off his wedding ring, which broke my heart. He left me for a friend of mine and started divorce proceedings against me whilst I was still n hospital. 

As part of my contribution to this project, I have included the lyrics to my song "Colours of my Mind", which I wrote in 2000 about my bipolar disorder. There is an MP3 that accompanies my  artwork / keep-sake boxes with the song on it. I wrote the words and music and sung it. 

I have one box on mania with images cut out and marbles in it. It shows how you buy a lot when manic. 

The other box is on depression and includes a broken heart and tears in it. I have the word husband because of my broken heart when he left me. I also have a daughter and a son in there because they haven't spoken to me for 17 years because I ran away from their violent dad. My father is in there because he was so violent to me. I also have a list of people I lost, who sadly passed away.

I chose bright vibrant colours like orange, purple, green and red for the mania box as it signifies mania really well.

I chose dark blue for the depression box as it signifies "the blues". I chose Gothic lettering for dramatic effect on the box both boxes.

I also have included a poem I wrote called Expatiate, which explains what it's like when you're manic and can't stop talking."   - Transcribed from Anon notebook.

    

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 7

"Oval Box", 2016 Jan Griffiths.

Detail (Oval box open with feather, verse, dull pebble and paper flowers).

"Round Box", 2016 Jan Griffiths

Detail (open Round Box with faux razor blade and tablets)

"Rectangular Box", 2016 Jan Griffiths

Detail (open "Rectangular Box" with figure with pins, mobile phone and note. The note reads:
"Electro-Sensitivity is a very real physical condition for an estimated 2 million people in the UK.
It comes under Environmental Health. 
About 2 years ago there was a sudden increase in people wanting to see their GP. has anyone asked the question why?
A cumulative effect of more people having WIFI in their homes. Despite the BMA saying radiation emitted from computers, TVs, iPads, mobile phones etc is not safe.
IT IS NOT SAFE.
Diabetes is a physical condition but not everyone has it. That does not mean it does not exist.").

Memory Box Statement

"Oval Box:

This box is about my experience of bouts of clinical depression. 

Black denotes the darkness of mood and its ability to incapacitate my thoughts and speech, its debilitating effect on my physical body.

The blue dot on the lid represents the times when I am relatively well between bouts of depression.

The verse inside is one my late partner copied for me and enclosed in a beautiful card he gave me to cheer me up and show me he loved me.

A white feather was on my late partner's order  of service.

The dull stone only to denote depression and the blue flowers denote the beauty of laughter I would experience between bouts of depression.  

Rectangular Box:

Fear and panic come about in a person who has the physical condition of Electro-Sensitivity when they inadvertently find themselves in a building with WIFI.

When people site close to a sufferer of the condition  and use a smart phone it can cause the sufferer to experience headaches or dizziness.  Because it is a minority who suffer with Electro-Sensitivity the majority can think the sufferer is mad or an alien or their symptoms are "All in the mind".

There are about 20,000 small studies which prove a link between artificial electro-magnetic radiation and various physical conditions. In other countries - Sweden for example, ES is recognised as a disability and treated accordingly.

Adjustments made in the workplace, wired connections for internet access instead of WIFI. WIFI has been banned in schools in certain countries. 

(The Self Harm) Round Box: 

The word "silent" on the box denotes the fact that for me when I took an overdose  or cut myself - it was like a silent scream. It always made me feel better on a certain level. 

The emotion words, Anger and Hate indicate that i had unexpressed anger within me and combine that with hate for myself was a lethal mixture which produced destructive actions. The silver foil covered shape inside the box is a copy of a Stanley knife blade. I wanted to use a real one but it was deemed inappropriate in the art room. 

I do not remember feeling pain when I cut myself first shock and relief." Transcribed from a handwritten statement. 

Jan Griffiths, December 2016.

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 6

"My Favourite Place", 2016. By David Lewis.

Detail (open box with beach pebbles).

Homeless and Alone

By David Lewis

When life is hard,

But we never seem to give up,

On our daily lives,

We sit and pray that,

Life will become better,

But our only hope is,

God and God alone,

So when we feel,

There is no hope,

Pray to God in prayer.

The Rose

By David Lewis

I'm so pretty in,

My elegant ways,

When people cut me,

They don't hear,

Me yell out in pain.

Thinking Inside and Outside Box - Page 5

"Memory Lane", 2016. (Detail closed), Anon.

"Memory Land", 2016 (Detail open), Anon.

Interviewer:  "Why did you choose a heart-shaped box?"

Anon: "I don't know, I just liked the shape."

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 4

Tracey's box artwork:

"My depression and how I see it" (detail closed), Tracey Gunner 2016

"My depression and how I see it" (detail open), Tracey Gunner 2016

Interviewer:

"Tell me a bit about your box artwork called 'My depression and how I see it'?"

Tracey:

"I pasted small pieces of tissue paper onto my hexagon shaped box. The yellow colour is happy, but the dark brown of depression creeps in. You can see the brown through the yellow, as if it were a stain, that just won't go away."

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 3

Tracey's box artworks:

"My interpretation of love", (detail closed), by Tracey Gunner, 2016.

"My interpretation of love" (detail open), by Tracey Gunner, 2016.

Interviewer: 

"Tell me a bit about the materials you used for 'My interpretation of love' artwork?"

Tracey:

"The reason I chose the colour red is because it reminds me of love. I was drawn to use felt in my artwork as it reminded me of rainy days and being able to cuddle up to something soft. I included a "friendship bracelet" glued to the inside lid of the box, because my friends are there for me regardless if I have depression or I am upset. They protect me and don't take advantage of me. I put a delicate feather inside the heart shaped box to show that on once I emotionally commit to love that I am showing my vulnerable side."

Interviewer:

"The heart-shape box is quite small, is the size of the box important to the work?" 

Tracey:

"Love is a precious thing and if you were to loose it, it really hurts... to the point that you feel that you have lost yourself."

"So, I wanted to use a small box, something that can fit into your hand - to show how precious love is."

"Love is so important to me, it helps to keep me emotionally together - just to know that someone loves you, its a powerful thing."

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 2

"Seldom heard voices feeling that they are being listened to is a powerful means of engagement in itself and this resulting feeling of empowerment will make a positive contribution to people’s mental health concerns. "  ~ Paul Williams Staff Member, Trinity Winchester 

"The seaside is my happy place" Detail open.

"The seaside is my happy place"  Detail closed.

Interviewer: "Tell me about your artwork?"

Anon: "This artwork is all about how when I am feeling low, I like to go for walks, especially places that have water - along rivers or to the beach always cheers me up."

"I covered the little box in paper decorated with little blue dots and stuck on the lid small hearts made out of sandpaper.  The starfish on top is made of Fimo. Inside the box there is fish and chips and sea shells, which remind me of better days, holidaying by sea."

"I started feeling depressed when I was quite young - but it really started in my teenage years. I had suicidal thoughts and did not want to be around my family - it was around the time my mum and dad split up."

"I went to the doctor for help, but at the time I did not feel I got the help I needed. I did not trust the doctor and I was not ready to accept the help they offered."

"I turned to drugs to self medicate."

"As I have got older I have found ways of coping, I am off the drugs... I still don't really trust doctors, but I am not closed to accepting help if I really need it."

"Autism" Detail open

"Autism" detail closed

"Pathological demand avoidance" detail 1

"Pathological demand avoidance" detail 2

"Hallucinating spiders" Detail closed

"Hallucinating spiders" Detail open

"The last time I felt good" Detail 1

"The last time I felt good" Detail 2

"The last time I felt good" Detail 3

"The last time I felt good" Detail 4

Thinking Inside and Outside the Box - Page 1

Trinity Winchester in partnership with Healthwatch Hampshire have  started an exciting creative community project.

Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion created to gather and represent the views of the public. It exists in two distinct forms – local Healthwatch and Healthwatch England, at national level. The aim of local Healthwatch is to give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided within their locality. Click here to visit Healthwatch's website

Trinity Winchester:

From humble beginnings, Trinity has grown into a respected and skilful organisation helping people to improve their lives. We provide vital practical and emotional support to around 800 people each year who are experiencing the effects of homelessness or vulnerability.
Our dedicated Women’s Service sees around 120 women each year. We support them to make positive change to their lives and in many cases break free from the damaging cycle of domestic abuse.

We aim to support individuals to change their situation and aspire towards positive fulfilling futures. Click here to visit Trinity Winchester's website

Thinking inside and outside the box

The creative undertaking is spearheaded by arts facilitator Alastair Eales and one of our highly trained Trinity Winchester project worker to develop a series of arts & crafts based workshops as a medium to record the experiences of disadvantaged and seldom heard people in accessing mental health services and more broadly their lives and experiences.  

The “Thinking inside and outside the box” project will see Trinity Winchester service users being given a keepsake box to decorate inside and out.  They will then use these boxes to tell the story of their involvement with and feelings towards mental health services, through whatever they choose to place inside and around the box.  

The service users are encouraged to use a wide range of mediums to turn their boxes into multi-sensory artworks, that may could embrace objects, smells, newspaper cuttings, photographs, and through the use of  MP3 players, sounds, interviews etc creating an holistic record of their life and experiences. 

"Cars are friends" Detail 1

"Cars are friends" Detail 2

"Cars are friends" Detail 3

Interview: "Tell me about your artwork?"

Anon: "My pet can sense when I am feeling sad, and she makes me feel better. My mental health has really improved since I got my cat two years ago. Sometimes she can make me frustrated, but I wouldn't swap her for all the tea in China - she is my best friend."