I know we’re supposed to write something about how we made things, but just this time… I need to just post this without going too deep into it… for now. I hope that’s OK
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Sometimes, art is therapy. I hope the act of creating helped. Hugs and sympathy for all the many frustrations you’ve capturd so well.
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I think we’ve all had those projects. 
Not every project needs its full life story told, especially if you don’t feel like telling it. Like Jenn said, art is therapy, and good therapists don’t tell your business.
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Your piece is very striking and definitely tells the viewer some of the story.
Speaking as a Moderator, what you have written is enough. The rule is to keep people from using our community an interactive and engaging space and to avoid the forum becoming a sales or display area.
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Some battles are private. We all know you’re fighting hard, but you’re not obligated to share the whole story. Thank you for being here and for trusting us with these bits of your world. 
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Totally understand. Great job on the art piece. Abstract is my favorite. I was wondering about maybe going to school art therapy, but ended up in IT. Go figure…I’ve been labeled the hysterical woman many times. I say elaborate, yes I am hysterically comical thank you for noticing.
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very well done!
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This made me laugh. Thank you
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Thank you for the kind words, everyone. They help.
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I ain’t gonna lie. First thing I saw in the chaoticness is medical neglect and it reminded of my childhood. The piece pretty much looks like how I use to feel and still kinda do sometimes.
It’s one of those pieces that hit a certain way.
@Reese52 my sister is an art therapist. After working for years doing different jobs, she decided to go back to school while working for the government and she doesn’t regret it at all. She loves it so much.
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The art speaks for itself. And I can totally relate. 
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@Zimbaly that’s awesome! I too work for the government for the past 16 years. I wished I had gone that route, but logic took over and computers were on my second list of top interests for a career. Still like what I do, but art therapy sounds so much more fun!
Content advisory, medical neglect, childhood abuse, no details. I decided to return here and add this advisory of my own accord; I want to be mindful of those who are facing similar situations but are not ready to read about it
The piece at the bottom that is not readable says “after 21 years of medical neglect
You have to advocate for yourself”
I lived with my father and stepmother for the first 21 years of my life
I was not treated for my conditions
I was punished for my symptoms
I am facing a health system that does not understand that minimizing symptoms and pretending we are fine is a subconscious survival mechanism.
So when I show up appearing fine and saying I am not… I am really not.
Telling a medical neglect survivor that we have to advocate for ourselves is an insurmountable obstacle in the way to healing from trauma
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It is not readable because my emotions came up to vomit all over this advice that feels like daggers into my soul
This piece is chaos
It’s messy
It’s a reflection of the emotions I feel each time I have to consult with a medical practitioner who will tell me I’m fine
When their own records show that I am not
But I am not easy to treat because I do not check all their boxes
So it’s easier to send me away and tell me I’m fine and just want attention
The same first medical feedback that led to an excuse for the medical neglect I continued to face for over a decade after
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The lack of punctuation is deliberate
It reflects a fight that feels like it has no end
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I’m so sorry you have to go thru all that. I have a good friend who has “phantom” symptoms and her doctors sometimes make it worse because they don’t listen to her. She knows her self the best and when she tells them certain medications she cannot take, they don’t listen since they are the doctor.
I used to do pieces in high school that were little sketch drawings and random lines of all the stuff going on in my head that kind of pulled together into “this is where I am right now” (but possibly comprehensible only to me) and I periodically remember how helpful it is to get all the random bits of argh out onto something that I can put down and walk away from with the feeling that I’ve said it. Lets some of the pressure off, I guess.
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