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Schizophrenia and art.
18 years ago
General
So, as my closer friends may know, I have schizophrenia.
Back when I was diagnosed, I was drawing a beautiful piece of art every couple of months. My copy-by-eye's were especially well-done, and they continue to be, although I generally no longer have the patience to continue them.
More than that, I'd only taken art lessons at school. I had no further training with art. Not meaning to brag, but I could draw quite well three to four years ago, even with nothing but my thoughts to guide my pencil.
Then, when I joined the fandom, back in 2005, I drew my first fursona. As drawings go, it was recognizable, but not really all that good. I'd apparently lost my skill.
In 2007, I was reading a book about schizophrenia, because I was curious. I seem to recall the book mentioning that schizophrenics tend to be quite decent at artistic skills, or some of them are. It was mentioned in the context of schizophrenics wanting to stay off medication to keep their artistic skill, I think, although that may have been a random thought of mine at the time.
2005 was the year I started going on my new medication after my old medication didn't seem to be helping much.
Back before 2005, and after the time I started getting sick, I could draw well from memory, or even just thoughts in my head. Afterwards, it's like I just couldn't transmit my thoughts to paper. Like I couldn't convert my thoughts to lines on a page.
I've noticed that now I have a lot more thoughts, and yet, they're very brief, much like flashes. It's difficult for me to stay on one particular thought, or even focus on a particular part of a mental image, like a nose or eye. When I mentally zoom in, the part I zoom in on goes blank; it loses detail and becomes a solid mass of colour.
Given all this, would I go off my medication? No. My art does not define my life, and even if it did, I can still find art instruction books that will help me draw, and take art lessons from Master Synx to help me draw furries.
Even if my art doesn't improve, which is impossible given the amount that it has improved to this point, I still wouldn't go off my meds. Things are much better in my life now than they were four years ago.
~Pouncey/Andreyis/Chris
Back when I was diagnosed, I was drawing a beautiful piece of art every couple of months. My copy-by-eye's were especially well-done, and they continue to be, although I generally no longer have the patience to continue them.
More than that, I'd only taken art lessons at school. I had no further training with art. Not meaning to brag, but I could draw quite well three to four years ago, even with nothing but my thoughts to guide my pencil.
Then, when I joined the fandom, back in 2005, I drew my first fursona. As drawings go, it was recognizable, but not really all that good. I'd apparently lost my skill.
In 2007, I was reading a book about schizophrenia, because I was curious. I seem to recall the book mentioning that schizophrenics tend to be quite decent at artistic skills, or some of them are. It was mentioned in the context of schizophrenics wanting to stay off medication to keep their artistic skill, I think, although that may have been a random thought of mine at the time.
2005 was the year I started going on my new medication after my old medication didn't seem to be helping much.
Back before 2005, and after the time I started getting sick, I could draw well from memory, or even just thoughts in my head. Afterwards, it's like I just couldn't transmit my thoughts to paper. Like I couldn't convert my thoughts to lines on a page.
I've noticed that now I have a lot more thoughts, and yet, they're very brief, much like flashes. It's difficult for me to stay on one particular thought, or even focus on a particular part of a mental image, like a nose or eye. When I mentally zoom in, the part I zoom in on goes blank; it loses detail and becomes a solid mass of colour.
Given all this, would I go off my medication? No. My art does not define my life, and even if it did, I can still find art instruction books that will help me draw, and take art lessons from Master Synx to help me draw furries.
Even if my art doesn't improve, which is impossible given the amount that it has improved to this point, I still wouldn't go off my meds. Things are much better in my life now than they were four years ago.
~Pouncey/Andreyis/Chris
Regardless though, it's wonderful to hear you'll still be going at it, even with the meds.
Heh. I love doing art from time to time. It can be relaxing, or it can be fun, or it can be just something to do.