Imagine if you had an illness that could be lifelong, consider the anxiety or depression that could stem from the realization there may be no cure. Now visualize what it would feel like to explain this painful reality to your friends, family, or coworkers who assume you are alright because nothing physically about you signifies an illness. Issues of being treated differently, thoughts of being pitied, and being fired for taking too many sick days from work are a daily reality for people who suffer from an invisible illness.
This in-progress project explores the discourse of societal stigmas and invisible chronic conditions through self-portrait therapy. Discussing our body’s boundaries needs space in society where it is encouraged instead of restrictive.