Why Art Journal?
LisaDiana Delaney
Because I want to feel better! I finally want to be in control of my brain disease symptoms and be able to function like a "normal" person. To do that, I need to be able to "dump" my symptoms .
Did you see I didn't say, "my emotions"? Why? Because I see Bi-Polar 2 as a brain disease with symptoms NOT a mental illness. That's MY view on it. It's not in my mind. It's in my brain and it causes anxiety, panic, tremors, stammering, dizziness, exhaustion and a depth of depression that is bottomless. Those are MY symptoms. I don't create them. They are caused by my brain disease. I'm not responsible for my symptoms any more than a cancer patient is responsible for hers. My view might not be familiar or popular but I believe the only way to change anything, like the terrible stigma of "mental illness" is to change the way people talk about it. So, I changed the wording to----brain disease with symptoms.
How I learned to accept my symptoms
For years, my symptoms ran amuck and made it very difficult for me to feel stable. I also felt very guilty if I ever "dumped" my symptoms on my loved ones so I lived in a pretty unpleasant silence about the depth and array of my symptoms. I couldn't hide them all, of course, but I sure did try. It wasn't until I was 44 that I gave up trying. I finally accepted my diagnosis, changed my verbiage and decided to figure out how to live with a brain disease. I got the right doctor and got the right medication but those symptoms were here to stay. That's when I figured it out. Instead of "dumping" my symptoms on my loved ones, why not "dump" them into something else? But, what?
How I learned to THRIVE
My goal was to live with this disease but really, I wanted to THRIVE. I needed to be able to dump my symptoms at any moment and in any place so it had to be a physical thing and one I could transport easily. A book. That would work! I'll just write them all down in a journal. That would be easy and portable. Only problem, I was never into journal writing. So, I kept thinking.
I've loved empty notebooks since I was a kid because they had so much potential. I kept thinking. I also loved my grandfather's tiny art studio as a kid and was always inspired when I walked in there. I kept thinking. Then I saw them! ART JOURNALS!! There were even FaceBook groups devoted to creating them. I was so excited and couldn't wait to create one. Even more, I was excited to see if it would help.
LisaDiana Delaney Art Journal
LisaDiana Delaney www.lisadianadelaney.com
LisaDiana Art Journal
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LisaDiana Delaney - Ginger Dawn
That's what my blog and site are all about--thriving with a brain disease and art journaling. Follow me and see how I do it every day!
www.lisadianadelaney.com
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