The Daily Decision of a Depressed Mind

[Hof8231]

Another shot for my suicide/depression awareness project. Trying to show the daily struggle a depressed/suicidal person deals with every day trying to decide on life or death. A bit of a dark subject, but depression and suicide are very dark so I feel it fits.


IMG_8432 Decision by SteveH8231, on Flickr

 

[amolitor]

This is powerful and good. Yeah, the symbolism is blunt as well, but it works.

You might try some vignetting to emphasize the bullet and maybe the words "Suicide Hotline" a bit more, and maying subtly enhance the option of life over death. Maybe some selective saturation, selective brightness.

Maybe something like a bit like this:

 

[Hof8231]

This is powerful and good. Yeah, the symbolism is blunt as well, but it works.

You might try some vignetting to emphasize the bullet and maybe the words "Suicide Hotline" a bit more, and maying subtly enhance the option of life over death. Maybe some selective saturation, selective brightness.

Maybe something like a bit like this:

View attachment 48494

Nice, I like what you did with it a lot! Thanks! it was actually my intention to make my hands look dirty and sort of beaten up, and you did a much better job at that than I did.

 

[samm]

Nice ,You got the point across.

Its sad to hear about the situation of some folks want to do to themselves.I just dont understand why .

 

[Calvinator]

It's not themselves they do it to despite the singularity of the event. MHO says full-on reality would be the way to go here... unless "art" is the goal (beyond helping those in trouble.)

 

[Hof8231]

Nice ,You got the point across.

Its sad to hear about the situation of some folks want to do to themselves.I just dont understand why .

I'm a suicide attempt survivor and I don't even understand it. I don't know why I get depressed out of nowhere sometimes or why some days I see death as more appealing than life. It just happens and believe me when I tell you...it really, really sucks.

It's not themselves they do it to despite the singularity of the event. MHO says full-on reality would be the way to go here... unless "art" is the goal (beyond helping those in trouble.)

While I agree that suicide affects the ones close to the person the most, I can say that, at least in my case, I didn't do it because I wanted to cause anyone pain. It wasn't to spite anybody or to have people feel bad for me. I did it because I wanted to end my pain that I felt at the time was unbearable. I obviously picked the worst possible way to handle the situation and am lucky that I'm still here.

 

[ShooterJ]

Nice ,You got the point across.

Its sad to hear about the situation of some folks want to do to themselves.I just dont understand why .

I'm a suicide attempt survivor and I don't even understand it. I don't know why I get depressed out of nowhere sometimes or why some days I see death as more appealing than life. It just happens and believe me when I tell you...it really, really sucks.

It's not themselves they do it to despite the singularity of the event. MHO says full-on reality would be the way to go here... unless "art" is the goal (beyond helping those in trouble.)

While I agree that suicide affects the ones close to the person the most, I can say that, at least in my case, I didn't do it because I wanted to cause anyone pain. It wasn't to spite anybody or to have people feel bad for me. I did it because I wanted to end my pain that I felt at the time was unbearable. I obviously picked the worst possible way to handle the situation and am lucky that I'm still here.

Sometimes life can weigh on you. Glad you made it and hope you're in a better place. There's always someone willing to help or listen.

 

[Hof8231]

Thank you. I'm definitely in a much better place. I still have some work left, but therapy has helped me A LOT. So let that be a lesson to anyone that might read this who suffers from depression: Therapy DOES work...as long as you want it to. It's just like quitting smoking. If the desire to change isn't there, then nothing will change. If you want to change, you will. There's a simple quote I like to live by: "If nothing changes, nothing changes."

 

[ShooterJ]

Thank you. I'm definitely in a much better place. I still have some work left, but therapy has helped me A LOT. So let that be a lesson to anyone that might read this who suffers from depression: Therapy DOES work...as long as you want it to. It's just like quitting smoking. If the desire to change isn't there, then nothing will change. If you want to change, you will. There's a simple quote I like to live by: "If nothing changes, nothing changes."

Awesome, I'm glad you're moving forward. Life can be hard when you have a lot weighing you down, I respect that you're trying and I think you're giving a great message .. both personally and with the photo.

 

[Hof8231]

Thanks! I'm trying my best!

 

[leighthal]

I've been following your project from the start and appreciate your candor. I would love to see you branch out now. We are only getting one side of your journey. The struggle. How about some after shots? Your life is not 100% suicide survival. Sometimes the more important story is the moving on. What else is in front of the camera that makes you who you are? Those stories are what I'm interested in. Does the man love dogs, cars, nature? What's outside the struggle that you fight for?

 

[Hof8231]

I really like your input, thank you! I know my entire life doesn't revolve around suicide/depression, and my photography doesn't either. I would like to incorporate some of what makes me who I am into this project, but I'm not sure how I would go about that.

 

[ShooterJ]

I really like your input, thank you! I know my entire life doesn't revolve around suicide/depression, and my photography doesn't either. I would like to incorporate some of what makes me who I am into this project, but I'm not sure how I would go about that.

As suggested above ... what are the bright things in your life? What do you love and enjoy? Those are good starting places.. you have the camera and the creativity.

 

[leighthal]

How about keeping it simple and just post a picture of something that makes you smile?
Or make it part of your project by still taking that photo of joy but a caption of "suicide didn't win" in black bold at the bottom.

 

[Hof8231]

I really like your input, thank you! I know my entire life doesn't revolve around suicide/depression, and my photography doesn't either. I would like to incorporate some of what makes me who I am into this project, but I'm not sure how I would go about that.

As suggested above ... what are the bright things in your life? What do you love and enjoy? Those are good starting places.. you have the camera and the creativity.

How about keeping it simple and just post a picture of something that makes you smile?
Or make it part of your project by still taking that photo of joy but a caption of "suicide didn't win" in black bold at the bottom.

Thanks for the ideas!

Well I love sports, music, photography obviously, spending time with friends and family, that kind of stuff. I'll try to think of a way to incorporate theminto some more upbeat photos of the topic.