Addiction Services week is something which not many people acknowledge or even are aware of. Admittedly, I had known nothing and heard nothing about this week put in place to spread awareness and an understanding of mental health and addictions. Except the other day, I was leaving a coffee shop and something pinned to a corkboard caught my eye.
The glazed poster stood out among the business cards and lost pet notices because there was a picture of stretched out hand, protruding from the palm was an inked screaming face with tightened eyes. The grimacing image was smeared with pain and agony.
The poster was advertising last week’s “Recovery Art” exhibit at Gallery Connexion. The art show was put together by Connexion member Nancy Morin, in hopes to draw attention and break the stigma of mental illness and addiction.
Those who have struggled with these challenges were given the opportunity to tell their story through their art work. The exhibit had tons of people in and out of the gallery’s doors and was a way for people see these issues in a creative light.
Paintings, poems, sculptures and even doodles gave a sense of humanity to bipolar disorder, tobacco addiction, drinking problems, depression and a bunch more. The physicality of these things makes them hard to ignore.
Little journals and pens were laid beside each piece and exhibit viewers were encouraged to foster questions, concerns and other thoughts. It gave people the opportunity to have an insight to issues where there’s not a lot of chances to learn about these subjects in everyday life.
