At least once a day, I get a message or a comment asking about the relationship between my art and mental health.

Anyone who has listened to my music can tell that it has had a big effect, but few know just to what extent.

Art has been, by far, the most influential aspect of helping me work through my battle with depression and bipolar disorder. I’ve noticed, however, that this doesn’t hold true for everyone.

Some people continually fail to find success with art as therapy, and to me, that is a tragedy. I am a firm believer that self-expression and art can work for any person, regardless of “natural talent.”

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When a person suffers from major depressive or bipolar disorder, the world can seem like an impossible place to navigate. When you don’t have any sense of inner consistency, it can be extremely challenging to find any sense of stability in the world around you.

How can someone make plans if they are worried that they might be a completely different person when those plans come about?

During my teenage years, I suffered off and on from Major Depressive and Bi-Polar Type 2 Disorder. Growing up in a religious community that didn't legitimize mental illness, I grew up believing that crippling numbness was a natural part of being a teenager, that the answer was “turning that frown upside-down.” This was impossible for me, as anyone with depression understands.