As a dedicated mental health advocate and advocate for Tourette's Syndrome, this photographic series examines the relationship between body, mood, and expression. Each photograph represents a unique behavioral health condition. The project will culminate in a significant finale, and I will provide updates throughout our progress. This is an evolving endeavor, with further updates forthcoming; however, the immediate focus is to launch this website.

Depression is more than just feeling sad or having a rough day. It’s a medical condition that affects how you think, feel, and function in daily life. People with depression may experience:

Persistent sadness or emptiness

Loss of interest in things they used to enjoy

Fatigue or low energy

Changes in sleep and appetite

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, or worthlessness

Depression can range from mild to severe. At its worst, it can make even basic tasks feel overwhelming. Unlike temporary sadness, depression doesn’t simply “go away” with willpower. It often requires treatment — whether through therapy, lifestyle support, medication, or a combination.

Anxiety is a constant sense of worry or fear that can overwhelm thoughts, body, and daily life.

Loveliness feels like a quiet moment that sneaks up on you. It’s not loud or trying too hard. It’s in the way sunlight hits a wall and makes the whole room softer, or when someone laughs and it feels like the air got lighter. It’s simple, almost fragile, but it stays with you because it feels true. Loveliness doesn’t push. It just sits there, calm, and you realize you don’t need to add anything to it. It’s already enough.

Shame feels heavy, like standing in front of the light but not being able to step into it. It presses down on your shoulders and pulls your head low, like you’re trying to disappear without leaving the room. It’s the silence that echoes louder than words, the weight that makes you turn away from yourself. Shame lives in the shadow, but it’s born from wanting to be seen and fearing it at the same time. It’s raw, unkind, and it lingers even when no one else is watching.

ADHD and bipolar disorder often overlap in how they show up, which makes them easy to confuse. Both can involve mood swings, restlessness, racing thoughts, impulsivity, and trouble with focus. From the outside, it can look very similar.

But there are key differences:

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that shows up early in life, with persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder marked by distinct episodes of depression and mania (or hypomania) that cycle over time.

ADHD symptoms are usually constant, while bipolar symptoms shift in episodes.

Energy in ADHD can feel “always on,” while in bipolar, energy spikes and crashes with mood states.

Because they share surface similarities, misdiagnosis is common — especially if a doctor focuses mainly on prescribing medication without taking a deeper look at patterns over time. For example, stimulants might help ADHD but can worsen untreated bipolar. That’s why careful assessment, history-taking, and sometimes multiple opinions are so important.