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Not Without Help

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I used to suffer from an anxiety disorder for a large portion of high school, and this film is a personal account of my road to mental health. I have made this film in hope that it helps to guide others who are still suffering from anxiety, encouraging them to seek help. I hope that perhaps it can also help people to identify feelings of anxiety that they do not know are even there.
So here is my Year 12 film project, which is designed and formatted as a web advertisement to be played before YouTube/ web portal videos (theoretically). I hope you enjoy it.

If you wish to seek help for another or for yourself, please visit:
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/
or
call 1300 22 4636

Additionally, if you have the spare time please follow these links to learn more about anxiety and its effects:
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety
https://www.adavic.org.au/

Cheers.

*Update*: Thank you so much for the Daily Second Place Newgrounds! You guys rock!

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An inspiration video with a pretty strong story! The animated parts do amplify the experience, yet the real footage seems to have an even greater effect, the disorienting typing footage, the insinuated punch, then getting up just before the clock rings, simple techniques like that seem to have the most effect, even if they don't really 'show' the experience. Might be hard to relate to drawn footage when compared to the real deal. But anyway, maybe thanks to that it didn't feel like it was an educational film all the way through, but more a work of art with a message. Hope the people who need this get to see it!

-cd-

Maccamuffin responds:

Thank you! My idea was that I wanted to show people what it felt like to experience anxiety in the way that I did. In that, I also wanted to try to get people to "feel" it. That way, I could perhaps open the door to people who do unknowingly experience anxiety to identify it within themselves and hopefully seek help for it. There are many techniques I tried to achieve this in the end, some of which you've noticed :P I'm glad you enjoyed it!

good for you honey!!!!! good for oyu. I fought my way out of my own head when I was a little kid, completely alone even though I to this day still have to live with my parents due to other health issues, and continue to hold that front. ;) I have my sword, and my shield. And I shall not want. ;) (relax I'm a transhumanist) good on you, that you continue to beat it. ;) never forget what oyu have done for yourself. Let this battle nad the tools you have bloodily won from the constant struggle be your reminder to never go back. NEVER SURRENDER! ;) I can't imagine what it must be like for schizophrenics and others with worse problems than us! ;) let us give them hope, through our striving. ; kudos my friend. kudos. keep on truckin.

Maccamuffin responds:

I'm glad to hear you're holding the front :D
Thank you very kindly for your words, and I wish you all the best!

thank you for sharing your story. its very important that people share and discuss their stories of recovery, to spread awareness and hope. i have anxiety and the first part of your movie, where the boy is clicking his pen, really got to me. i wanted to punch him too haha.

you were very lucky to have a family there to support you and help you. i could rant on about the holes in our mental health care system but then this review would turn into an essay.

thanks again - ive added this to my favourites.

Maccamuffin responds:

Yes, you're right. It's important for people who suffer to understand that there is a way that they can help themselves, and some of the best advice can come from those who have experienced it firsthand. You've actually just reminded me to sign up on the beyondblue anxiety forum, thanks for that, and thank you for the review and the favourite!

Might suggest you also consider that you're not alone, no one is (as far as anxiety)... For me, personally, I always gave more panic attacks than had them. I'm one of those kinds of people (kind of the opposite side of the spectrum) who just... well, sometimes I just can't take anything seriously. But I digress...
Again, just a suggestion, to accept for yourself, and to let others know, whatever their psychology is, no one is alone. There are lots of people with the same (and frankly I hate the term) "disorders"...
Otherwise, bravo... rather like the narrative and more "real-world"... Kind of different from the abundance of animation here... Seems oddly refreshing... and it's still art.

Maccamuffin responds:

That's a very good point, no-one is alone in the struggle with anxiety, or any other condition. At least, no-one needs to be. Some people I've come across believe that they are sparing their friends and loved ones pain and suffering by trying to deal with anxiety alone, but in reality they are only making it worse for themselves. Some of those people have not even told their friends and family that they experience anxiety at all; they won't allow anyone to help them. It can feel confronting to tell loved ones how you're feeling, but the reward is far greater than avoiding confrontation; their support in your times of need. It's invaluable to allow others to help you when you don't know how to help yourself, because most of us don't. There is no way that I would have been nearly as mentally healthy as I am now without the help of my family, my doctor and my therapist. I would without a doubt still be viewing the world in the hostile perspective as I once did, and feeling the same things as I once did. Some things cannot be done alone. Although it seems I digress as well. Thank you very much for your kind comments, I wish you all of the best!

I suffer from anxiety now that I am older its just been alot of built up stress, but I have always been optimistic and a happy go lucky person.I found a way to deal with anxiety but I didn't have it as bad I guess. Thanks for the film it was wonderful and inspiring even to me, an "old guy" lol well Im not that old I am only 34 lol but when you hit 30 some people consider u old :)

Maccamuffin responds:

Thank you so much! Anxiety is felt by such a significant portion of the community, at all ages, and I'm glad I could inspire you in some way! I hope you're going well in coping with anxiety, and I'm glad you've found a way to deal with it. I've found that talking through my feelings has been the best cure for me, particularly with my therapist. He really helped weed out all the bad stuff. We also developed strategies together that I actively used for a while when I was feeling anxious or experiencing a panic attack, and eventually they became second nature. After that, I just found the world a much better place to live in; it wasn't nearly quite as hostile in the way that I believed it to be. Sometimes things can get bad and I'll need to use the strategies again to help myself, but that only rarely happens these days. In any case, I wish you all the best for the future!

P.S
Don't worry, you're not that old :P.

Credits & Info

Views
2,809
Faves:
4
Votes
10
Score
3.72 / 5.00

Uploaded
Feb 23, 2015
7:53 AM EST
Genre
Informative
  • Daily 2nd Place February 24, 2015