Figure 1: Mental Health Foundation. 2017
Recently, I came across a poem by Ciara Mucci that sums up how I and so many others respond to the question ‘How are you?’. Having started photographing volunteers for my project, it is a topic we have discussed and compared notes on. In order not to show weakness, we will answer the question with ‘I’m fine’. This way we do not reveal ourselves to others; we do not show weakness.
“The Fine Art of “The Worry”
Does it make you feel alive
To court anxiety?
Everything,
All the time:
Endless inputs,
Finding Reasons,
Justification of your thoughts,
Isolation to everything
But “the worry”-
I am tired of carrying
This burden around.
I want to feel light-hearted joy.
I want to smile
And mean it!
I want to answer the question,
When someone asks how I feel,
And mean it-
Fine
Fine
Fine
Fine
Fine!”
– Mucci 2011: 3
The Mental Health Foundation launched the “I’m Fine’ campaign in 2016 in an attempt to encourage us to open up more about our health and actual state of mind. I am hopeful that my current project will help people become more open about the issues they face and why they are wearing a mask every day to face the world. The video below is part of the campaign and explains it really well.
Video 1: Mental Health Foundation, 2016
So, next time you ask someone if they are ok, don’t let them get away with ‘I’m fine’. Take the time to have a more meaningful conversation. After all, we all need a network of people we can confide in.
REFERENCES
Mucci, C. Fine. (2011). iUniverse Inc.
IMAGE SOURCE
Mental Health Foundation. (2016). I’m Fine | Mental Health Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/get-involved/im-fine [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017].
VIDEO SOURCE
Video 1: Mental Health Foundation. (2016). Mental Health Foundation launches ‘I’m Fine’ campaign. [online] Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/news/mental-health-foundation-launches-im-fine-campaign [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017].
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