The start of an unusual project
Mental health has interested me for a long time, personally and professionally. What began as curiosity grew into a wider project about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and how it sits alongside creativity, a subject that gets little attention.
A conversation with Isabelle: dyslexia and ADHD
Isabelle, a trusted friend and frequent collaborator in my photographic work, helped shift the project towards ADHD. I have a diagnosis of severe dyslexia, and I had wondered about overlaps between dyslexia and ADHD. Her observations about some of my traits led me to widen the project into ADHD.
Behind the lens: a portrait of Izzy
A key moment was a portrait session with Izzy at my studio in Bentwaters, Suffolk. I wanted the pictures to hold something of ADHD, especially how it shapes creativity. During the shoot Izzy showed a real ability to hyper-focus. That focus cuts both ways; as she put it, it can mean neglecting basic needs like eating. She captures it in a lyric from her song “Paranoid“: “I’m up at 4 AM, knowing you’re just round the bend.”
Izzy on ADHD as an asset
Working with Izzy was a gift, as her view of ADHD was refreshing. Rather than a limitation, Izzy sees it as something that feeds her music. Her honesty gave the project a fuller, first-hand understanding of ADHD.
A musical view of ADHD
Izzy’s next track, “Brain Fog,” out on 25 October, looks at ADHD and how it feels. She described how divergent thinking helps both the creative and technical sides of her music, while also naming the harder parts, such as decision paralysis and time blindness, all of it carried through her music.
ADHD in the NHS guidelines
For anyone new to it, the National Health Service (NHS) sets out the basics:
- Definition: ADHD is a medical condition marked by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
- Symptoms: these range from a lack of focus to marked impulsivity, affecting daily life.
- Causes: the medical view is that it comes from a mix of genetic and environmental factors.
Continuing the exploration
This project has been more than a learning exercise. I have recognised some ADHD traits in myself, and the experiences Isabelle and Izzy shared show that it appears differently from person to person. Their openness about mental health has enriched the work and opened up more honest conversations.
As someone who uses photography to look at difficult subjects, I can say my interest in mental health is far from over. It is worth continuing to explore and talk about, for myself and more widely.
