Minor Project: Research

Working on this project I'd come to discover that my anxiety could be personified by a bird. After speaking with Phil we discussed a project in which there was a collection of anxiety animals. Using this week I've gathered research from others that suffer from anxiety and asked them three questions. 

If your anxiety was an animal what would it be? 

How does this animal behave? 

Can you describe key features of this animal?

These answers are the results of my research, some of those involved provided some drawings done in the same way I approached my bird.

Skyler

"I'd guess an armadillo. Trying to keep to itself."

Maggy

"The first thing that comes to mind is a doe. They're very quiet and gentle but it's their weakness because that's what makes them weak and an easy target to hunters? They seem to always be on edge and over aware like they're expecting something to jump out and attack any moment. They don't have the large antlers to defend themselves, sometimes I think that's how I feel not being able to speak out and defend myself. I just freeze a bit. Like a deer in the headlights. I find doe when you look at them they seem calm and unaware, but when they know you're looking they run."

Sammy

 "I'd probably describe it as a baby moose or deer because of how shaky and almost clumsy and helpless it makes me feel. These animals are clumsy and wobbly and to me anxiety often feels like learning how to walk for the first time, always slipping and sliding as you try to find your feet.

They are also dependent on their mothers with regards to being looked after as they are quite helpless at this age and when my anxiety gets really bad I find myself relying on others to help me through and look after me.

As for key features, I'm not really sure. They're both kind of awkward looking - because of their long legs they appear a little off balance most the time, especially the baby moose. They're both super cute though and innocent."

Georgie

"My anxiety would probably be a ferret. It's skittish around most people but in certain places and situations it's just happy go lucky. It's very small and timid."

Eve

"Ooh, I like dogs but I think my answer would have to be a big greyhound of some sort, just lurking over me all the time. Judging everything I do. I would say, tall, grey, long face, scary at times and almost as if he's above me in all senses. Oh look, he's a he too."

Aiden

"Ocyale Guttata Spider. It lingers round in the open, unseen waiting to attack out of nowhere. The only key feature it has is it's whole body which is identical to the area it waits in."

Chelsea

"I would probably say that my anxiety would be best represented by a snake. There are some days where it's only a small little thing, but then there are other days when it grows into this huge beast. Like a snake, and with myself being the "prey", it coils itself around me, to constrict me. Its suffocating and unbearable. And the poisonous bite that it marks me with can leave me feeling cold and bitter towards the world. This cold blooded creature only cares for itself, but it pretends that it cares for me, that it's the only one that understands me, that I can't trust anyone else and that I must succumb to it."

Hannah
"I like wolves but I feel like anxiety can take of the negative aspects of the wolf. I feel like wolves I'm outgoing but anxiety doesn't let me be and it's the scruffy looking wolf."

Kali

"Probably a humming bird? Gets on with its day, does what it needs to do, it's cute as hell (obvs) but, as with all birds, is in a constant state of fear because bad things could happen at any moment and then just darts away from the issue. And a humming birds heart beat is one of the fastest out of any animal which totally correlates to me because my heart rate is ridiculously fast. And it eats a lot, which I do. And is tiny, like me. Looks cool as fuck and I don't think there's anything that goes after hummingbirds but they're definitely small and fragile enough to become pray."