I'm Caiti Berry, I studied Interactive Arts student, at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). Firstly I’ll explain what the course actually entails since it’s integral to my working methods. Interactive Arts is a degree honours course within which the students are expected to lead a self-motivated learning program. This enables the students to weave their own pathway though the world of the arts and all of its varying mediums.

The course itself is taught in a free form manner and actively encourages the students to work as individuals, seeking help from outside the confines of the university. This produces students who have become very aware of the need to network and develop their organisational skills, as well as creating a close bond among the year group as a whole: an almost pre-made art collective.

Whilst on this course, I’ve begun to develop my artistic direction which seems to have been forming itself around the subjects of mental health and the arts. More specifically, how art forms can help people to perceive mental health issues in a different manner from the ‘norm’. This started with examining myself and deciding how, I can relate my own feelings about mental health artistically and question them, Furthering my awareness and understandings of the whole field of mental health generally but also myself.

I originally became interested in the field of mental health and its various related issues as a result of my father's involvement in the foundations of the mental health charity, Mind:(http://www.mind.org.uk/) and Growing space: (http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2005/10/10/i-felt-a-great-sense-of-peace-i-knew-i-was-going-to-fit-in-here-91466-16229429/ appalling link, sorry but there is very little info about the project that I can find, so here is a review). This resulted in me being around people with mental health problems from a very young age. Later, following my father’s death, and as I grew up, I started to become aware that quite a few of the adults around me were also suffering from quite severe mental health issues.

Whilst I was starting to delve into this level of awareness I had also started taking antidepressants, at around the age of sixteen. For me the first step was forced upon me as I had been suffering severe panic attacks whilst on holiday, and on return had been convinced to go to my family doctors. Leading to a year on sick pay and not a lot else.

By the time I reached university, having had time to try to regain some emotional control, I had been, and was still trying a plethora of different types of anti-depressants, at a range of doses, which was an unpleasant experience. However, early last year, I eventually found a type that actually helped me; Prozac and in conjunction with the useful resources available