In pics: Initiative sheds light on mental disorders through photography

CAIRO – 17 May 2021: Micheline Abu Halqa has launched an initiative to raise people’s awareness towards several mental illnesses that many might not know, or ignore its severity.

Her initiative shed the light on a number of mental disorders including: self-harm, mood disorders, panic attacks and borderline personality disorder through photography.

A number of youth actors and actresses took part in a photo session Abu Halqa made, featuring various emotions and pain that people with mental illnesses usually experience.

A graduate of Faculty of Mass Communication, Micheline Abu Halqa said that the idea of the initiative came as she herself has borderline personality disorder, which she only discovered she has 6 months ago.

“In the beginning, my parents and friends did not understand what’s happening to me, and some of them did not bear my extreme emotional swings,” she explained. She went on saying that when she felt scared to take the car alone, her friends used to make fun of her.

She added that she talked a lot to them to explain the disorder to them in a clear as her psychiatrist advised. “I felt that it is my duty, in return, to raise awareness about mental illnesses through my initiative to avoid repercussions that might end by suicide.”

Micheline said that she found support from her friends who were enthusiastic with the idea of the initiative, including: Shady Luqa, Karin Ayman, Rafiq el-Tarbay and Haidy Alaa.

Among the actors and actress who were featured in the initiative were: Malak Zaher, Farah el-Zahed, Youssef Othman, Sherif Nour el-Din and Ro’a Shanouha.

“They were all very cooperative and were enthusiast to get the best results of the campaign,” she said.

She further noted that the initiative mainly targets raising awareness of the parents and families who might not be aware of the suffer of their children due to mental illness. “They need to take any symptoms seriously, and instead of pressuring them, they should start helping them.”

She added “Anyone with mental illness who reach out to us in the initiative, we direct them to a specialist immediately.”