The First Step to Treating It, Is Seeing It is a 3-D video experience that seeks to challenge society’s mental construct of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. With the help of anaglyph glasses, participants will experience the multiple layers of PTSD and uncover what’s hiding underneath the surface of those living with the commonly misunderstood disorder. This exhibit reveals not only how mental illness manifests itself within one’s physical body, but within the public sphere. How does society view those living with mental illness and addiction? How do we interact with those struggling with PTSD? Do we even recognize what’s going on beneath the outward signs? This exhibit challenges participants to reconsider their preconceived notions of PTSD and provides insight into the experience of those living with the disorder. This project also examines society’s level of mental health literacy. It challenges our acceptance of mental disorders and showcases the impact of stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. Viewers will take a transformational journey beyond the perceived construct of PTSD, allowing them to start to identify signs and symptoms of PTSD and ultimately change the way people think about mental illness and addiction.
