The Empath – Self Portrait

Photo taken by contributor Jaeda DeWalt, a conceptual self-portrait artist in her forties from Seattle, Washington. Her battles with mental illness hearken back to her earliest memories, at age 4, when she became obsessed with the number four and performed exhaustive rituals in patterns of four. During her teen years, she began noticing extreme mood swings, manic one moment and depressed the next, and in her late 20′s she finally sought treatment and was diagnosed with Bipolar, OCD, PTSD, Anxiety, and ADHD. Her doctors told her they believed the mental illness was brought on by a severe concussion she sustained at age two, along with the trauma of being sexually abused as a child into her young adult years. Her life was filled with self-destructive coping methods until she went full force into creating, in her mid-twenties. The process of creating and putting herself in front of the camera felt cathartic, liberating and healing. The photographic medium opened up a new world to her and ignited a kind of passion within that she didn’t even know she was capable of experiencing. She has been on an ever-evolving, healing journey, ever since.

About this photo: “The Empath – Self Portrait: I suffered several head concussions as a child and young adult. I believe this might be part of the reason for my mental illness, empathic abilities and creativity.  I struggle to be around people because I take on their thoughts, feelings and pain.  I am still learning how to balance the blessing and curse that is mental illness, it is an ever-evolving journey.”

Find more from Jaeda at Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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21 replies to “The Empath – Self Portrait”

  9. I can identify with taking on the emotions of other people and their personality. I don’t do this consciously. I also have deep trust issues from being abused in school for many years. Very good picture. Soft and sweet.

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    1. Oops, I also have a terrible time concentrating on what I am doing. I like your self portrait. Very powerful image. I am on the autism spectrum. I have Asperger’s, OCD and Generalized anxiety disorder.

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    2. Thank you your kind words and for sharing of your own experiences with this. It took me awhile to become consciously aware that i take on the feelings and energy of others. I share your deep trust issues from childhood abuse. I am sorry you were subjected to that. Sending you abundant compassion and love :).

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