snapmediagroup-devlog

[snapmediagroup-devlog]

Week in Review: 1/12/20 (Part 1)

Hello! I am very happy to be here writing the first diary entry for the Snap! Media Group development log.

We’ve set out to develop a cartoon to educate children and their carers about mental health awareness in children.

A Long and Personal Preamble or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Mental Health

It all started from a place of introspection - Running in circles trying to get treated for my ADHD at 22, I thought to myself, “How did I go through the entire public school system and not once get flagged for this? I’m a textbook case!”. This led to the realization that myself, and the adults in my life, couldn’t diagnose something they didn’t understand - I was unrepresented.

When people think of ADHD, they think of loud, rambunctious boys causing a racket, a Bart Simpson type. But I was quiet, studious, and well mannered - I was unclockable! But I’ve always had hyperfixations, I’ve always been a scatterbrain. It only took me until now - when I took my mental health into my own hands - Did I consider that if I learned more about these parts of myself, I could communicate better with ADHD and non-ADHD people alike.

Obviously, being a child, I didn’t understand that people had different neural pathways to me. I thought it was normal to leave and breath Captain Underpants for a month, then drop it completely. I lived this way until university. While I struggled in school, so did everyone, right? I didn’t understand that no, I’m actually at a significant disadvantage that’s gone completely unchecked. Its kinda crazy looking back on it!

When I learned about hyperfixations, I had a lightbulb moment. Actually it was twofold - “Hot dog, that’s me!” and, “I had never considered positive affects of a learning disability, and there’s a systemic problem of framing learning disabilities as universally negative.” I wasn’t so wordy at the time, but it’s a point that still sticks with me.

I believe that if I had the representation and the tools to understand the effects of mental health at a young age, I could have communicated better and saved myself a lot of bother in my development years.

I’m aware that a kids show can’t single-handedly subvert any systemic issue, but I’ll be damned if that’ll stop me! 

A lot of people I love have problems they deal with every day. Heck, even people I don’t love have to deal with it! But it’s not something you need to struggle with. It’s all about representation.

I’ve gone on quite a bit here, so I’ll spare this one post. Please read part 2 for the continued adventures, wherein I’ll divulge more of the theory side of our program.

Thanks for reading!

- Kush

[snapmediagroup-devlog]

Hello World!

Hello! Howdy! We are SNAP! A creative media team currently developing a show for the youngins'. Watch this space!