Share
Trigger warning: Anxiety, depression, suicide
When Sow Ay, a music lover from Auvergne, France, first started having panic last year attacks, he had no idea how to handle them. So he did what he'd always done: He drew them.
"I've always been drawing about my life, my friends or what I love," Ay told Revelist. "…But it all became darker and a lot more personal last year. The only step was for me to dare making darker drawings."
He drew a ghost — a dark, ethereal force sucking out all his energy — first.
Eventually, a psychologist diagnosed him with anxiety and depression.
"I had a name to put on that ghost," he said. "That was a huge moment for me.”
Around that time, Ay started posting his work online.
The drawings are dark, honest, and — for some viewers — disturbing.
However, the response to blew Ay away.
"I never imagined I could be of any help to anyone, as I can't leave my house because of the panic attacks I keep having," Ay said. "I feel incredibly proud."
All that online support has made him more comfortable speaking his mind.
I've been living with social and generalized anxiety for as long as I can remember and I've never been really great at saying what's on my mind. …Because I was scared, didn't want to bother people, because of the taboo… There are always excuses. I wanted to get better by myself — probably like many. But I just couldn't.
Ay is currently working with a therapist.
In fact, he recently invited her to check out his illustrations on Tumblr.
But no matter what, Ay said he'll always be there for his fans.
"I hope [my work] will keep helping people to feel better understood and keep giving them comfort," he said. "They can come back anytime to see my comics. They'll stay there for the support."
