How can we communicate what we can’t see? It’s a problem we run into a lot with talking about mental illness since – unlike a broken arm or leg – there’s no straightforward way of physically representing emotional pain. So, how can we make these feelings more relatable, and thus understandable?

In this episode of Braided, Georgia Willmott asks two participants what would happen if their mental illness, as a character, entered their house. Alongside 2 participants, we embark on a journey into a tangible representation of their mental illness, hearing the physical and emotional aspects of their “guest” and how it affects their lives.

All of us experience reality differently based on our backgrounds, experiences and relationships, and mental illness can make it even more difficult to discern what’s going on for ourselves and other people. This episode, however, questions our pre-existing understandings of mental illness in an effort to better understand – and empathize – what people go through.

Home Invasion was produced by Georgia Willmott with mixing and editing help from Michelle Macklem at Artful Dodgers Studios in Melbourne, Australia.

Georgia would like to thank her family, friends and her social worker for supporting her through the making of this podcast. She couldn’t have done it without them and their wisdom. She would also like to thank the participants and the crew for being courageous and amazing. This was definitely a work of collaboration and everyone involved either indirectly or directly are very much appreciated. 

If anyone has listened to this and feel like might need mental health support, here are a few suggestions to get started:

headspace – an Australian non-profit organisation for youth mental health. Check out the website and you can contact the nearest centre to you.Kids Helpline – Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Call 1800 55 1800 or check out the website. Beyond Blue – an Australian independent non-profit organisation working to address issues associated with mental disorders. Check out the website for more details. Lifeline – a non-profit organisation that provides free, 24-hour Telephone Crisis Support service in Australia. Call 13 11 14

Braided is hosted by Agum Maluach and Aaron B.

For more information on this episode, visit braidedpodcast.com.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates and extras.