Depression Prevention
Umea, Sweden, 2008
5 Step Program participatory performance
In continuation with the work Gautrain: Ophelia which was shown at the BildMuseet gallery in Umea, the Urban Concerns project commissioned a performance which was executed in Umea Sweden. During my two week residence there, I decided to research the illness of depression which plagues certain areas of Sweden (Umea being one of them) at certain times of the year when they do not get any sunlight. The effect of this is a huge vitamin D deficiency, which results in depression. I worked with psychologist Rolf Adolfsson at a hospital who informed me about several precautions to take to avoid depression as well as some cures. I developed a five step program whereby you could learn about the prevention and cures for depression. This was ‘performed’ on their open day for the urban concerns project amongst various other performative works.
Depression Prevention 5 Step Program:
1. Fill out form with questions pertaining to how happy you are
2. Talk about this, dressed up as super heros in a tent with me (its important to talk to people and not to take ourselves too seriously)
3. Experience Extreme Light Therapy and touch
4. Move your body: Aerobics to ABBA’s Dancing Queen
5. Sing – open your chest up and make a noise! I worked with two choirs for this part of this part of the performance
Discussing Depression in the tent
Participant recieving light and touch therapy
Participants dancing to ABBA's Dancing Queen - exercise is a great cure for depression
Anthea explaining the benefits of expanding one's chest and lung area in helping to cure depression. This is why singing is a great way to deal with depression.
