The following art was selected as the 1st place winner of 2022’s Refuat Hanefesh Creative Expression Contest.

Age Group: Youth

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Message from The Artist: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. The importance of mental health is, unfortunately, not often given enough attention. Neither is the severity of its impact upon people struggling with their mental health. This drawing depicts a young woman’s head and heart, both filled with words which express conflicting positive and negative feelings, showing a person struggling with her emotions and mental health. Despite these struggles, the person says the words “I’m fine.” People tend to mask their feelings instead of expressing them. This drawing demonstrates the internal struggle EVERY SINGLE PERSON faces, no matter if they admit it or not. The reality is that people are often too scared to talk about their emotions or mental status for fear of negative judgment. We need to create a society where people feel safe to talk about and address their mental health in a positive and supportive environment.