Rescue of depressants: how an American photographer helped herself

Carolyn Mara Borlenghi is an American photographer from Miami. She was born in 1979 to an Italian family living in Houston, Texas at the time. Carolyn became interested in photography while studying at the Seacred Hart School. In 2002, she received a Bachelor of Science degree (psychology) from Southern Methodist University, and in 2006 — a Master of Fine Arts degree (photography, video).

Using photography as a catalyst for self-discovery, Carolyn in her work adheres to the golden mean between secrecy and work for the public. She considers her works to be a kind of quest that requires thoughtful reflection in order to understand the meaning embedded in them.

Source: carolynmara.com

The photo project called Self Help consists of Carolyn's self-portraits.

"When the middle of the fourth decade approached — the time that, according to everything I read, was supposed to be the heyday of my sexuality — my husband fell into a deep depression, from which he could not get out. I constantly felt passion and desire, but there were none on his part.

Suddenly I became invisible! My husband didn't want me, despite all my attempts to fix the situation, and I realized that I never knew how much I wanted to be desired. I felt lonely and slowly lost myself.

But then I took the camera and decided to point the lens at myself. The comprehension and implementation of each picture became my salvation. I needed to get rid of the pain and loneliness, I needed to tell the world and myself: "I'm still here! I still mean something!"

And I began to realize that the creative process was more effective medicine than anything else.

My art saved me. I stopped being invisible."