Final steering group meeting with Anna Madill, Raginie Duara and Ratul Dey in London, Sangeeta Goswami in Guwahati, Dipartup Chowdhury in Tezpur, and Louise Walton in Leeds.

The Big Picture team member – Professor Paul Cooke, University of Leeds UK – leading filming-making training on the university campus.

Nirmaan Rehabilitation Facility Senior Counsellor Ratul Dey with Principle Investigator Anna Madill on a knowledge exchange visit to London February 2022.

Rebecca Graber, Ratul Dey and Anna Madill in London on our Big Picture cultural exchange events.

Online impact event from The Big Picture hosted by the Center for Public Mental Health Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia

Online impact event from The Big Picture hosted by the Emanuel Hospital Association, India

Pathways to Recovery workshop with postgraduate students at LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur Assam, August 2021.

The Big Picture principal investigator – Professor Anna Madill, University of Leeds UK – with Dr Sonia Pereira and Dr Arunjyoti Baruah – the LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Assam – being presented a Memorandum of Understanding by Dr Peter Gardner, Head of the School of Psychology.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Samba
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 18 years old

This is what Samba said about this picture: “When I was abusing drugs, I can describe my life as destroyed almost… Even this is like a symbolic example… your life is in your own hands and you’re destroying it. If you know it’s bad, why are you doing it”

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Rohan
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 18 years old

Participant looks through the photos he brought before starting to tell his story of how he resisted problematic use of drugs.

The Big Picture PhD student – Chloe Brooks – with her supervisors Professor Anna Madill and Dr Tolib Mirzoev.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Rohan
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 18 years old

Participant engaging in the process of poster-making as part of The Big Picture project. He chose to draw one of the photos he brought to the interview to convey a message to other young people.

The Big Picture PhD student – Chloe Brooks – reading material.

Pathways to Recovery workshop with postgraduate students at LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur Assam, August 2021.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Manav
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 24 years old

This is what Manav said about this picture: “Condition was bad means my health was completely deteriorated ok and means it happened like I’m sitting somewhere. Nothing seems to please me. Completely blank. I had a photo of that time. Where is it, let me describe it. This one (refers to the photo). If I sit somewhere, I couldn’t see anything. I felt life there’s nothing in my life. Because I was actually doing nothing. I just wake up in the morning, get intoxicated, sleep at night. Get intoxicated till my eyes aren’t closed and then sleep.”

Interview with the service provider in Nirmaan Rehabilitation Facility, Ratul Dey, who gave an in-depth insight about drug addiction problem among young people in Assam and plausible ways forward.

Credits for the introductory film we created for The Big Picture.

Cartoon created of panel ‘Young people’s perspective’ for University of Leeds UK Cultural Institute Arts and Mental Health day conference.

Still of Dr Raginie Duara, Research Fellow University of Leeds UK, from The Big Picture introductory film.

Still of Dr Rebecca Graber, University of Brighton UK, from The Big Picture introductory film.

The Big Picture PhD student – Chloe Brooks – and supervisor Dr Tolib Mirzoev, University of Leeds UK.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Kevin
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 21 years old

Last of the sixteen photos brought by a participant expressing the final positive feeling of being free of drugs and in a position to now guide others through their recovery from drug addiction.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Rishi
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 21 years old

Participant narrates his story of rehabilitation and recovery from drug addiction. He took part in creating the story board, bringing images and videos for B rolls and finally narrated his story in front of the camera.

The Big Picture receives ethical approval from the LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Assam.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Purav
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 19 years old

Participant gets thirty-three images to narrate his story of recovery from drug addiction. Each photo used carefully to give the interviewer insight into different phases of his journey, starting from how and why he first used substances, what led him to seek help through a rehab centre, and in his quest to recovery, what posed helpful and what caused difficulties.

The Big Picture proud to contribute to this international conference.

Ratul Dey, Senior Counsellor at Nirmaaan Rehabilitation Facility Assam, sharing our Pathways to Recovery Animation with service users.

Participants from our recovery group engaging in film-making workshop, learning to use the filming equipments and developing story boards.

Dr Srutimala Duara being thanked for her contribution to The Big Picture through providing a voice over for our animation.

The Big Picture team meeting – Professor Paul Cooke, Professor Anna Madill, Dr Siobhan Hugh-Jones, Chloe Brooks and Louise Walton – University of Leeds UK.

THE BIG PICTURE
PSEUDONYM: Jhanvi
GENDER: Male
NATIONALITY: Indian
AGE: 17 years old

One of the fifteen photos brought by a participant, where she sketched her feelings, photographed and explained, “I wanted to go somewhere else. I felt like that and finish everything and go somewhere else… I felt like someone was holding me and forcefully. I was not able to concentrate on anything, I was not able to do anything. I wanted to go out, but I was bound to be there. I wanted to come out and go somewhere, don’t know where. But I just wanted to go somewhere”. Strong emotional moments associated with the urge to take substances, but like many young participants, she exhibited remarkable resilience.

Logos of The Big Picture funders, partner organisations, and collaborating universities.

Our project participant interacting with audience after screening his film, Diary of a Recovering Drug Addict, in our impact event held in Assam.

Our project participant interacting with students after screening her film, Ek Notun Probhat, in our impact event, throwing light on women’s position in the world of addiction and recovery.

Our project participant interacting with audience after screening his film, Wrestling against all Odds, in our impact event, raising awareness by throwing light on his own recovery journey.

We thank Royal Global School pupils, Assam, who attended our event about raising awareness of youth addiction and for contributing their voice.

Anna Madill addressing our impact event audience in Assam through Skype.

Dr Diana Setiyawati introduces Th Big Picture at a film-screening at L’Orientale University in Naples, Italy on 21 February 2022 for sister GCRF project ‘The impact of COVID-19 on people living with psychosocial disabilities in Ghana and Indonesia and priorities for inclusive recovery.’

Find and download education and intervention material through our non-commercial licence page here. You can find guidance on downloading in the Resources – Other tab.

More about The Big Picture and its place in Community Psychology in an interview session with Dr. Emma Anderson, Senior Lecturer in Psychology (University of Brighton), recorded for postgraduate students of Community Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Brighton.

View our animation Pathways to Recovery trailere here and the full animation here.

Ratul Dey, Senior Counsellor at Nirmaaan Rehabilitation Facility Assam, sharing our Pathways to Recovery Animation with service users.

Direct Monthly Online Film Festival Top 10 Audience Choice for our animation Pathways to Recovery.

Pathways to Recovery workshop with postgraduate students at LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur Assam, August 2021. Helping us test out our workshop materials. For short fim on how to use our workshop materials clink here. To download our educational package click here.