Maria Vidal
Textiles that helps the emotional and physiological regulation of people who had experienced traumatic situations
Summary
Can a textile help regulate the somatic symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980, classifying it as a disorder in DSM-III (Van der Kolk, 2016) Intrusive thoughts of the traumatic experience, emotional numbing, avoidance of the reminders of the incident and physiological hyperarousal are a characteristic triad of this disease (Goodman et col, 2012) But Not all Trauma experience end -ups in PTSD; Early intervention has proven very important to prevent the development of the disease, primarily if it focus on agency or mastery of the experience (Roberts et col, 2012)
Additional info
Western and Eastern conceptions of the human body
Mastering our own body is something that some time could be seen as a far away option for some people, especially when stressful situations does not allow us to think or feel ourselves clearly.
Fragmented western conceptions have shown us that our brains, minds, and bodies are separate universes that should be discussed individually. On the other hand, in the East, the idea of body and mind seems to be understood as a holistic thing, where every part of the body affects not only our physical structure but also our emotions.
This research wants to look under western and eastern conceptions of ourselves, under practical and theoretical experiences that allow me as a textile designer to develop a second skin that could interact with specific parts of the body, trigging different sensations that help people to recover from intense emotions print in their bodies, achieving a better quality of life.
Sample development
I have developed a series of knitted samples, experimenting with different volumetric stitches that can “touch” the human skin differently. The aim is to test various materials and a combination of them to create a particular surface that will interact with different parts of the body. Each area tested comes from the literature review I have done, where authors explained through different theories which parts of the body are more sensitive and should respond better to physical stimulus.
This early stage in my research has shown the multiple paths I will have to take to better understand how our body and mind works.
Methodology
The methodology used is based on a framework known as embedded design research (Faste et al., 2012) Which understand the process involved in research as a combination between procedural and investigation that culminate in an artefact as the embodiment of design knowledge. This means that the knowledge generated in this bi-partial process is contained in the cognitive processes and artefacts of the design activity performed (Faste et al., 2012). Design is not limited to traditional research documentation, but research is done through practice where processes result in the creation of experienced artefacts (Koskinen et al., 2012). In this case, a textile capable of helping the regulation process of people under severe distress.
Textiles as second skin
Research has shown that traumatic experiences affect the physical body. This research aims through Textiles, build as a second skin, to free the mind and the body from past events.
The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel Van Der Kolk.
The Ayurvedic Man, Wellcome Collection.
he Heart Meridian, The Acupuncture Atlas.
The Stomach Meridian, The Acupuncture Atlas.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples Interacting with the Human Body.
Knitted Samples and materials.
Knitted Samples and materials.
Knitted Samples and materials.
Knitted Samples and materials.
