I had recently experienced an anxiety attack when I drew this, and while I overcame it, it reminded me of this character I drew a few years back that represents my anxiety, though I'm sure anyone who has experienced it before will know the feeling.

The worm-like, writhing head represents how your thoughts twist and turn and endlessly race, while the teeth represent how those same thoughts do more harm than good, while the lack of eyes shows how you're blind to the truth, and though you cry, it seems that the tears are lost. The flayed skin over the heart represents the fragility of your spirit (when all five pieces are pulled back, it's meant to look like a flower), and how easily it is to feel exposed. The empty abyss inside is the hopelessness you feel, while the hand holding it open shows how vulnerable you feel, while the hooks for hands represent how when you try to attack that feeling within, you only end up hurting yourself, and the teeth represent how the anxiety will bite back. The amputated legs represent the inability to run away, trapped with the feeling for as long as it continues on. The tail is to represent the animal side of you that appears, the flight instinct that kicks in that makes you wish to tuck tail and run away. And finally, there's the blood which takes the form of a huge demon that you always feel the presence of, whispering poisonous thoughts into your ear and grasping at your with its claws, holding you back from seeking out help, and the worst part is its an inescapable part of you.

So yes, there you go, an image filled with symbolism. Kind of a vent art in that it helped me move past the attack and remember that who I am when I experience an attack is not who I am.

Anxiety (c) Scott Francis