Toxic relationships, controlling partners and body image issues: Those are just a few things women deal with every single day. Yes, these are not issues limited to just one gender but for women, the ‘need’ to have a partner is stressed way more often and it is done to a point where they feel difficult to get out of it, even when they clearly should.

Did he like my picture? 

Those are the predominant thoughts in the heads of most, if not all women and London-based artist Polly Nor depicts them beautifully through her artwork. 

She shows a woman with a snail-like creature, who signifies all the demons she faces in her life.

She also puts short captions, which make it easy to understand what she is trying to convey. 

Each artworks tells a story while contributing to the bigger narrative of overcoming emotional challenges.

From compromising with your individual identity for someone.

To giving them chances they don’t deserve.

From trying to get out of an emotionally exhausting relationship.

To failing, completely. 

There are multiple cycles that a woman goes through before she can ultimately break free. 

Sense of belonging is an underrated emotion and it takes a lot of courage to get out a relationship, no matter how abusive. 

But we have to start somewhere; Polly’s illustrations are a reminder of that. 

You can see the complete hard-hitting series, here.