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Depression and Creativity site
In her post “to my surprise…” on her site Temporary Reality, “neighbor” writes about the experience of growing up gifted that many of us can relate to. Here is an excerpt [published here by permission]:
When I was little I was labelled Gifted. God, it sounds so bad to just up and say that. [...]
Alexander McQueen was praised by many for his fashion design talents. He took his life by hanging a little over a week ago.
The title of a recent Daily Mail [UK] article by Jane Fryer was “A life in fashion: Alexander McQueen was the hooligan of the catwalk who loved to shock – but nothing could [...]
Anne Tyler Lord writes: “Some may think that depression is too ‘depressing’ of a topic for Valentine’s Day. But I think it is the best because it is one of the holidays where many people experience depression, right up there with Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
“And, what better way to care for your heart than [...]
![Excessive Internet Use Is Linked to Depression [or not]](http://www.addictioninfo.org/content_images/internet3.jpg)
ScienceDaily
People who spend a lot of time browsing the Internet are more likely to show depressive symptoms, according to the first large-scale study of its kind in the West by University of Leeds psychologists.
Researchers found striking evidence that some users have developed a compulsive internet habit, whereby they replace real-life social interaction with online chat [...]
The film Poppy Shakespeare, based on Clare Allen’s novel, takes us down a cinematic rabbit hole into north London’s fictional Dorothy Fish day hospital where the clearly ’sane’ Poppy, played by Naomi Harris, has been mysteriously committed to a compulsory day-program for the mentally ill.
In a psychiatric Catch 22, she must prove herself [...]
The Psychology Today article, Field Guide to The Self-Doubter: Extra Credit, by Susan Pinker, excerpted below, brings insight into the thoughts and feelings many people have about being incompetent or impostors:
Not giving herself credit
Rosalyn Lang has a Ph.D. in molecular biology, has just completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University, and recently launched her own [...]
“When you’re in the midst of depression, that’s the scariest thing — it seems that you’re going to feel like that forever. The pain created by depression kills almost 1 million people a year. It almost killed me, and it did kill my aunt.
“If I can give just one person hope that there’s an end [...]
Do you ever feel depressed, anxious, obsessed, compulsive, too sensitive – or just out of it? Does that mean you’re really crazy? What does ‘crazy’ mean anymore, with so many categories of mental disorder? What does ‘normal’ even mean?
Peter D. Kramer, clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University, notes “Diagnostic labels are proliferating, and mental [...]
Here is a sampling from the article “Perfectionism and Depression: What to Do When Being a Perfectionist Drags You Down,” by Sedona Training Associates staff and Hale Dwoskin:
Do you ever think the following self-limiting beliefs?
* It’s not OK to make a mistake
* People will not like me if I’m not perfect
* I’ll avoid anything I [...]
The film Mystical Brain reveals the exploratory work of a team from the University of Montreal who seek to understand the states of grace experienced by mystics and those who meditate.
Filmmaker Isabelle Raynauld offers up scientific research, which proposes that mystical ecstasy is a transformative experience and could to contribute to people’s psychic and physical [...]
In her article, 9 Holiday Depression Busters, Theresa Borchard shows how to keep stress levels low and depression and anxiety at bay over the holidays.
Her 9 tips run from the serious “Avoid Toxic People,” and “Make Your Own Traditions,” to the seemingly frivolous, but ingenious, “Travel With Polyester, Not Linen.”
Here’s a sample:
#9: Exercise Your Funny [...]
From article: Help Anxiety, No SAD Times this Winter!, by Jen Crippen.
Now that the clocks have been turned back the days feel very short.
Darkness will fall earlier everyday until December 21st, then the days start getting longer.
This time of year many of us (including myself) start to feel the winter blues. The past few years [...]
This is by Kristin from the Candy Sandwich blog. See some related TalentDevelop links at the end.
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace [...]
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 21 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of people 18 and older in a given year, have a mood disorder, including major depression, dysthymia (chronic, mild depression), and bipolar disorder.
[From my article Making Good Use of Depression. Photo: actor Hayden Christensen from the book Crying [...]
A news story about two Caltech students who died of suicide in the weeks before the recent commencement made me wonder again: Do more gifted people die from suicide? Are high ability people more vulnerable?
[The image is a self-portrait by Sylvia Plath.]
Continued on High Ability.
“Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence…” Edgar Allan Poe
The notion that creative people are much more likely to experience mental health disorders is actually supported by research. And a number of writers propose that mental illness may even help nurture [...]
entrepreneurs and passion, entrepreneurs and discouragement, psychology of entrepreneurs, characteristics of entrepreneurs
There are many challenges to being an entrepreneur, both internal and external. You may be enthused and passionate about a venture, but still feel discouraged, deflated and despairing at times. What can you do about it?
For example, entrepreneur Yaro Starak says, “I know a [...]
Video: Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discusses her new book, “Positivity”
Many of us live with more anxiety and depression than cheerfulness
As a melancholic and anxious type most of my life, more like the driving instructor Scott, I have distrusted and even disparaged light-hearted [...]
happiness research, mindfulness, depression relief products, positive psychology
Learning to be happy
“It’s almost as if this happiness stuff has anticipated the hard times to come. As we’re going into this recession, perhaps depression, it’s interesting to note there’s been this big upsurge of work on happiness just prior to that.”
That is David Van Nuys, PhD, aka [...]
“Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.” Janis Joplin
One form of compromise is learned helplessness – an emotional and behavioral response in which a human being (or other animal) has learned to “give up” or act as if they are helpless, and loses motivation to act in their own best interest in a situation, even [...]
The darkness before the dawn
“Being happy is something you have to learn.” Harrison Ford
Ford certainly has known plenty of unhappiness. He was shy as a child, bullied at school for not “fitting in.”
According to Laura Silva Quesada, in her article A reminder from Indiana Jones, “Every day, they’d tease the future Indiana Jones, beat [...]
