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Depression and Creativity site
“To assume, then, that such diseases usually promote artistic talent wrongly reinforces simplistic notions of the ‘mad genius.’” Kay Redfield Jamison In an interview for NPR radio, science writer Jonah Lehrer commented, “One of the surprising things that’s emerged from the study of moods…is that putting [people] in a bad mood — making them a [...]
Some five hundred years ago, mood disorders were considered to be based on an imbalance in four body “humors” or fluids – yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm. Too much black bile was thought to cause ‘melancholy’ and ‘madness.’ In her article “Clinical Depression Then and Now,” Patricia Waldron, M.D. noted, “Dürer’s energy and [...]
“I think most human beings go through some sort of depression in their life. And if they don’t, that’s weird.” Kirsten Dunst From an article by Josh Patner in Flare magazine, which continues: Dunst speaks from experience: In 2008, she checked into a rehab center in Utah to be treated for crippling depression. Things started [...]
The mythology of the mad artist continues in various forms, supported to some extent by research. For example, there are studies indicating writers are more susceptible to depression. Video from World Science Festival: ‘Genius’ Dark Cousin’ – “When talking about geniuses, the conversation inevitably strays towards topics of eccentricity, or even madness. One needs only [...]
By Cecil Ellis Depression and anxiety are sometimes hard to tell apart. While they may seem like completely different conditions, chronic depression can hide anxiety, while people who suffer from general feelings of anxiety may actually be experiencing a symptom of depression. Further, when people begin treatment for depression, the new focus on underlying issues [...]
“Who in the rainbow can draw the line where the violet tint ends and the orange tint begins? Distinctly we see the difference of the colors, but where exactly does the one first blendingly enter into the other? So with sanity and insanity.” Herman Melville, “Billy Budd, Sailor” According to the World Health Organization, psychological [...]
In her article Depressed Creativity, nochnoch (Enoch Li) admits that, like many people, she never thought she “had any creativity.” Here are some excerpts from the article: I equated creativity with artists, innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, fashion… I was none of that – until I sunk into depression last year. And over the course of a [...]
“I can be very hard on myself. I convince myself that I’m fooling people. Or, I convince myself that people like the book for the wrong reasons.” Jonathan Safran Foer – about his novel Everything Is Illuminated, which made The New York Times best-seller list. He also commented, “The writing itself is no big deal. [...]
In his book The Hypomanic Edge : The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America, John D. Gartner, Ph.D. provides a list of characteristics that probably applies to many in the huge community of creative minds in entertainment fields: “Filled with energy… flooded with ideas… driven, restless, and unable to [...]
Like many gifted children, my childhood was peppered with incidents of parents and other adults telling me to be calm, or even more devastating, to be ‘normal.’ If adults are uncomfortable with their own emotions they may be especially uncomfortable around the intensities of gifted children. What effect does this have on gifted kids? Recognizing [...]
Many creative and gifted people have been diagnosed at some point in their lives with a mental illness. A diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, for instance, can deeply affect our sense of identity and change the course of our life. The decision to take medications to treat a mental illness may also have a [...]
By Cat Robson What are some of the considerations that lead sensitive and gifted adults to take psychiatric medications? What are some of the reasons people stop taking medications?? What are the alternatives? My inner life, and sometimes my outer life, is painful/chaotic/confusing. The DSM symptoms list for certain mental illnesses seem to fit me [...]
What makes creative and highly sensitive people accept, and even welcome, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or other mental illness? Are psychiatrists equipped to recognize and support creativity, high sensitivity and giftedness? Who determines where creative intensity ends and mental illness begins? Do medications put our creativity and sensitivity at risk? Over a year and [...]
“As Beckett said: ‘You’re on earth, there’s no cure for that.’ Klimt and his circle didn’t believe that, which I find very haunting and wonderful. They were probably less pessimistic than we are.” John Malkovich – about portraying artist Gustav Klimt – from the page Existential Dread. In her article A Brief Outline of Existential [...]
The internal vision I have of my novel seems so superior to what I’ve actually written that I’m often paralyzed into inaction. I took about a year off from working on it – that sounds so much better than saying I just couldn’t face it. Now I’m back in the fray and struggling with the [...]
I could write a few novels with the material from my romantic and work relationships. Lots of drama and disappointment, and loads of self-recrimination. How does giftedness figure into the patterns of our connections with others? In this excerpt from his article, Solutions for the Problems of Giftedness, Richard O’Connor, Ph.D., gives some interesting answers. [...]
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Site author: Douglas Eby, M.A./Psychology, is a writer and researcher on the psychology of creative expression and personal growth, especially for high ability adults. He is publisher of the Talent Development Resources series of sites.
