The Write Elizabeth
writing. creativity. play. life.
I ran across this link to the PRI show, Studio 360. Often I hear the program, but obviously missed this particular one in that they try to determine if madness is a pre-requisite for genius creativity. One example is the artist Munch whose artistic creativity disappeared after he concluded therapy. There is a discussion of mania on the creative person and how it may lead to artists harming themselves, others or burning out.
While there are obviously some wildly famous and creative people who were (possibly) mentally ill, however, what about the other wildly famous, creative folks who were not? Do you think (perhaps) that if we say that a creative genius is mentally ill, it makes us feel better if our work doesn’t reach the heights we believe it should?
What are your thoughts about the connection between creativity and mental illness?
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2 Responses to Does madness influence creativity?
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This is a really interesting topic and one that, as a writer, I’ve
given a lot of thought to. I think there can be/is a definite link
between mental illness and creativity, though I think it depends on what kind of creativity we’re talking about. I associate mental illness more with “artistic” creativity — the kind that produces writing and art.
My thought is that it has to do with a certain sensibility in a person (it’s definitely a “which came first/chicken-egg” conundrum). For example, writers by nature tend to be more solitary people. In order to create our art, we have to spend a lot of time alone and a lot of time in our heads. We over-think and over-analyze and re-live past experiences and inhabit other worlds — all of which can lead to depression, anxiety and, yes, madness.
Then again, the fact that we’re writers in the first place, the fact that we actively choose to devote so much brain space to trying to understand and capture the human condition in some brilliant and perfect way, could be a result of some kind of madness that we were either born with or developed throughout our early lives. I suppose what I’m not-so-eloquently trying to get at is that in order to create in an artistic way, we either have to be a little mad to start with or, in the process, the act creates in us some madness. Maybe both.
All of that being said, I don’t think you have to be mad to be creative (which is probably a good thing!). But it does tend to come
with the territory.
Hi Julie,
I appreciate your comment and the views about “artistic” creativity. I can certainly imagine how living in other worlds, for example, might create some mental imbalances! But you are right, is it nature versus nurture? Will we ever be able to figure it out, especially since many say we are all born with creativity.
Also, do you think, if we were to look at successful business people and inventors, those who have a solitary focus on their idea might be viewed as more “nuts” than those who weren’t? I can imagine those focused on a creative idea for an airplane design or creating a telephone or using electricity or building computers in garages or a providing a different retail experience or service might have been seen as a little strange…until their ideas panned out and became reality.