Creative Madness

[tracy_d74]

Does mental illness make a person more creative?  Though most of you can think of several famous creative people (Sylvia Plath, Hemmingway, Van Gogh) who suffered from a mental illness, there is no causal link. ( See research here and here*)

But how can that be?

Well, just like  you can think of famous painters and poets and songwriters who

Comments

[a_r_williams]

no words, just ::hugs::

[tracy_d74]

thank you!

[peadarog]

As you request I'll keep all my encouragement to myself :)

But that *was* interesting.

[tracy_d74]

:P I knew you would find good use for those encouraging words.

[bogwitch64]

As one who battles depression himself, it always astounds me that my husband doesn't understand it in our son. HE has every reason to battle depression. He had a wicked childhood full of sorrow and abuse. There were more truly, deeply mentally ill people in his family than there were those our culture would consider sound mind. The boy had a great, loving, happy childhood. The hubs is of that age where circumstances depress a person, not chemicals. He just doesn't see that there are lots of people who had it as bad or worse than he did that do not suffer depression, and that there are tons of people who, by circumstance, should be happy-go-lucky who simply are not. It's not a simple matter of either/or--but often a combination of the two.

If you don't mind, I'm going to have him read your post. Maybe coming from someone other than me (the protective mom!) he might understand.

[tracy_d74]

I assume you had him read it. I don't mind. I come by my depression honestly (genes) and you know I have a lovely negative script that plays in my head care of dear loved one. Some days it is just too takes to much energy to stop the record. I would rather just curl up, let the words wash over me and try another day.

[tracy_d74]

And yes, most people expect a trauma or BIG life event to occur to trigger depression. It does happen that way. But sometimes...well it just happens. Thoughts go wayward...mood goes awry...and you look around and you wonder "How the Hell did I get here? How the Hell do I get out?"

[bondo_ba]

Glad to see you know how to deal with these things - we'll miss you while you're sporadic, but will eagerly await a reloaded you whenever you want to come back!

[tracy_d74]

Thanks. I eagerly await a reloaded me too. :)

[kimberlywade]

I've been there.

[tracy_d74]

Thanks. I know many have.