Do you think that depression is a source of inspiration?

Question

Do you think that depression is a source of inspiration? Cuz i know someone who says that, if he wasnt depressed all the time, he wouldnt find the inspiration he needs to make his music.....um, do you think that makes that make it okay though?

Wow, everyone said so many deep things, and they are all so true..thank you everyone, seriously, I am just blown away. :)

Answer 1

It depends on the depth of the depression. Some depression can be debilitating and destructive.

I think as far as your acquaintance goes, yes, depression can be the motivating factor in "spurring on" an artist to create. Depression to a certain level can create an intensity of feeling, and that intensity of desire/feeling is what motivates us to take some sort of action in life.

Especially for the sort of person who is depressed because they are perceptive and empathic -- so they already tend to see a great deal, they are already creative by nature, and so the creativity is a tool that they use to deal with the deep painful feelings they are experiencing. It's almost like "self-therapy."

[Note: Depression that is too deep tends to do the opposite, however -- it numbs us so much that we have no desire to do anything, since life appears hopeless or meaningless. Creativity needs hope in order to thrive, it's based on the belief that one has the ability to do something meaningful and make a difference in the world.]

My childhood wasn't great. My homelife was very isolated, and I had few peers who understood me. Thus, I wasn't in a position to vocalize what I was feeling or express myself directly -- I had no "voice."

To cope with the pain and the alienation, I often would just go find a nice quiet isolated spot with a piano and play for an hour or two w/ my eyes shut. I would finally feel alive, I felt like i could express what was going on inside of mine. These same feelings are often the ones that drove me to write -- they provided me with the motivation to use my natural abilities in ways to express my inner world.

I don't think it makes depression okay, though -- it depends on the level of depression. As I said, some depression is bad enough that it REMOVES desire, rather than creates it.

And depression is also very painful. At some level artists who operate primarily from depression are only coping with life and searching for meaning and relationship -- without actually experiencing the joy of real relationship. The energy they could be using to make a difference in their real relationships is being aimed towards the act of creation.

I would hesitate to demean this, but I would simply say that ultimately we are more than artists or workers or achievers, we are human beings who desire and benefit from being in healthy relationships, and there has to be a balance. An artist who focuses soley on channeling depression to fuel art isn't as attached to "normal human relationship" as much as he could be, and he needs that connection in order for his art to have relevance as well as to enjoy and thrive in his life.

Probably took this much further than your friend meant. :) Trust him that the pain does help his art; just be there for him, and if the depression is ruining his life, encourage him to get help and let him know that his creativity will exist whether or not he is depressed as much and he will still be able to be productive.

If medication is offered as one solution, he will have to be careful to find the right one. Some medication does have a reputation of watering down motivation or leaving one feeling numb; he wants something that enables him to enjoy his life, yet inspires him to create.

Answer 2

I believe we triumph through adversity.. and so yes I believe some form of mental illness can also be a source of inspiration.. however it obviously depends on how you use it (whether you use it for growth vs if you dwell on the negatives in your life), and how you perceive it.. I personaly feel i have grown from my OCD and depression, and used it a point of growth.

Also yes a lot of the most talented artists have experienced some form of depression or mental health issues.. so yes it can be linked with creativity and emotional expression.

Answer 3

Tormented souls are often the most creative, but depression is really energy turned inward and repressed from expression... that inspiration he speaks of is really his creative force trying to escape from within... being depressed is not a source of inspiration in itself.

Depressed people are not getting enough social strokes... and don't know how to get them effectively and consistently. Depression is not a stimulus for creativity. Creativity is independent of mood.

Answer 4

I think that periodic bouts of melancholy are definately emotional signposts to many people, and can and should be heeded for their message about our inner turmoil. Chronic and acute clinical depression is an illness that should be treated by a professional. So, I think yes, limited experiences with depressive moods can be focused into creative energy.

Answer 5

Depression is usually a sign that something is lacking in one's life.

Art is a positive way to combat and deal with depression - after all, you have something to show for your pain and suffering at the end of it.

Who knows, perhaps art produced due to depression will help someone else deal with and cope with their own problems later on.

Always keep creating!

Answer 6

Absolutely, it's very useful in art. Sometimes when it was raining outside, and I was crying, I'd play such beautiful sounds from a piano... so magnificient.... I've amazingly composed music during times of low mood swings really. While crying-- or not-- you can express. You can let it all out. While writing, singing, playing-- it's all very extraordinary! I love it. So, yes, depression can lead to masterpieces as much as tragic events in my opinion....

Answer 7

yes, definitely. many of the greatest artists in history had depression (which is why they killed themselves, were committed, or went insane.) a psychiatrist once told me that art is one way to deal with it.

[edit] well, since the topic came up (the effect of depression on art) my 2 cents is that great art comes from great pain, and one of the theories about why certain people are depressed is that they feel emotion more strongly than other people.

Answer 8

YES. I do. Lot's of artists, and that includes musicians do their best work when they are really depressed. Depression makes you dig so deep into yourself and there is such a sadness that it brings a honesty to your work. Sad (excuse the pun) but true.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

emotion can b a strong intspiration. and sadness is an emotion. idk about depression..my sister says she uses anger as an inspiration for her art..which i find a little creepy since anger is a negitive emotion. depression is a negative thing, but if they dont dwell on it, and maybe make their message hope, instead of poor me or something, i think that would b alright.