Is being creative/artistic correlated with depression?

Question

There have been reportedly many artists and writers who have suffered from depression (famous ones such as Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, the list can go on), I wanted to know if this is very common?

In my own experience, I am a writer in the sense that, well, I LOVE writing- I love all the time- stories, poems dealing with my real life and thoughts. I have been writing since I was 4 years old and have been published in some local papers/magazines in my area. Almost all of my high school teachers and professors have praised my work, but I also find that I am a very sensitive, very emotional person who is often very depressed... I am working on it though, I believe that if there's only one person in this world who can make me happy, it's me because I have a choice... or do I?

Answer 1

I have heard that. In fact, when I first went in to see the doctor to talk about my depression, she told me that artistic, creative people who tend to daydream a lot and are really empathetic, sensitive, and emotional tend to suffer from depression more from some reason. I don't think there's any hard scientific evidence to back this up though.

In my own experience, I'd say this is true. I'm a writer myself (not a very good one!), and I've always been really creative in a weird kind of way and prone to mass amounts of daydreams. When I heard the doctor tell me that I was just like, whoa...That's me.

Answer 2

Well, the thing here is that depression is actually very common. I don't think there's any biological correlation between the two though, to answer the question.

There's also been countless troubled lawyers, scientists, even psychologists! I think that it's much more noticable in artists and writers however, because typically their work revolves around their troubles, as opposed to their work having to be seperated, and ultimately resulting in many people in other fields concealing any mental illness or depression.

Answer 3

I think I have heard that, I'm sure that I've heard that many creative people, if alive today and diagnosed, would have bipolar.
I think I support this. Since getting my mood fluctuations under control, I have lost the super productive manic states. It's a bummer, especially since I haven't even wanted to paint, draw, or write because of this so-called 'stability'. Seems almost ironic - I have a stable life but no reason to live?
There's actually a book out about the bipolar/creativity thing. I saw it at Borders a few years ago, but I don't remember the name of it.

Answer 4

Yeah I think you are onto something! When you look at all the artists over the years they have all been incredibley gifted/ genius ( Da Vinci, Michaelangelo...all the Ninga Turtles ( LOL!!!! ) Then theres the Muscians, Mozart ( didn't a lot of them say they heard voices and channelled their music?) Also a lot of them experimented with drugs, alcohol hey the work of Salvador Dali...my personal fav Brett Whiteley...I'm going to find out from my psych. - I'll let you know! I know that artistic children be it Music, drama, writing or art are usually more sensitive and emotional.

Answer 5

i think in some ways it is. Writers and artists. these are people who think deeply and often also look at things from a very different perspective from people of other occupations. sometimes, from a very pessimistic point of view. and i believe that people who love writing and art, tend to express their inner thoughts and feelings through their writing or art rather than verbally. it's hard to pinpoint exactly why the correlation seems to exist but i think it does.

Answer 6

Idon't know how common this is but you can find out if you have talent if you write' draw' act in a community theater, sing all creative I am sure you are and that is why you wrote this question

Answer 7

YES WOMEN WITH DEPRESSION HAVE A HARD DOING THINGS IN LIFE.

Answer 8

It sounds to me like you have bipolar depression.

Answer 9

not so much depression, maybe emo