The Relationship Between Creativity And Depression
On more than one occasion we will have heard that there is a close link between creativity (and even genius) and psychopathology. Many great exponents of different arts such as painting, literature or poetry have been known to manifest symptoms of different psychiatric disorders.
When we talk about arts such as painting or sculpture, we generally refer to the suffering of manic episodes or psychotic outbreaks, in which a break with reality occurs (this break being what facilitates the creation of something new). . But Depression has also been associated with creativity already great works. That is why in this article we are going to talk about the relationship between creativity and depression, a relationship that is not usually talked about as frequently as with other pathologies.
Before going directly into talking about the relationship between creativity and depression, it may be useful to do a brief review of the concepts we are talking about.
Major depression is understood as a mental disorder or psychopathology characterized by the presence of a sad mood and/or anhedonia or difficulty feeling pleasure or satisfaction most of the time for at least two weeks, along with other symptoms such as sleep disturbances (which may include insomnia and nighttime awakenings or hypersomnia) and appetite disturbances (generally causing a loss of appetite), mental slowing or bradypsychia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and possible thoughts of death and suicide (although not all of these symptoms are necessary).
It is a disorder that generates a high level of suffering, in which cognitive biases occur that in turn cause the existence of a cognitive triad; Negative and hopeless thoughts about self, the world, and the future and in which there is high negative affectivity and low positive affectivity and energy. It has serious effects on the way we see the world, and usually generates great limitations in different areas of life.
The person is usually focused on their depressive thoughts, loses the desire and motivation to act, loses the ability to concentrate, and tends to isolate themselves (although initially the environment becomes protective and pays more attention to the subject, in the long run there is usually a tiredness of the situation and a progressive withdrawal).
And creativity?
With regard to creativity, this is understood as the ability to develop new ways and options to do things, generate new strategies to reach a goal. It requires different skills, such as memory and divergent thinking ability. Especially, it requires imagination to make a link between reality and the elements to be created. On an artistic level, one of the most recognized and considered pure forms of creativity, also requires introspection and self-awareness, as well as great sensitivity to capture emotions. It is also usually related to intuition.
Art has also often been related to suffering. This makes the subject reflect and delve deeper into what they are, how they feel and how the world feels. Authors like Freud They relate the artist’s creativity to childhood pathologies and traumas being a way to open up to conflicts and desires and fantasies present in the unconscious.
The relationship between creativity and depression
The link between depression and creativity is not something recent: since ancient times, Aristotle proposed that philosophers, poets and artists usually have a melancholic character.
This idea has been evolving and persisting throughout history, finding that some great thinkers, philosophers, inventors and artists had Characteristics of depressed subjects with mood disorders (also including bipolar disorder). Dickens, Tennessee Williams or Hemingway are, among many others, examples of this. And not only in the world of art, but also in science (Marie Curie being an example of this).
But this relationship is not based only on assumptions or concrete examples: multiple scientific studies have been carried out that sought to assess this relationship. The data from a large amount of these studies analyzed in the meta-analysis carried out by Taylor from which this article is based, shows that there is indeed a relationship between both concepts.
Two visions of this relationship
The truth is that if we analyze the symptoms present in a large part of depression (lack of desire, anhedonia, mental and motor slowing…), the relationship between depression and creativity (which assumes a certain level of mental activation and the fact of creating) It may seem strange and counterintuitive. But, at the same time, we must think that involves a focus on what one thinks and feels (even if these thoughts are negative), as well as to pay attention to details of what disturbs us. Likewise, it is common for creative works to be carried out at a time of recovery or return to normal functioning after going through an episode.
However, the existence of this relationship has a double interpretation: it is possible that the person with depression sees their creativity enhanced, or that creative people tend to suffer from depression.
The truth is that the data does not largely support the first option. People with major depression showed in different tests to have greater creativity in aspects such as painting (curiously, artistic creativity is the most associated with this type of disorders). However, the differences were relatively modest and in many cases were not considered statistically significant.
Regarding the second option, that is, the fact that Creative people tend to have higher levels of depression, the results are much clearer and more evident: they reflect that there is a moderate to high relationship between depression and creativity (although apparently the relationship is greater with bipolar disorder). People with higher levels of sensitivity, including the artistic sensitivity that is often associated with creativity, are prone to depression. They tend to feel emotions more intensely and pay more attention to details, generally being more affected by events and thoughts.
Of course, this relationship occurs with major depressive disorders, in which depressive episodes appear that are eventually overcome (although they may reappear in the future). Disorders such as dysthymia, in which a depressive episode itself does not occur and is ultimately overcome, are not related to greater creativity. One possible reason for this is the fact that suffering from a mood disorder facilitates introspection and focusing on how we feel and interpret the world, something that other people do not usually consider to the same extent. And these reflections can be reflected in different types of works, such as literature, poetry or painting, awakening creativity.
The Sylvia Plath effect
This link between mental illness and creativity, especially in the field of poetry. It has been found, in the study of different authors throughout history, that on average people who dedicate themselves to poetry (and especially women) tend to die younger, often due to suicide In fact, the percentage of suicides went from 1% to 17%. This was baptized by Dr. James Kauffman as the Sylvia Plath effect or the Plath effect.
The name in question comes from a famous poet, who suffered from depression (although today it is speculated that she may have suffered from bipolar disorder), who ended up committing suicide at the age of thirty after several attempts throughout her life and in whose works can often be seen reflecting on death.
