So, science has just worked out that anyone who shows any kind of creativity is suffering from a mental disorder. Where do they get these notions from?
In a recent article on the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19959565 entitled “Creativity closely entwined with mental illness” it was pointed out that writers have a higher risk of anxiety and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, unipolar depression, and substance abuse, according to a team of researchers at the Swedish Karolinska Institute, led by Dr Simon Kyaga.
It went on to say that anyone who is in the least bit ‘creative’ is almost twice as likely to kill themselves; far more than the general population. According to the researchers, creativity is often part of a mental illness, with writers being particularly susceptible.
Thanks a lot folks; that maybe explains why I am so driven to write. It’s a funny thing but I’ve never ever thought of writing as being a mental affliction before. A passion, maybe, but an illness, where’s the proof?
The article mentioned four well known authors as classic examples:
The novelist Virginia Woolf famously suffered with depression and eventually drowned herself.
Hans Christian Andersen suffered from depression.
Ernest Hemingway also suffered from depression and killed himself with a shotgun.
And finally, Graham Greene suffered from bipolar disorder.
The article ended by saying – “We know that one in four people will be diagnosed with a mental health problem this year and that these individuals will come from a range of different backgrounds, professions and walks of life. Our main concern is that they get the information and support that they need and deserve.”
Ok, if that’s the case, where’s the help I supposedly need while I sit here agonising over a storyline. Where’s the help when a story I’ve written and published gets rubbished?
Talking with other writers of my acquaintance, we all suffer from depression. It’s an occupational hazard which goes with the territory. Without exception we all fret and worry over how our latest book will be received by the reading public. We all privately suffer when we get bad reviews. We are all concerned over the book’s ratings in the marketplace. We constantly talk among ourselves about sales, usually moaning about why one particular book is doing better than the one we personally prefer.
One thing is certain; none of us can predict which of our books will be popular, nor can we dictate which of our books the public should buy. If that’s not enough to bring on a bout of depression, or an anxiety attack, I don’t know what is.
Now if you will all please excuse me, I must go and lay down in a darkened room to contemplate my navel. Too hell with that! I’ll get drunk instead.
Agreed Jack. The drugs and alcohol help enormously! lol
LikeLike
All I can say Derek is God save us from experts. 🙂
LikeLike
God save us from the experts, indeed! Good article, Jack. Seems we're all in good company.
LikeLiked by 1 person
the old song "They're coming to take me away ha ha, he he, ho ho" springs to mind Og LOL 🙂
LikeLike
Sounds like this study was sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. they would love to be pumping pills into 25% of the population. Add in the Repblican'ts who think the earth is 8000 yrs. old and women can't get pregnant from legitimate rape and you got 50% of the population eating your pills. For most people art will always be a noun, for the rest of us it's a verb. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Popping pills is not conducive with writing Rick. 🙂
LikeLike
I agree with you gentlemen! And yes, I can hear that song in my head too! I wonder what they would say about that?! lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
We won't tell them Wendy. Probably best :))
LikeLike
Another relatively pointless study by scientists.
I don’t doubt the majority of creatives have darker pasts than less creative people in one form or another.
Ultimately who cares…lets write!:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love pointless studies – not! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
I’d totally forgotten about writing this post until LionAroundWriting posted their comment today…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am a musician as well as a writer and can confirm that I am batshit crazy. Whether this is because of or in spite of my creative leanings who can tell? Either way, I don’t care. Sanity is for losers 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 Mwah
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe writers and artists are the sane ones in this crazy profit driven society…? I saw a sticker many years ago that made me feel better, which said: “Ever met a normal person? And, did you like it?”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like it. What’s normal anyway 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Since bloggers are writers, are we a sphere of crazy people? I’d like to think that those researchers, because they also write (in a different genre I used to practice), are also ill!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just watch out for the men in white coats carrying a straitjacket Noelle LOL 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person