Creativity and Mood Disorders

[marydell]

Interesting article here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/10/07/creativity.depression/index.html

I'm intrigued by the possibility that rumination can be directed/channeled into creative work as an alternative to what my old therapist called "awfulizing." I've certainly found that doing something artistic is a way up out of depression for a LOT of people.

I suspect that doing creative things makes anybody more cheery, whether they're depressed or grieving or just having a crap day. Tons of people do crafts or landscaping or home decorating, without being labeled as "having an artistic temperament." So some of us may learn to use creative pursuits as a lifeline from an early age, and we may turn out to be artists and writers and whatnot. But I know quite a few artists and writers who don't suffer from any kind of mental foo.

Also, I know quite a few people who struggle with depression who don't have a creative bone in their collective body. But non-artists tend not to self-disclose their secret pain as readily as artists do, so the connection between depression and, for instance, obsessive sports-watching might not present itself for study.

Still, it's an interesting notion. Thoughts?

Comments

[mirrorshard.livejournal.com]

I find I can't write/paint/whatever about depressive episodes, but it does help - mostly through activity and concentration, as opposed to passivity and rumination. Cooking also helps, but I tend to be creative about my cooking by default.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's my experience too--doing something creative helps me to find the golden thread that leads out of the forest.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I find that, when I have the blues, I can usually get out of most of it by making or doing things, whether it's washing the dishes, or creating an entry for my blog, or tinkering with the code of my wife's web site. I guess it's because it gives me some of control over my environment.