Is There A Link Between Creativity and Depression
My personal experiences with creativity and depresson
When I first started to show signs of mental instability I often found it hard to be creative during the bad times. However I have always had a great overactive imagination and I soon found my self emerged in it as an escape from my state of mind. Over the years as I learned to write my feelings down I found a way to release my creativity onto the page and started to write more and more. As time passed I also found art to be a great healer and today I often create digital art work that I use within my stories.
A selection of my art work that spans my moods.
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeThe above images are just a small selection of what I have created over the years.
The poem to the left came out of a really bad day at work.
The Breakdown
I’m feeling sad
Slightly depressed
The smallest thing
May push me over the edge
Most people don’t see it
Until its to late
When I’ve snapped
My temper changed
Then they see me as a threat
But that’s not me
And some people see
That something is wrong
And offer their help
To pull me through
And make me strong
They believe in me
What come out of your head and flows onto paper or screen may be very dark imagery if you are in the grip of a depression episode. What appears on the page will be a visual manifestation of your thoughts and feelings. This is why it is good to put pen to paper when you are depressed.
Some Of My Art And Creative Writing Put Together
- The Misty Moorland
A Trek through the boggy moorland in search or a treasure. - The Tower In The Mountains
Climb the steps to the Tower In the Mountains
Depression And Music
Another thing I often do when I feel down is pick up my Guitar and just play around with some cords and pick out some notes. When I was younger I would do the same with a keyboard as well.
Music is very therapeutic and if you play an instrument it can be another creative thing that can be driven by your mood.
In conclusion
You should never let depression get the better of you. Always write or even draw your feelings.
Lots of people feel unable to function while in the grip of a depressive episode but if you can take pen or pencil to paper you can change that and get your creativity flowing. This is a great therapy for depression sufferers and art classes are often used in hospitals to help with recovery.
So yes Depression can spur creativity as long as you don't let it get the better of you. Learn to control your depressive state of mind using your creativity and you may be surprised at what you can acheive.
More on the subject of depression
- Help Coping With Depression
Depression is something that will effect everyone at some point in their lives. Some people will cope and get over it quickly while others will suffer a lot more. - Living with a Mental Illness like Depression
Coping with life, living with a Mental Illness