Running head: Creativity and Mental Illness 1

The Real Link Between Creativity and Mental Illness

Elline Concepcion
Kent State University
Creativity and Mental Illness 2

The Real Link Between Creativity and Mental Illness

As stated in Kaufman (2013), the notion that mental illness and creativity are linked is

so prominent in the public consciousness that it is rarely challenged (para. 1). The purpose of

this paper is to understand the correlation between creativity and mental illness and how they

influence each other in order to understand the motives and factors of creative outlets and

careers. A person does not need to be creative to be mentally ill, but there is an indirect

relationship between the two. The difficulty in this subject is identifying that indirect connection.

It is elementary to assume depression can cause someone to be creative, or even that creativity

can cause depression. The reality of this relationship is so much more complex. My findings

have shown that the relationship between creativity and mental illness draw from the same

influences throughout each of the three levels of creativity: eminent, professional, and every day

creativity.

It is important to understand the research methods of this paper in order to accurately

accept the findings. This paper relies on seven online academic journals, five online articles and

four personal interviews to support the thesis. The four personal interviews were of two male and

two females 20 to 26 year olds that identified as either creative or not creative, and if they had a

diagnosed mental illness(es) or not. Using a variety of sources has lead the research closer to the

truth behind the connection between creativity and mental illness. With that being said, this paper

does not identify as an end-all in the research and encourages further exploration into this

complex relationship.

Defining creativity and mental illness is the other critical measurement to understand.

Because of the wide range of creative ability, this paper breaks down creativity into three levels

and identifies how it relates to specific mental illnesses. Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and
Creativity and Mental Illness 3

bipolar disorder are the most commonly mentioned illnesses, but others are also mentioned in the

research. The identification of creative levels was started as an organic thought, but was

supported and enhanced by multiple sources.

Historically, there is support to a positive relationship between mental illness and early

admired artists. Eminent creatives such as poet T.S. Eliot, composer Irving Berlin, painter

Georgia OKeefe, writer Virginia Woolf, and artist Vincent van Gogh are all commonly

associated with their mental illnesses.

Van Gogh (1888) stated the following:

I am unable to describe exactly what is the matter with me. Now and then there

are horrible fits of anxiety, apparently without cause, or otherwise a feeling of

emptiness and fatigue in the head at times I have attacks of melancholy and of

atrocious remorse (as cited in Adams, 2014, para. 7).

Realizing Van Goghs struggles with mental illness supports that this issue has previously

been identified. It is not to say that all early artists were mentally ill, but the ones who were

mentally ill cannot be ignored. Relating mental illness to creatives such as Van Gogh and

OKeefe supports the idea that eminent creatives manage depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and

other mental illnesses in a variety of ways through creative outlets and medications. It also shows

there is a significant relationship between mental illness and how it affects a creative person.

Some of these artist suffered and dealt with their mental illness, and for others the mental illness

gained control and the result was suicide.

In preliminary research, the information supporting the definition of creativity was

particularly wide-ranging and unfocused. Defining creativity was integral in finding focused data

to support the thesis. As described earlier, creatives include painters, musicians, writers, and
Creativity and Mental Illness 4

poets. But, creativity does not stop there. Researchers have divided up the levels of creativity

into three sections. A person with the highest level of creativity is considered an eminent creative

or Big-c (Kyaga, Landen, Boman, Hultman, Langstrom, Lichtenstein, 2013, p. 88). Eminent

creatives are people widely known for their creativity. Many modern famous creatives would fall

under the category of Big-C. Examples of this include writer J.K. Rowling, street artist Banksy,

and art director and designer James Victore.

The term Pro-c is identified as the second level of creativity for individuals who are

professional creators, but have not reached eminent status (Kyaga, Landen, Boman, Hultman,

Langstrom, Lichtenstein, 2013, p. 88). This can describe artist that show in small galleries,

musicians with a smaller fan base or even poets and writers that are not widely known. Pro-c is

focused on individuals concentrating all their efforts on their craft and are making a living off of

their work.

Jacob Derwin, a musician who does not suffer from a mental illness, argues that everyone

is creative. If there was a script for life, and everything was written out the way it was supposed

to happen, it would be the antithesis of a creative, Derwin said (personal communication,

November 2, 2016). Derwin concludes there is no said script, and everything we do requires a

little creativity. Derwin was unknowingly describing the final level of creativity: Little-c. This

term describes the everyday creative person. An example of this could be the super-parent who

can effectively organized schedules. This person is not creative in a normal understanding, but

rather their creativity is necessary to complete everyday tasks. According to Runco (2009), it is

original and effective, and thus creative, but with local rather than expert standards (p. 3). The

most important part of an everyday creative is that being creative is personal, and not for an

audience.
Creativity and Mental Illness 5

Mikey Weitzenhoffer, a musician who has been diagnosed with depression from the age

of 12 and began taking medication within this past year, defines creativity as being able to

develop innovative content and ideas while maintaining individuality (personal communication,

November 3, 2016). Defining creativity can be complex because of the levels of creativity, but

the findings follow a similar explanation to that of Weitzenhoffer.

Weitzenhoffer (2016) stated the following:

Mentally ill people see the world differently. They are more critical of the world

around them, whereas other people who are content with their lives just drift past

and are just happy. There is nothing for [happy people] to stop and question and

wonder about. Thats a big thing with creativity: the question Why? I think you

have to ask Why? in order to be creative, and people who are mentally ill ask it

all the time. Why the fuck is this happening to me? is the biggest one.

The same idea of both creatives and those mentally ill constantly asking questions was

mentioned in another interview with Sarah Andrews, a creative who wants to pursue writing and

was diagnosed with her first mental illness in the 7th grade. In a conversation about her mental

illness, Andrews was reminded of a conversation she recently had with a customer of hers. The

man she was speaking to told her she was smart and aware. He continued to say that happiness is

a choice and sometimes when you are the qualities he described her as, you are not as happy. The

significance of this story is that there is a common theme found throughout the research that

creatives relate being aware and asking questions to a symptom of being mentally ill.

Andrews was exposed to certain life experiences she described as dark and believes

these lead to her depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) and (most

recently diagnosed) borderline personality disorder (personal communication, November 14,

Creativity and Mental Illness 6

2016). Andrews mental illnesses also stem from a family history of bipolar disorder and

schizophrenia. Professor of Psychiatry, Dr. Arnold Ludwigs findings showed there was a higher

prevalence of mental illness in people pursuing creative outlets (as cited in Sussman, 2007, p.

22). This statement supports my thesis, but it is not the only research that has come to the same

conclusion. My findings have shown that research relating depression and anxiety to creativity is

more evident. Andrews is an example of other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar

disorder and personality disorders that still make appearances in the data. Scientists in Iceland

report that genetic factors that raise the risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are found more

often in people within creative professions (Sample, 2015, para. 3).

Personality is one factor of depression and anxiety. Some specific personality

components of someone at risk of depression are, tendency to worry a lot, have low self-esteem,

are perfectionists, are sensitive to personal criticism, or are self-critical and negative, according

to beyondblue.org (para. 4). These qualities were apparent in all of the interviews conducted for

this paper, creatives and non-creatives included.

Kyagas research found the following:

[Researchers] found that people working in creative fields, including dancers,

photographers and authors, were 8% more likely to live with bipolar disorder.

Writers were a staggering 121% more likely to suffer from the condition, and

nearly 50% more likely to commit suicide that the general population (as cited in

Adams, 2014, para. 16).

Research conducted by Fink, Weber, Koschutnig, Benedek, Reishofer, Ebner, Papousek,

and Weiss found that those scoring high in schizotypy showed a similar pattern of brain

activations during creative thinking as the highly creative participants (as stated in Kaufman,
Creativity and Mental Illness 7

2013, para. 5). Again, this further supports that the connection between creativity and mental

illness is not causative by nature but rather derived from the same qualities. In a study conducted

by Shelley Carson, it was seven times more likely for the most successful eminent creative

Harvard undergraduate students to have a reduced latent inhibition. As stated in Kaufman (2013),

a reduced latent inhibition means we can see something as completely unique, even if weve

been previously exposed to it many times (para. 17). A reduced latent inhibition is a quality that

most creatives have. It is seeing an everyday, normal object and thinking of how it can be

different, be a better form of itself, or serve a different purpose.

Dealing with mental illness is an important part to managing creativity. Loss of creative

drive as a result of certain drugs can affect productivity levels. Finding the right medication can

be a cure to the effects depression and other mental illnesses have on a creatives output.

Weitzenhoffer said his depression hindered his creative output. Once he decided to get

medication, he began to accomplish much more creatively. I desire more now, and I feel more,

Weitzenhoffer said (personal communication, November 3, 2016). He continued, In a lot of

ways, all art is feeling. Since I was 12 years old and depressed, I did not feel anything.

Andrews uses Adderall to manage her ADHD and experiences a negative reaction to her

creative output. Adderall makes me hyper-focused and makes me want to work on things in a

numerical, logistic and strategic perspective, not through creativity, she said (personal

communication, November 14, 2016). Andrews was recently prescribed an antipsychotic for her

borderline personality disorder but fears the effect it will have on her. As stated previously, there

is a delicate balance that needs to be found between mentally ill creatives and their medication.

This is a trend not only with pro-cs like Weitzenhoffer and little-cs like Andrews, but

eminent creatives such as producer and writer Judd Apatow. So many good things have
Creativity and Mental Illness 8

happened to me because of how unhealthy Ive been mentally, Apatow said. Its unfair to [my

family] that this thing I do that is a result of me being in pain is now going so well its trying to

pull me away from them (as cited by Eby, n.d. para. 5). For Apatow, the way he manages the

effects of mental illness is through producing and writing. This outlet and coping mechanism has

pushed him towards his eminent fame, but still has a negative effective on his personal life.

With a topic so extensively personal and emotional, there is some opposition as to the

actual relationship between creatives and their mental illnesses. According to Kyaga, Landen,

Boman, Hultman, Langstrom, and Lichtenstein (2013), people with creative careers actually

have a reduced likelihood of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, unipolar depression,

anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, autism, ADHD, or of committing suicide (para. 1).

It is important to mention these findings were specific to Sweden and part of a prospective

population study. The only positive relationship this study found was a connection between the

likelihood of having bipolar disorder and being creative.

Flahertys (2011) research stated the following:

As research uncovers the ways in which creativity can emerge from illness, it also

reveals the relation between lack of creativity and illness. Both topics are

politically charged. Some commentators do not want to infer that illness can cause

creativity because they consider creativity part of the full expression of human

health. Conversely, clinicians may not want to treat loss of creativity as a medical

symptom if they fear embroilment in the so-called cosmetic psychiatry debate.

This research attempts to explain a topic that is sensitive and deeply personal. The Kyaga

research as well as Flahertys and the other sources proves the complexity between these two

topics. Both the topic of creativity and mental illness can be so broad, yet very specific and
Creativity and Mental Illness 9

personal. There is a reason why multiple people, including another interviewee Hana Barkowitz,

said they think sometimes the most fucked up people are the most creative, (personal

communication, November 16, 2016). Barkowitz would be considered a little-c but does not

identify as creative, and suffers from ADHD, anxiety and depression.

The research has led me to the conclusion that there is a relationship between mental

illness and creativity, however, mental illness does not cause creativity or vice versa. The link

between mental illness and creativity is that the qualities that may cause mental illness, are the

same qualities that cause a person to be creative. Creatives are divergent thinkers. They see

something not only as it is, but how it could be. Creatives see a problem and think of how to

fix it or how to express the emotion behind the issue. This is the quality that links mental illness

to creativity. As stated by Christensen (2013), psychologist agree that depression (and other

mental illnesses) is higher in those who ruminate on their thoughts (para. 13). Christensen

further explains that when creatives internally obsess and consider alternatives to reality, they go

into deeper stages of their depression (para. 21). The offset to this is that after the deep dive into

depression, there is a higher level of happiness and content.

This was further validated when Weitzenhoffer said, From personal experience with

creative people and understanding mental illness from a personal struggle, [a creatives] brain

works more than other peoples and that is why they are ill, (personal communication,

November 3, 2016). This idea of creatives ruminating on specific experiences is more than

theory. It is proved through pro-c Weitzenhoffer, little-c Andrews, and many other creatives.

Depression does not cause creativity, but the qualities of a creative can lead to depression.

The personal factors that cause depression, anxiety, and even suicide, are parallel to the factors

that cause creativity. Some social and personality factors of mental illnesses, such as depression
Creativity and Mental Illness 10

and anxiety, stem from seeing a problem and feeling compelled to solve it. This is the same idea

that causes someone to be creative. It is critical to continue to research and gain a better

understanding of creativity and mental illness to help them manage their illness. Clinical and

forensic psychologist, Dr. Stephen A. Diamond believes creativity is one of humankinds

healthiest inclinations, and one of our greatest attributes (Eby, para. 9). Protecting creatives and

those mentally ill can only provide benefit to our society. Creativity is a gift and mental illness

should not to be taken lightly. When it is preventing people from living their true lives, we must

do what we can to understand and fix the problem.

Creativity and Mental Illness 11

References

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Beyond Blue Ltd. 2016. What causes depression? Retrieved from

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/depression/what-causes-depression

D. Eby. The upside to our disfunctions. Retrieved from http://talentdevelop.com/197/the-upside-

of-our-dysfunctions/

Flaherty, A. (January, 2011). Brain Illness and Creativity: Mechanisms and Treatment Risks :
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Forgeard MJC and Elstein JG (2014) Advancing the clinical science of creativity. Front. Psychol.
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good for you. Retrieved from http://creativesomething.net/post/55508909341/the-link-between-
depression-and-creativity-and