On occasion, when I am in a deep dark hole, I become very creative. This usually involves writing. The only problem is that my writing tends to be about dark subjects, which considering depression, probably makes sense.
Vincent van Gogh was said to suffer from depression. His art was supposed to have been a result of his depression. I used to tell a friend that van Gough was "visiting" and he knew exactly what I meant.
Posted: Jan 10, 08 5:45am
I hace heard about this and I belive that some great artists did better work when depressed or on drugs. (I certainly know that I enjoyed some of my favorite rock stars less when they got sober), but it's never been the case for me. Fortunately I don't suffer much from depression, but I've had my bouts over the years. I find it very difficult to do anything - even simple chores and errand that I do daily when I'm feeling OK. I just want to put a blanket over my head and eat chocolate. I manage to function, but I am definitely not creative, or productive.
Posted: Jan 10, 08 1:23pm
No
Posted: Jan 17, 08 3:14pm
I don't become more creative when I am depressed, I become like a blob, that just sits there, away of, but feeling no connection to, the world around.
I've heard of people with bipolar get more creative, but when they are manic, not depressed.
Posted: Jan 16, 08 2:35pm
I was going thru a box of old papers and found a short story that I had written and it was very disturbing.I had written it about 6 years ago when I was dead to the world depressed.It was so mean and vicious that it scared me that I could have written such things.And whats even more scary now is that a couple of the occurances that I wrote about have come to pass.
Posted: Jan 17, 08 3:17pm
If it is any consulation to you negative thoughts play a huge part in depression, so anyone else who was depressed could have written similar things, also if we are negative and do negative things, unfortunately some of these negative things may happen, for example distance between your partner, family and friends. So say you say nobody cares when you are depressed, you may just bring that to fruition through your actions.
Posted: Jan 17, 08 1:03pm
It is not that people become more creative when depressed. It is simply that when depressed, there is more need to get something out of you to try to relieve the pressure of being depressed.
The nature of what you will create when you are depressed is different. It will be ... depressing!
The other problem, depression makes a person sluggish and tired and creativity needs great bursts of energy. It may be that the energy required to lift depression comes from creativity, not the other way around. Creativity is the medicine that treats the symptoms, not the outcome of depression.
Most really depressed people are boring as hell because they are stultified in their responses. They are flat of affect and scattered in their thoughts. I would say that Gauguin didn't paint from his depression, he died from it!
Anger is the cure for depression and most of the great creative works come out of anger. When you are angry, you can't be depressed. They are different ends of the emotional spectrum. Most people think that the opposite of depressed is happy. Not so. The opposite is angry. You can be depressed and momentarily happy. You can't be angry and depressed at the same time. Anger discharges adrenaline. Adrenaline elevates mood - not to happy but to alertness.
Posted: Jan 17, 08 3:22pm
I agree with everything you say up to the part about anger. Every counsellor, psychologist and psychiatrist I've seen has said the opposite. Anger is a big part of depression, depressed people are often holding in their anger, but not always. Anger is another negative thought pattern that reinforces your depression.
Is there some new therapy, or prognosis I have not heard of ?
Posted: Jan 17, 08 3:49pm
Repressed anger (anger turned inward) becomes depression. When anger is released, it relieves depression.
Posted: Jan 24, 08 11:34am
I checked with my father, he is a retired psychologist, he disagrees with this, told me I was right. Anger whether repressed, or released, worsens depression. The only way to make depression better, through anger, is to change the thought patterns that lead to your anger. Example change he/she is always picking on me to sometimes picks on me, thereby lessening your feelings towards situations involving that person. If you can make yourself not get angry, you will lessen your depression.
Posted: Jan 18, 08 12:01pm
no i become more depressed since i dont feel like painting. or doing anything else for that matter i just want to escape into my sleep like dead feelings.anger is what seems to come from my depression since i cant seem to get off my lazy butt and change it .iam now looking for a new purpose in life ,like maybe trying to help someone else rather than focusing so much on me which i think causes all my saddness so often in the first place. need therapy.
Posted: Jan 21, 08 6:02pm
When I am depressed, which happens periodically, I cannot even get out of the bed. I do not want to. Just make the hours go away. Then I even feel worse about myself that I have wasted my whole weekend laying in the bed. Writing? I cannot even find the energy to turn my monitor to ON. However I am glad to know that I am not alone.
Posted: Jan 24, 08 4:08am
I have read and even watched a show on tv about how very creative people often suffer from depression.
I don't know why they think this is so, but I do think there might be something to it.
Just like how a lot of people who are brilliant or Genius are also often qurky or have other phycological issues. Their brains just work differently than most people.
I suffer from clinical depression myself. I also happen to be a very creative person, more so than most.(not trying to be conceded) but it's true.
Here is something interesting, which may just be a fluke....I come from a family of 6 kids. The kids in my family that are highly creative happen to have depression. The ones that don't have the creativity bug don't have it.
I think it's an interesting thought and
Im sure someone is doing some kind of research about this subject. There might even be more information about it on the internet.
Posted: Jan 24, 08 4:53am
Here is an interesting CBS interview on the subject http://www.cbs.com/cbs_cares/depression/creativity.shtml
Posted: Jan 24, 08 6:42am
When Iam on the depressive side of bipolar,anger is the only emotion I have.I will be angry about so many things,but it stays bottled up.Until one day I will lose control with my anger and go nuts over something that doesnt mean a hill of beans,I blow everything out of proportion and get people to not want to be near me.
what you said Milt is very true for me,but everyone is different.Even in bipolar there is lots of difference in each individual.
When I am in the manic stage I cant slow myself down.I become super aware of other people and thier problems and I cant do enough for them,to the point of exausting myself.
Thank God,right now Iam doing fine,but just like (NORMAL)persons I have my up and down days.
Gayle,I dont think I personally think no one cares for me,I just stay isolated and if anyone wants into my world I just ask to be left alone.And I know what you mean about feeling like a big blob.Thats how my depression usually begins.Plus I can just sit or lie in one spot for days,except for necessary things like going to bathroom when absolutely necessary.
Bipolar is beginning to be reconized as an illness,when I was young people thought you were crazy,as I guess that sometimes we act and feel crazy.I am so happy that its viewed a lot differently now.Thank God!!!
Posted: Jan 24, 08 11:39am
I know they did treat people like this. I had a girlfriend who was diagnosed with it when she was young. She just found out a few years ago, when she switched psychiatrists, that she was misdiagnosed. She really only has severe, clinical depression, what previous doctor thought was manic phase, was her true personality.
Posted: Jan 24, 08 2:25pm
Gayle,ONLY has severe,clinical depression!Any type of depression cannot be called ONLY,as all depressions are life altering to ones who has it,also to thier family and close friends.
With respect,
still b my friend?
Kay
Posted: Jan 25, 08 10:07am
I am well aware that depression cannot really be called only. I suffer from severe depression myself, both situational and chemical.
My point was, they were treating her for an illness that she did not have, treating her for both sides of that illness. When in reality she only had one part of the equation, depression. Not mania, or anything else connected to bipolar.
Posted: Jan 25, 08 11:19am
gayle,I realize what you mean about"only" now.
I am happy for your friend that she was finally diagnosed with depression,and not bipolar.Bipolar is a life-wrecker disease that must be treated forever.Unless a new drug will "CURE"it.Two things I pray for.a cure for cancer,a cure for bipolar.Iam now about to go into the manic stage,after so many years I can detect when its coming,mainly with my thought process and wanting to do and do and being unable to just be!
Ihave an appointment to see my psy.next week and he will adjust my medication.
Posted: Jan 25, 08 12:04pm
I too am happy for my friend, and I feel great sorrow over her misdiagnosis. She was treated for bipolar from her teens, to her mid-forties, and that was not what she had.
I wish that for now you can find the right medication(s), and that one day they will find a cure.
Posted: Feb 8, 08 1:40pm
I am an artist and moods do effect my work, however depression for me kills any inspiration so vitally needed for creativity.
I think depression is possibly why Van Gough cut off his ear but I stretch to believe depression inspired him to paint beautiful paintings.
Maybe for some its possible, for me no.