Why are artists/writers generally credited as having sad, depressive, or traumatic life experiences? Surely, there have been many famous "tragic artists" to warrant this stereotype--I'm sure names like Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allan Poe, and Ernest Hemingway immediately spring to mind. And there seems to be reliable evidence from numerous psychologists who have found positive correlations between writers and depression/bi-polar. The statistics point out that writers/artists/musicians/etc. have higher rates of mental illnesses than most other people.
But what about you guys?
For the writers/artists/musicians/etc. reading my blog have you struggled with a mental illness? Or do you know an artist who has?
I just finished a 2-month stint of intensive psychotherapy last month. So at least for me, mental illness has been an influential part of my life. At least in the beginning, my depression led me to take out my frustrations on pencil and paper. Having attempted suicide twice before the age of 18, it's safe to say the arts were a "life-saver" for me.
I began writing "angsty" poetry and horror stories as early as the first grade. I remember horrifying my second-grade teacher with poetry I wrote and read aloud to the class. Mass murderers, natural disasters, monsters, and other warped creations were a common theme in my poetry and short stories.
At my lowest, I was my most creative.
And now that I'm "clean" and healthy, I'm redefining what inspires my creativity. I don't need to be "tragic" to write anymore. My life is anything but tragic now! However, without the childhood abuse, I doubt I would've started writing in the first place. My childhood, although traumatic, has helped me become the person I am today.
So if you are a tragic artist, recognize the signs and get help for yourself. Depression is not something you have to endure in silence. Get the help you need. You deserve it.
Here is a resource for artists/writers who have mental illnesses. You can share your poetry and creative writing in front of a group of other artists who'll understand without passing judgement. I was on the site for a little bit, but I found I no longer needed it as I got better:
Some online resources for depression, bi-polar, and other mental illnesses:
