THE CORRELATION BETWEEN CREATIVITY AND MENTAL ILLNESS

Danielle DiPaolo

PSY492Marie Dube

•Is there a connection between certain mental illnesses and

artistic ability?

•If a correlation does in fact exist, should these abilities be

suppressed with medication or treatment of the disorder

(Sussman, 2007)?

•Would treatment of the disorder(s) eradicate the artistic

ability or would it enhance it?

•Would the work of Van Gogh or Sylvia Plath have become

as famous if they were medicated (Jamison, 1997)?

•If a link does in fact exist between certain mental illnesses

and artistic ability, what are the moral implications of

treatment versus non-treatment (Sussman, 2007)?

According to many modern researchers and current studies, a correlation absolutely does exist between artistic ability and mental illness (Jamison, 1997).

The Medication Controversy

To Medicate or Not to Medicate?

The answer is actually much more simple than one might think. Research indicates and experts from all sides of this controversy agree, that the use of medication with these disorders will almost always be the most beneficial for the patient (Jamison, 1997).

Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, presents the rationale for this belief in very unambiguous manner: “Left untreated, however, manic-depressive illness often worsens over time—and no one is creative when severely depressed, psychotic or dead” (Jamison, 1997. p. 6).

Suggestions for Further Research

Two research questions that could be utilized for further research on this topic are:

To what extent is there a link between ADHD and artistic ability in young children?

To what extent is ADHD in young children misdiagnosed?

Conclusion Though no evidence currently exists for

causality, there appears to be an unarguable, yet unexplainable correlation between creativity and mental illness (Jamison, 1997).

Medication is usually an essential part of the treatment plan of individuals with certain mental illnesses even at the risk of diminishing creativity, because if left untreated, the perilous symptoms of many of these disorders can cause tribulations much more catastrophic than lack of inspiration.

ReferencesBatey, M.; Furnham, A. (2008). The relationship between measures of creativity and schizotypy. Elsevier Ltd.

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Eckerd College (2011). Eckerd Professor Holly White Applies ADHD-Creativity Link to Helping Students Learn. Retrieved on July 20, 2011 from: http://www.eckerd.edu/news/index.php?f=detail&id=3091 

Harvard University (2007). Creativity tied to mental illness. Harvard University Gazette. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2003/10.23/01-creativity.html 

Jamison, K. R. (1997). Manic-Depressive Illness and Creativity. Scientific American, Inc. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from http://positivedisintegration.com/Jamison1995.pdf

Karolinska Institutet (2010). Dopamine system in highly creative people similar to that seen in schizophrenics, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2010/05/100518064610.htm 

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Stanford University (2005). More evidence of association between bipolar disorder and artistic creativity. Stanford Report. Retrieved July 6, 2011, fromhttp://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/november16/med-bipolar-111605.html 

Sussman, A. (2007). Mental Illness and Creativity: A Neurological View of the “Tortured Artist”. Stanford Journal of Neuroscience , I (1).