Creativity-Madness Throughout History, Some of

Creativity-Madness Throughout history, some of the most creative people on earth have behaved in ways that seemed outside of the norm. Whether it was Emily Dickinson refusing to come out of her house, Van Gogh cutting off an ear, or Edgar Allen Poe acting like a madman for much of his adult life, there is no denying that there is some connection between creativity and madness. A study was conducted several years ago, to determine whether or not mental illness is present in all who have creative talents.

That study concluded that mental illness is not a guaranteed issue in creative minds, however, it did note that there appears to be more mental illness among poets, artists, writers and vocalists than there are in politicians, business people and scientists. The results of this study and its conclusions, indicate that while mental illness does not have to accompany creativity, there is a connection between the two in many cases (Bower, 1995). The study was conducted by a psychiatrist and involved 1,004 participants.

One only has to look through history to find evidence that creative minds are more prone to mental illness, which often creates the belief that there is a link between creativity and madness (Bower, 1995). The 19th-century poet Lord Byron endured what he called "savage moods." From childhood on, he careened between periods of wretched despondency and fiery, increasingly irrational urges and thoughts.

His volatile temperament frequently set off sparks of poetic imagination, inspiring him at one point to write of "the apostle of affliction, he who threw enchantment over passion, and from woe wrung overwhelming eloquence (Bower, 1995)." According to Byron, creativity and genius are both dependent on what he referred to as "mental turmoil" to succeed as it provides fuel for them to create. The belief that creativity and madness are somehow linked dates back to the times of Ancient Greeks.

It was this population that believed there were divine forms of madness from which inspiration in mortal human being sprang. The most creative acts or performances have been attributed to madness mixed with creative genius throughout history.

Modern scientists have conducted more than a dozen studies documenting a higher rate of mental disorders, particularly disturbances of mood such as depression and manic depression, in painters, poets, musicians, and novelists (Bower, 1995)." It is commonly believed by experts in the mental health field, that mood disorders are sometimes responsible for the enhancement of creativity. Bipolar patients will stop taking medications because they believe it stunts their creative flow and they are unable to write or compose while taking them.

The study into the correlation between mental illness and creative ability, gathered intensive biographies of more than 1,000 people, over a decade long period. They were all deceased by the time the study took place, and they had all lived in the 20th century. This was important as it leveled the playing field and removed the ability to attribute differences to cultural or evolutionary processes. Approximately one-third of poets, artists and performers who were studied were found to have mental illness during their adolescence.

By the time the same studied people reached adulthood more than half to three quarters of them had developed a mental illness (Bower, 1995). In particular, 46 to 77% of poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, painters, and composers encountered periods of serious depression, at least twice the rate observed in persons in other fields. Mania appeared most often in actors, poets, architects, and nonfiction writers, with lifetime rates ranging from 11 to 17%.

The severe mood swings that make up manic depression afflict a little less than 1% of the general population (Bower, 1995)." One of the explanations of this phenomenon, is that creative professions allow the person to express themselves as art and provide flexibility in that area. Scientists, accountants and other rigidly performed positions do not have the same flexibility, therefore it is natural for one with mental issues to be drawn to the arts as an area where they can be given flexibility and understanding (Bower, 1995).

Studies have indicated that those who are creative and significantly well thought, of often have issues with depression, alcoholism or drug use.

The model created guidelines that illustrated commonalities among elite creative people to include: receive support for developing those qualities from parents, who often have creative or aesthetic bents as well as emotional difficulties of their own; harbor an ingrained contrariness and opposition to established beliefs, which frequently antagonizes other people; face physical trials early in life, often a life-threatening illness or physical disability; experience a restless, driven state of psychological unease that finds relief through creative problem solving (Bower, 1995)." In studying the closeness between creativity and madness, one should investigate the life and beliefs of famed artists Michelangelo Buonarroti.

At one point in his life he was asked how he came to sculpt one of his most famous and well-known works of art and he replied: saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free (Taylor, 2004)." Mental health professionals around the world believe that there is a link between psychology and imagination, and some believe that the more imagination one has the more psychologically stressed that person's mind is as well.

Another classic example of the link between madness and creativity can be found in the life of the well-known poet Emily Dickinson. While only about 12 of her poems were published while she was alive, after her death, many of her poems were found and subsequently published. Her life and her obsessions with sickness, panic and death created a hotbed of poetry for her to share with the world (Emily Dickinson (http://www.neuroticpoets.com/dickinson/).

There is only one photograph in existence of her, which was taken when she was 17 years old. To date there have been more than 1.700 poems published, and each of them contains a hint into the creative genius and madness that she endured for her short life. Shortly after she left college, during her freshman year, she began to live the life of a recluse. She rarely went anywhere and preferred to be in the company of her immediate family only. As time passed,.