Vincent van Gogh, Virginia Woolf, Jim Morrison, Sylvia Plath, Picasso…. All of these individuals shared the desire to create, whether it was art, music, or literature. They all also shared another characteristic, that of having a mental illness, which is very much related to their amazing creative abilities. For my final paper, I would like to show how there is most definitely a link between creative expression and mental illness. I came up with this topic because, first of all, I am really into art and music, and second of all the topic of mental illnesses really fascinates me. I do personally believe there is a link between creative expression and mental illness-- that mental illness can actually cause a person to be more creatively inclined. I would also like to address the question of whether medicating mentally unstable people, who are known to be creatively expressive, could affect their creative output, their creative 'drive'.
The possibility of mental illness being connected to creativity is an important topic to research in order to improve the welfare and health of today’s creatively inclined population. I actually have had much experience with this very topic, due to the fact that I have quite a few ‘creatively inclined’ family members who, oddly enough, also suffer from certain mental illnesses. This topic brings up the question of whether being creative causes one to develop mental illnesses, or if creativity is actually an affect of mental illness. Are those who are affected with a mental illness more inclined to be more creatively expressive? These questions are very important to those who are and who know creative individuals. All too often amazing artists, musicians, and writers are overcome by underlying mental illnesses, and if not helped, are unable to free themselves from their psychological problems. Drawing from this information, one can see more clearly why so many artists of all media end up taking their lives. Though another question to be addressed is whether it’s genetics or their particular lifestyle which causes the development of mental illnesses in creative people.
That seems like it will be an excellent topic for your paper. You should really look in to the areas of fact that the could become mental ill because of the openness of there personal lives to the world most of the time. Definitly do more with the facts of whether put the creative people on drugs will have them lose their creativity. One counter-arguement that you may come across is the fact that their are many people in the world that are very creative and have no mental illness, at least that they know of. HolyCow
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