What is the link between depression and creativity?

Acording to an article from CNN, there may be a stronger connection than we thought. The article outlines the connection between depression and extremely creative individuals like David Foster Wallace and Sylvia Plath. It discusses whether creativity brings out or causes depression. Their finding is that they can’t prove creativity causes depression but there is a chance that it can cause depression to surface if the person is already depressed.

I agree with a lot of the points made in the article, especially the point that creative people are more heavily effected by the world around them than your average Joe. It makes perfect sense that those who are most creative tend to be more effected by things around them; creative people pay more attention to the details. Normal people can see or hear something and let it go, more creative minds tend to take a basic idea and try to pull more out of it.

Verhaeghen, who is also a novelist and describes himself as a “somewhat mood disordered person,” had a particular interest in the connection between creativity and this ruminating state of mind. “One of the things I do is think about something over and over and over again, and that’s when I start writing,” he said.

After reading the article I find it hard not to believe creativity and depression have a link. What do you think? Is depression tied to creativity? Would you concider the people you think are creative also depressed? If you concider yourself creative, do you also concider yourself depressed?

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