Cinema Cemetery
Why Are So Many Artists Depressed?
Disclaimer:
The following is my own opinion and not the opinion of any studios I have worked for in the past or will work for in the future. All specific information comes courtesy of publicly accessible articles, please see the bibliography for more information.
Before beginning this discussion, it’s important to note the following:
“It’s not creatives alone who suffer... As of 2008, 1 in 10 Americans have claimed to suffer from some form of depression, according to the CDC. (1)”
This is a widespread issue that is not strictly unique to a group of people. While the issues we’re going to discuss are common,
“...creatives are at higher risk for mental illness...it at least partially stems from ‘a problem with filtering or gating the many stimuli that flow into the brain.’ For this reason some (creatives)...organize their lives in order to be isolated from human contact for long blocks of time. (2)”
It could be an explanation for the stereotype of the artist as a recluse, evasive person.
“The notion of the tortured artist is a stubborn meme. Creativity, it states, is fueled by the demons that artists wrestle in their darkest hours. The idea is fanciful to many scientists. But a new study claims the link may be well-founded after all, and written into the twisted molecules of our DNA.
In a large study..., scientists in Iceland report that genetic factors that raise the risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are found more often in people in creative professions. Painters, musicians, writers and dancers were, on average, 25% more likely to contain the gene variants than professions the scientists judged to be less creative, among which were farmers, manual labourers and salespeople. (3)”
This could explain some mental issues, but if we’re going to get at the root of what seems to be pervasive depression in famous artists throughout history, from Shakespeare to Pollock, we’re going to have to ask more questions.
“To start: if depression affects so many diverse groups of people, why are creative types singled out? What’s the link between the two?
While the possible solutions are many (the mind is a very complicated subject, after all), countless psychologists and psychiatrists tend to agree that major depression is amplified in those who tend to ruminate on their thoughts. (1)”
“For example: someone who doesn’t take the time to (deeply consider) their thoughts regularly may have a stressful day at work or school, but when they come home from it all it’s easier to forget than not.On the other hand, there are certain types of thinkers who naturally are drawn to play the stressful events over and over again, thinking about what happened, what they could have (or should have) done differently, how the details of what occurred will affect the rest of their lives, and so on. Creative thinkers tend to fall into the latter group, re-playing events over and over again to better understand them.A result of focusing on these thoughts then, according to Yale psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, is immense depression or a feeling of hopelessness. (1)”
“Yes, some studies have shown that creativity and depression are linked, but correlation doesn’t equal causation. We know depression and creativity co-exist, but well it’s like this: If you have severe depression, you have to get pretty darn creative to survive it.
But it’s also something that can only take us so far. Depression isn’t something I struggle with; it’s something I live with. It’s not an adversary so much as a roommate these days. Sometimes I can’t seem to get around it. Other times I forget it’s even there. And depression and creativity, expansive thinking and self-destruction, it all seems to be part of the same ball of thread. However the pieces are frayed, woven together, tangled, and wrapped around each other, it doesn’t seem to be possible to move one end without moving the other. (5)”
“ the creative person ‘may have to confront criticism or rejection for being too questioning, or too unconventional.’
‘Too much openness means living on the edge. Sometimes the person may drop over the edge…’ (2)”
“ ‘Often, when people are creating something new, they end up straddling between sanity and insanity...I think these results support the old concept of the mad genius. Creativity is a quality that has given us Mozart, Bach, Van Gogh. It’s a quality that is very important for our society. But it comes at a risk to the individual and 1% of the population pays the price for it’ (3)”
But why is depression and extreme anxiety still such a strong force? As the changing and growing organism humanity is, shouldn’t we have moved past something so seemingly limiting?
“From an evolutionary standpoint we could now say that depression is a psychological desire to be better, to be stronger, to reflect on where we’ve made mistakes, and to find ways to improve ourselves overall. Research from Andy Thomson and Paul Andrews confirms this approach, stating that depression is an evolutionary way for us to tightly focus our attention on what needs changing in our lives. (1)”
“Our minds can approach concepts with various levels of ‘zoom.’ We can zoom in the finer details or zoom out to see the big picture. Creative types tend to have a wider picture of the world, which allows us to twine together seemingly disparate concepts and come up with less obvious ideas. We often see the world for its possibilities rather than its realities. I think this is the starting point for understanding why creativity and depression are linked. (5)”
“As George Bernard Shaw put it, ‘Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people.’ We creative types tend to be incurably unreasonable.
That’s good, honestly. But it’s also terrible. In seeing the way the world could be, we dream of a place we can’t reach and base our sense of satisfaction on a comparison to that idealized world. (5)”
So how, as an artist, can we thrive in the midst of bouts of depression or mental illness?
“Be really picky about who you let into your life, and especially into your creative work. Latch onto the people who make you feel like anything is possible (especially if they have done it already). (2)”
“...balance is key, experiencing present joy can paint hints of color and hope upon even the dreariest and most confounding moments. As Albert Camus said, ‘In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.’ And whether you are an artist or not, whether you suffer from depression or not, those words are understood. It is our tremendous resilience as people that carries us through difficult times. There are thorns, yes. But there are roses, too. (4)”
“...though creatives experience higher rates of mood disorders than the general population, the extremes of highs and lows tend to be brief, balanced by long periods of normal affect, or euthymia. During these respite periods, creatives frequently reflect upon and draw from memories and experiences of their darker times to create their best art. (2)”
However, as someone who suffers, this certainly doesn’t make it feel worth it.
“If Van Gogh’s illness was a blessing, the artist certainly failed to see it that way. In one of his last letters, he voiced his dismay at the disorder he fought for so much of his life: ‘Oh, if I could have worked without this accursed disease - what things I might have done.’ (3)”
Regardless of the challenges you may be facing, you should never face them alone. If you can afford it, get professional help. If you can’t afford it, try to surround yourself with people who are supportive, who care. Should you find yourself considering serious self harm, please use the number on the screen first. Call them before you do anything, please.
I’ve been there. I’ve been through the fire, recovered, and drowned in flames again. Rinse. Repeat.
Yet each time I’ve survived depression, I’ve learned lessons...lessons which help me the next time the dark tide rises again. As it has and will.
Through all this, I’ve carefully documented my journey, where I’ve failed and where I’ve found my footing. The road from university graduate to art professional has nearly led to the end of my life several times, and I often felt like I was completely alone in this struggle.
Yet the older I get and the more people I meet, I’ve come to realize that SO MANY artists muck through the same storms. We’re all in the same boat yet we paddle along as if there are no other vessels in the ocean.
Stay as strong as you can friends.
This has been Cinema Cemetery, digging six feet deeper into filmmaking culture.
-Josh Evans