Is There a Relationship Between Creativity and Addiction?
Why is it that so many influential musicians, writers and artists are often associated with addiction? Throughout history, praised entertainers and creative forces have fallen victim to drugs and alcohol: American country singer Johnny Cash abused amphetamines; iconic French singer Edith Piaf was an alcoholic and eventually died of liver cancer; famous guitarist Jimmy Hendrix died of a mix of alcohol and barbiturates; American writer Jack Kerouac abused drugs and alcohol.
CNN reported recently that a link between mood disorders and creativity has shown in a number of psychology studies. Experts say that mental illness does not necessarily cause creativity, and vice versa, but a ruminating personality type may contribute to both mental health issues and art. Characteristics of this personality include hypersensitivity, constant contemplation and reflectiveness — a temperament found to be underlying in depression and bipolar disorder.
Although the studies do not link addiction with creativity, the high correlation between depression and substance abuse presents an indirect connection. For creative types who are mentally unstable and tend to overanalyze, drugs and alcohol can be a form of self-medication, a way to quiet the restless mind. Many singers who’ve experienced addiction, like Cash and Piaf, incorporate the dramatic highs and lows of their mental states into performances, pouring their emotionality and obsessive nature into lyrics.
People who are depressed may try to mute their inner demons with drugs, but art can be used as a therapeutic tool in recovery. In fact, many artists find that their work suffers when their minds are muddled by drugs and alcohol, stunting creative performance. To overcome addiction, some people need to rediscover their passion for art — a high that can’t be matched by any drug.
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November 26th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Hey, this is me.
I feel like William Burroughs most days.
Over analyse everything. Hypersensitive to everything around me, especially changing moods and emotions in people around me.
I though I was going nuts for awhile with thinking I had a paranormal abilitiy to be extra-aware of my environment.
This led to me dimming these feelings with various substances. If feels like I need to be ‘slowed down’ or tranquilized to be taken serious, or understood by anybody. I communicate/think at a much faster speed than others around me and I can see it bothers them. I take meds to satisfy them mostly.
I’m an artist, musician, writer and intellectual thinker. It feels like a curse most times. Like being able to speak a language that nobody can understand. I even have dreams about me talking and nobody understanding me .
December 12th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
There are a lot of people who use because it numbs emotions and dulls sensitivities, but in the long run this is no way to deal with life. It’s hard, but you have to recognize your feelings and let them sink in, because they’ll always eventually catch up with you and they’ll be much harder to deal with if you run from them. It sounds like empathy is a strength of yours — although you may not receive validation for this ability in your social situations, you can use this strength in ways to help others. Like being a teacher or counselor for art, music, etc., or sharing your experiences with others in writing.
April 28th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Thanks Cooper,
Your advice is stellar. This is the direction I’m heading now.
I’ve since made sense of life and realized Doctors have some great new treatment options. Just had to ask!
I think its often a combination of shame and reluctance to admit there is a problem. Sometimes, there is a lot of pressure and expectations from creative people. When the creative well is dry, its DEVISTATING and a void is there that feels very uncomfortable. We get happiness from creativity and when its not there, there is no happiness; just the void and a feeling of being ‘broken’ .
Like the article says, I’ve since RE-DISCOVERED my creative abilities. I relearned why I enjoy creative work so much. . . . . (its wasn’t to use substances and muddy my thoughts – it was the opposite of that! ).
thanks!
August 21st, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Winsome thoughts the following. Are you convinced it is the accurate way to appear at it nevertheless? My own private experience is always that we really should pretty much stay and enable live simply because what a single human being thinks just — yet another man or woman purely won’t. Human beings are going to do what they want to perform. In the end, they generally do. Probably the most we can hope for would be to establish a few points the following and there that hopefully, enables them to generate just a little greater informed selection. Otherwise, great post. You are surely making me believe