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Creativity 'closely entwined with mental illness'
Creativity is often part of a mental illness, with writers particularly susceptible, according to a study of more than a million people.
Writers had a higher risk of anxiety and bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, unipolar depression, and substance abuse, the Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute found.
They were almost twice as likely as the general population to kill themselves.
The dancers and photographers were also more likely to have bipolar disorder. As a group, those in the creative professions were no more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders than other people.
But they were more likely to have a close relative with a disorder, including anorexia and, to some extent, autism, the Journal of Psychiatric Research reports.
Lead researcher Dr Simon Kyaga said the findings suggested disorders should be viewed in a new light and that certain traits might be beneficial or desirable.
For example, the restrictive and intense interests of someone with autism and the manic drive of a person with bipolar disorder might provide the necessary focus and determination for genius and creativity.
Similarly, the disordered thoughts associated with schizophrenia might spark the all-important originality element of a masterpiece. Dr Kyaga said: "If one takes the view that certain phenomena associated with the patient's illness are beneficial, it opens the way for a new approach to treatment.
"In that case, the doctor and patient must come to an agreement on what is to be treated, and at what cost. "In psychiatry and medicine generally there has been a tradition to see the disease in black-and-white terms and to endeavour to treat the patient by removing everything regarded as morbid."
Beth Murphy, head of information at Mind, said bipolar disorder personality traits could be beneficial to those in creative professions, but it may also be that people with bipolar disorder are more attracted to professions where they can use their creative skills.
"It is important that we do not romanticise people with mental health problems, who are too often portrayed as struggling creative geniuses.
"We know that one in four people will be diagnosed with a mental health problem this year and that these individuals will come from a range of different backgrounds, professions and walks of live. Our main concern is that they get the information and support that they need and deserve."
What do you think about it? Do you believe that people with creative professions suffer from mental illnesses more often than other people? What is the reason of it in your opinion? What scientist made this discovery? Do you think geniuses are little strange people?
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This article is informative for me.It is really an interesting observation of scientists.Maybe it is true that people of art suffer from mental illnesses more often than other people.It is a fact,such people differ from other people.I think such people are important for society,they make our world brighter and more beautiful.Despite the fact that they are a little crazy.
I love the phrase from the movie "Alice in Wonderland": "Let me tell you a secret: the crazy wiser all". I think that all creative people always have their oddities. There are a lot of films about creative people with illnesses or phobias,for example, "The secret window" or "Black swan". In fact, I am afraid of such people but I think they are geniuses.
It is known that many talented people have mental illness.They are geniuses and so they will go crazy. I agree that scientists found this fact. It is very interesting theme for thinking. Many people are interested in the life if these famous people. It is a important question for them.
"Creativity is often part of a mental illness, with writers particularly susceptible, according to a study of more than a million people." I'm laughing It is often said that creative persons are a little bit crazy in some ways. Ok, I agree that there may be some writers who were schizophrenics but it doesn't mean that ALL creative persons are crazy.
I've heard a lot about the fact that many great writers, poets and musicians were schizophrenics... For example, it is no accident that tragic literary works some of them are so imbued with the energy of grief, sentimentality. They were able to transfer all feelings as if they have experienced it themselves. May be as a result, they have become schizophrenics. Because this is the same heavy mental work as psychologists have... Schizophrenics are not necessarily hard mentally ill people. These are people who may be poorly developed, but in their work they will be great and create masterpieces!
I'm laughing 
