A question for those depressed.

[Mister_Bit]

Hi everyone,

So... the question is to those who are suffering depression as do I. Just from observation I think I have noticed something. Almost all my creative friends are depressed. I'm very creative and very depressed. A lot of actors, comedians, singers etc are also very depressed.

I was wondering if there was a link. For me, I feel that having that creative streak inside and not always being able to release it leads to frustration, anger and depression.

Are you a creative person? (Drawing, writing, crafting, painting, photography etc etc)

[Hidden]

Yes, there is a lot of research which shows that people who are creative are people who can be more prone to depression than some other people, it has to do with brain function and sensitivity levels. Why not google it.

I paint and do photography, also write poetry at times and the lateralisation of my brain is non-standard which has also been shown with depressed people.

[WantToChange]

Nope. Never done anything creative in my life! Never had the patience or concentration to paint or draw and I never have the urge to take photos (only if amazing scenery is before me!).

Hang on, I was into writing when I was younger? Used to write short stories, songs and actually completed a novel. So I suppose maybe yeah, I used to have a creative side. But now my punctuation and spelling have slid so it's not something I would go back to... But I remember feeling the writing was a way of escaping into a fantasy world I had created. Writing songs is a good way of dealing with and expelling emotion, particularly hurt and anger. I had a creative imagination but I've never been artistically creative... Does that make sense?

[gardengnome in reply to WantToChange]

that strikes a cord, when my imagination goes into overdrive, the depression often follows,

[Photogeek in reply to WantToChange]

I think everyone is creative, but we can lose this through Depression.

I think I am very creative and painting or making something , even

Cooking makes me feel good, I am patient. My mother was very

Good at all this and I think I have her to thank.

Maybe you should try and get back into doing stuff again. Why not ?

Hannah

[WantToChange in reply to Photogeek]

Ah I didn't think of cooking as being creative... I don't get to cook much as living with parents but desperate to let loose in the kitchen! When I get my own place I'd like to think I will be creative in the kitchen.

Didn't actually recognise that I have a slightly creative side... These posts have helped me realise that so thank you guys :).

Maybe I should get back into writing again... I will think about this. I'm worried I may be disappointed if I'm not as imaginative as I used to be :/ x

[Photogeek]

Get back to writing and don't put any restrictions on yourself. We change

And grow all the time, and everything you have gone through in the last

While will be fodder for your writing. It must be hard to be living with parents

, just use this time until you can fly the coop.

Don't be hard on yourself, just show up on the page.

Hugs

Hannah x

[Mister_Bit in reply to Photogeek]

About being hard on yourself, I do that... I'm very creative, I write stories, poems, nonsense poems, draw, 3D animation, clay-mation animation, paint, photograph... I do the lot lol, but I always find I never live up to my own expectations and when people say how good stuff is, I never believe them and usually end up destroying most of it.

I'm my own worst enemy in that respect which just frustrates and depresses me more.

[Mister_Bit]

I thought I'd submit one of my poems....

The Bag.

I am a bag

empty and used,

no one wants me now.

I drift on the winds of life,

blown without purpose or goal.

I have no dreams,

except perhaps one.

I drift past your eyes,

you see me but don't care.

Selfishly you need me,

I help carry your weight,

but you empty me of my purpose,

then I'm discarded again.

I'll never fly.

just pass over the gutters,

I'm caught on a fence post,

My only dream?

To rot away quickly.

[Photogeek in reply to Mister_Bit]

Hi that's a very bleak poem. Are you very Depressed?

[Mister_Bit in reply to Photogeek]

Extremely depressed at the moment Photogeek. I've suffered for years but this is somehow different to the other times. I would call my past bouts my "black depression" because it was very intense and bleak, now I've just given up, I'm like a zombie. Never happy, never sad, never hopeful, given up on my dreams etc etc which I think it worse than my black bouts.

[Photogeek in reply to Mister_Bit]

Hi Mr.Bit sorry to hear that you feel so Depressed. Are

You having any treatment or counselling? Does anything

Help at all?

Hannah

[Stilltrying_]

That's a sad poem Mister_Bit ):

[n1k17a]

That is an extremely sad poem mister bit

In response to the first question- I'm not creative at all! I don't write, I don't draw, don't sing, and my cooking is just boring! I have no imagination at all. I'm a management accountant so I just sit at a desk all day in front of my computer x

[brookechookie]

I think it's because creative people are less logical and more in tune with their emotions.

Also society sometimes makes me feel bad for being less logical and more creative. People's Creative talents are often criticised and creative people are often condemned as less intelligent or incapable of academic stuff... due to a lack of logics or interest in less creative stuff...

Mindfulness techniques help show the interplay between emotions and rational thinking, demonstrating how one can find more of a balance.... and learn to control their emotions more... Here is a link:

healthunlocked.com/anxietys...

I'm a creative writer and my emotions definitely influence my work and inspire me more...

but they can also demotivate me, make me more anxious, stressed and depressed.

If you allow your emotions to fuel your creativity great, but when they control you and you don't control them... their can be consequences... and they can overwhelm you which although can be very inspiring it can be very overwhelming and detrimental to your mental health.

[brookechookie]

I guess it's hard to control creativity and emotions ....

I think logical people often find it easier to be calmer and more in control.... maybe because at times their creativity is more limited and they have to exercise a lot more logic to perform academically... (i.e. subjects such as science, mathematics, economics and business studies)... their are stricter criteria's to meet overall including those of coherence, defined terminology and requirements.

Creativity is more flexible and less structured in certain ways... sometimes confusion and lack of coherence can make an effect creative text (i.e. abstract art, confusing tv show/novel plots and free verse poetry which lack rhythm or rhyming).