
Creativity and Madness
A ‘mad genius’; well-loved cultural icon is the romantic portrayal of the notion that creativity and mental illness go hand in hand. An enhanced level of creativity is often associated with mental illness. Most common examples of this belief are Michelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh and Virginia Woolf. The media often presents these geniuses or prodigies as deeply troubled individuals who have a hint or more of mental illness. It attempts to show that the source of their original ideas is their mental turmoil. These appearances make mental illness seem desirable, as indispensable to creativity. Is there really a link between creativity and mental illness? Here’s a look into the connection between psychopathology and creativity. … Read More