It was incredibly sad to wake up to the news that Robin Williams had taken his life. He was a profound influence in my world. My earliest memories of him are as Mork in the 70’s / 80’s show, Mork & Mindy. Robin Williams was one of those people who gave my mind permission to explore.
His suicide changed the normal conversation around me, as people contributed their own thoughts on this difficult-to-talk-about topic. I remembered once listening to someone tell me about how they had unsuccessfully attempted to take their own life. While I remember very little of what I was told, I do remember walking away knowing I would never ever dare comment on the circumstances that may or may not have lead to someone taking their life.
Link Between Creatives and Suicide
Part of the conversation centred around the link between creative people and suicide. It seems that it’s become an accepted that a link does exist. There’s always a large pool of anecdotal evidence of increased suicide amongst creatives. Lists are taken out and discussed. One of the better known lists is the 27 Club.
The 27 Club includes popular musicians, artists, actors and athletes who have died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse, or violent means such as homicide, suicide, or transportation-related accidents.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been interested in, and fascinated by creative people. What makes them who they area and why they see the world differently to other people around them? There are some very interesting studies and papers written by people who share the same curiosity as I do. And there is evidence to suggest a link between creatives, mental illness and suicide.
Mental Illness, Suicide and Creativity
For example:
In 2012, researchers at Karolinska Institute in Sweden gathered census data representing almost 1.2 million patients with schizoaffective disorder, depression, anxiety syndrome, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, autism, ADHD, anorexia nervosa and suicide. The specific aims of this study were to:
- investigate if creativity is associated with all psychiatric disorders or restricted to those with psychotic features, and
- to specifically investigate authors in relationship to psychopathology Mental illness, suicide and creativity.
Their findings were: Except for bipolar disorder, individuals with overall creative professions were not more likely to suffer from investigated psychiatric disorders than controls. However, being an author was specifically associated with increased likelihood of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and suicide. In addition, we found an association between creative professions and first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa, and for siblings of patients with autism.
Click here to read the full paper: Mental illness, suicide and creativity: 40-Year prospective total population study
Comment on the study from The Atlantic:
When the researchers looked specifically at authors, they found that they are overrepresented among people with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety syndrome, and substance abuse problems. Authors were also almost twice as likely to commit suicide as the general population.
Interestingly, the close relatives of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia, and, to a lesser extent, autism, were more likely to be employed in creative fields.
“In general, being an accountant or a relative to an accountant meant negative or no association to the psychopathologies investigated.”
CNN’s comment on the same study…
They also found that people in creative professions were more likely to have relatives with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia and autism.
That is significant. Earlier studies on families have suggested that there could be an inherited trait that gives rise to both creativity and mental illness.
I have no idea why Robin Williams chose to end his life? But all week I’ve been reminded of a talk given by Elizabeth Gilbert at TED on Creativity, world view and the pressure creatives feel when their ‘well runs dry’. I’m not sure if some of her thoughts add or subtract from the Robin Williams conversation, but it does leave me with lots to consider.
Creative people are usually people with hearts of gold, they try to be kind and considerate most times and their minds never stop.
They are extremely sensitive to what they believe is wrong in the world and frustrated that they have no control whatsoever in trying to change that which they see as destructive, unkind and simply not “right happenings” in this crazy world we live in. Basically they are sensitive people. Most people have the ability to stick their heads in the sand and pretend all is AOK but creative people are very sensitive human beings they simply can not do that. They absorb all that which is going on around them, there is no filter, their mind is never still and to be able to stop thinking for even one minute would be heaven for them. I should know I am one if them.
I have a saying on the back of my car.
” It’s difficult being different but fabulous to be unique”.
We are all unique but creative people supremely unique.
Diana from Down Under
My husband was very creative person and he did have a heart of gold but this year he he took his own life he made some amazing sculptures I love and miss him so much
Sorry to hear that Elaine. Really sorry to hear that.
I am a creative person . And I belive the things a creative person needs the most are feeling useful, excited, trying to reach his full potential and doing something new. So how do they get this things? By doing something they really love like singing ,art ,dancing etc whatever they love. By doing these they wont fall to depression. And the biggest advantage they get is that they get the chance to gain self confidence and Express them selves. People often mistake creative people as egoistic, because they dont know how to start a conversation with others. This is what makes them less social. To be able to create something is a great achivement and joy for a creative person. Their own creation and skill can help them to be social and can be a greate cure of their depression. I was depressed for 6 years then one day I found out that I am good at callygraphy I practiced it day and night it felt I was doing something new something exciting I began to unlock my potential and it cured my depression an suicidal tendency. before I found out my skill I when ever I felt lonely or depressed I had suicidal thoughts inside my head like it was the best way to escape. But I am lucky enough that i found my skill on time otherwise life would have been a living hell by now. I belive the joy and excitement of creating something cured my depression and I hope it dose the same to others as well.
Thank you for sharing your own story and struggle. These are really important things to be talking about
Di. Thank you for describing how I feel and how I felt for some time. Pointless to explain to others because a lot of times creative types are regarded as weird off their marker when sometimes they’re miniature Geniuses that function with a high IQ. Yes some are antisocial. I don’t have that problem but I prefer to stay away from others so I’m not poisoned by details that ultimately weigh me down. I feel the world’s pain and I’m sensitive to things that happen around me on a daily basis, I shade off my windows only leaving the upper potion exposed, so I can ONLY see trees, Birds, Light sun moon stars. Things of human creation and the daily movement of people and cars affect me in a negative way.
*OYON. You are so right. When I come across others that don’t understand themselves in this way I try to lend what I know to them, as a relief valve for the pressure they feel without knowing or identifying who they are as an individual trying to assimilate and fit in with Society. I found the opposite to be true. Creative types should be creative, most times Lockton jobs that we’re not geared for them and leading an unhappy life. You can be quiet and antisocial to protect yourself while still being creative and expressive where other people can appreciate what it is that you do.
Thanks to you both for putting it into words that I can borrow and share to not only help explain myself but to help others understand themselves moving forward.
Gratitude.
What Diana From Down Under said. I’ve never seen my feelings explained so clearly.