Is Creativity A Symptom Of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder can be linked with “sharpened and unusually creative thinking.” The link between bipolar disorder and creativity is widely accepted as fact. When psychologists measure the creativity of those who suffer from bipolar disorder, their findings are not within the normal range. They are apt to find creative genius among samples of individuals affected by bipolar disorder. The level of creative genius that they measure in these samples is extremely rare among the general population. Numerous famous poets, writers, composers, and artists were afflicted with bipolar disorder. But, does bipolar disorder cause an increase in creativity or are those who have exceptional levels of creativity prone to developing bipolar disorder?

Several studies have been performed studies all over the world in an attempt to establish a link between bipolar disorder and creativity. Researchers at Harvard University set up a study to assess the degree of original thinking to perform creative tasks. They rated the creativity in a sample of manic-depressive patients. Their results showed that manic-depressives have a greater percentage of creativity than the general population. One recent study was the first to undertake scientific diagnostic inquiries into the relationship between creativity and psychopathology in living writers. Eighty percent of the study sample met formal diagnostic criteria for a major mood disorder versus thirty percent of the control sample. The odds of this difference occurring by chance alone are less than one in a thousand.

There have been biographical studies of earlier generations of artists and writers, which show that they have 18 times the rate of suicide as compared to the general population, 8-10 times the rate of clinical depression, and 10-20 times the rate of bipolar disorder. The results of these studies provide evidence that there is a link between bipolar disorder and creative genius. The question now is not whether or not there exists a connection between the two, but why it exists.

One feature in mania or hypomania is the increase in unusually creative thinking and productivity. Manic people often speak and think in rhyme or alliteration more than non-manic people. The lifestyles of manic-depressives during a manic episode are comparable to those of creative people. Both groups function on very little sleep, restless attitudes, and they both exhibit depth and emotion. The manic perception of life is one without limits. This allows for creativity because the person feels capable of anything. It is as if the walls, which inhibit the general population, do not exist in manic people, allowing them to become creative geniuses. They understand a part of art, music, and literature, which normal people do not attempt.

The manic state is in sharp contrast to the depressive phase of bipolar patients. In their depressed phase, patients only see gloom and boundaries. They feel helpless and hopeless. Out of this despair comes the creativity. Often, the only way bipolar patients can survive their episodes of depression is to unleash their despondency through some creative work. The creative work becomes a lifeline. It is often the only way the person with bipolar disorder can cope with the depression.

The times of adjustment between the manic episodes and depressive episodes can be quite chaotic. Examining some works of literature or music can reveal which phase of bipolar disorder the creator was in at the time of composition. Because the manic and depressive episodes are so chaotic, the ideas flow during these episodes, but the final products are usually formed during the creators’ normal times between episodes.

Family members of those who have bipolar disorder often exhibit exceptional creative talents as well. People with bipolar disorder tend to be more emotionally reactive, which gives them greater sensitivity and acuteness. They also have a lack of inhibition due to compromised frontal lobe processes. This combination of a lack of inhibition and being emotionally reactive lends to unrestrained and unconventional forms of expressions. They are more open to experimentation and risk-taking behavior, and, as a consequence, more assertive and resourceful than average. The constant switch between manic and depressive states gives the manic depressive a unique perspective of the world. All of these factors can account for increased creativity once the illness erupts.

One study that examined the link between bipolar disorder and creative genius concluded that bipolar disorder patients showed high creativity despite the fact that they were being treated for their condition. Many patients are afraid to take medication for their disorder out of fear that it will impair their creativity. Some studies have shown that people with bipolar disorders and very creative people tend to share some of the same personality traits. Thus, the creativity is not wholly dependent on the illness itself.

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