Curse Of The Creative

Kurt Cobain, Robin Williams, Alexander McQueen, Vincent Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf and a personal favourite of mine, Heath Ledger. Suicide, suicide, suicide, suicide, suicide and accidental overdose.
Suicide and mental health is common. In 2015, 1.4% of all deaths globally were via suicide and I doubt statistical data would demonstrate anything other than an ongoing rise in these figures.
However, I do note that mental health and suicide appears to be that bit more prevalent within the creative community. Homo Sapiens (that’s us) by nature are programmed to fear outsiders and stick together via social and cultural norms (Yuval Harari). Therefore, if you think outside of the box, have an outlook on life that falls outside of the bell curve or carry unique characteristics – you are, by our ancestral standards, someone to be feared. An outsider.
When considered in a modern context, this is referred to as social isolation. Not necessarily sitting in alone on a Friday evening, but a long term sensation of being misunderstood, ‘weird’ or living with friends who dart each other looks when you say something yet again considered ‘out there.’
Sadly, I remain far less talented than our good friend and music legend Kurt Cobain, yet I do believe I look at life a little differently to many others. I don’t see why we cannot do things that others may consider completely mad. Yet if it were not for this different outlook, I do not believe I would live my life with the ability to constantly make up silly little riddles, poetry or have experienced such a random array of experiences. If we all thought the same, life would remain the same for all of us.
Potentially creative minds struggle with mental health and it is just simply the burden of one being creative. Or potentially, it is the ongoing separation from their integral community that makes them sad and resort to addictions and life ending behaviour. Who knows? (If you do, feel free to comment and send information.)
But either way, we could consider celebrating our differences and nurturing those with more ‘unusual ideas.’ They may be good ones that we had not thought of! Plus where would the entertainment industry be without these creative and colourful souls?
Plus, I know that if I had not had to spend so many years trying to suppress my own character for fear of being named ‘wacky,’ I would have felt a lot more comfortable to be myself and to simply exist. Potentially I would not have had to try and become invisible for such a large part of my life…
#life #wellness #acceptance #health