Why Do Creative People Get Depressed? (Curse of the Creator)

This post is focused on the manifestation of negative feelings from chasing perfection through art and or ignoring it.

By Sean Clarke

From what I’ve read, there’s no conclusive connection between creative types and depression and anxiety, the evidence is more anecdotal. In this article, I’ll post my theory on why I think creative people become depressed or feel anxious and it’s not going to be science-based, it will be from my own experience. First of all, when I call myself an artist, what I mean is creative. And when I talk about this whole subject, I am talking about writers, painters, singers and performers all of types.

Furthermore, when I talk about artists and mental health, I’m talking about general anxiety and low mood that follows many creative types, not chronic anxiety and depression which is much different. This post is focused on the manifestation of negative feelings from chasing perfection through art and or ignoring it.

There’s a common perception that creative people suffer from mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Everyone from Van Gogh to Edvard Munch to singers like Demi Lovato and Mac Miller. Each one of the artists would have different reasons as to why…