Creativity and Depression

The title to this article would appear as opposites, an oxy-moron in nature, yet creativity and depression work simultaneously in many people. Why do we see a great amount of artists and creative people experience full on sets and bouts of depression is a question that has psychiatrists and the medical profession up in arms.

I have given great thought to this matter for some time now and not that I am a medical doctor nor a psychiatrist, I am aware of life and energy around me and feel as tho I,  and anyone else who feels the flux of energy are authorities from within their own experiences.

Many famous artists and writers have experienced terrible bouts of severe depression. Sadly enough, some who have taken great strides to cure themselves in a less positive manner resulting in fatal outcomes. Before medications were introduced to the population to help curve or stabilize the onsets of depression, history of artists and writers were left up to their own devises usually ending up on a grand scale of failure. 

Our world today has learned that we, humans, life in general has changed rapidly and for the creative person, who is typically ultra sensitive to life around them find themselves confused with these changes and feeling a state of loss or sometimes hopelessness. Trying to create art in whatever degree we create in becomes almost unmanageable. The creative gene in us does not disappear when these changes take place, they are still there.. it's the rest of our being that tries to catch up to the ongoing energy changes taking place around us at great speeds.

Personal circumstances in someones life can also add to the equation as we are trying to grasp and hold on to a blade of grass just to keep ourselves afloat. This compounds the onsets and adds to the balance and chemical changes in our bodies.

Creative people have found many ways to either overcome, work through, or place their creativity on hold until their whole being becomes somewhat workable again. The time frame for this is never same for anyone. One person may be able to accomplish this task in a short time, and others may take much longer.

I have learned that life is made up of energy, so are us humans.. this being the case, with all the atmospheric changes that are taking place, hotter days in parts of the country, storm cells, earthquakes in places that have not recorded them is such magnitudes before, change our energy structure and sensitivities to everything around us.

Energy is like a grid system, if you were to see energy you would see a constant flux and flow of a grid in constant movement. With some area's of the grid becoming wider and some areas becoming smaller and tight lines. Energy also creates amazing patterns that harmoniously work with our physical energy. These patterns can work closely with us, or at times against us.

I don't know if we will ever have an indefinite  answer to resolve these issues, as far as I see it,  we just learn to adapt as we move on in life and find what works for us until it no longer works then we  find something that works for us differently when the new changes take place.   It's an ongoing cycle of energetic changes.

Let's talk about patterns for a moment. We have a colossal amount of shapes that create patterns in energy. I have taught myself to look beyond and outside of the box to assist myself with patterns and art. If I were to gaze out to a grouping of tree's let's say, I would squint my eyes, looking for shapes that feel comfortable to me. I may see some triangles, I may see some rectangles, even some circles. I try to focus on those patterns for a moment and look at the different colors in those patterns that I see. If I am at a loss in my artistic nature, I will allow the energy of life to assist me. I use it as my self help guide to get me going again.

After gazing for a moment or two I find the patterns that I seem to focus on at that particular moment and I see the shades of color that are inside those patterns, I will use those in my art work and allow that creativity to flow. It's like life handed me a guide and I am just translating my perception from the tree's. A person can so this with anything. A group of flowers, rocks, buildings, cars, people, etc etc. 

Is this the end all be all answer to creative block due to depression, no it's not, it's just a helping hand upward and onward to get us past those moments when nothing makes sense and you are at a great loss in your world. Life, is the greatest artist and instructor, why not use it to our benefit and allow ourselves a moment of relief when we can't seem to find it in ourselves in those moments of depression. 

I hope my journey brings some light to you and perhaps offers you some insight to your own journey. May the love of creation and the artistic nature be your muse in the days of need!

Warm love and regards

Ann

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