Creativity and mental disorder
“Necessity may be the mother of invention, but
dissatisfaction is its father.”
Anthony Storr, psychotherapist and writer
Psychiatrist Dr John Morgan considers the link between
creativity and mental illness in this 37-page article written for
the Campaign website. Portraits from the National Portrait Gallery
form the basis for discussion about the work of individuals and the
link between their creativity and their mental health.
Poets: John Clare, Lord Byron, Elizabeth Barrett
Browning.
Writers: Dame Iris Murdoch, Marcel Proust, Evelyn Waugh.
Humourists: Spike Milligan, Charles Schulz.
Politician: Anthony Wedgwood (‘Tony’) Benn.
The lives of the creative people discussed in the article
suggest an extraordinary sensitivity and self-awareness among
people with mental disorders. It gives an insight into the
experience of mental illness and shows the importance of creativity
in all our lives.
For further information about the
Campaign, please e-mail:
stigma@rcpsych.ac.uk