Sunday, May 26, 2013

More on the connection between mental illness and creativity...here is the art...



How wonderful is this?  Here is a magazine CELEBRATING the connection between mental illness and creativity.  I would love to have a copy of that. There does need to be some celebration of the very fact of survival for the mentally ill.  And celebrating creativity seems so perfect.  I think that the best treatment options for mentally ill people incorporate some aspect of recognizing strengths.  And make no mistake, creativity is a wonderful strength.  Whether you are a writer or a visual artist, having a place to showcase your unique creative viewpoint is so helpful. That is why I find an exploration of Tumblr so much fun.  Young people who self-identify as mentally ill talk about their experiences and do so in wonderfully creative ways.  They present pain.  They present frustration and fear.  They present what they go through on a daily basis.  And they present what they know about mental illness.  It is fascinating and moving.  It is also extraordinarily creative.  I am not as creative as most of these young people are.  But I can tell you that they inspire me.  

Do you have any awareness of places that people with mental illness present their creative viewpoint through music, visual, written or other creative methods?  If so, contact me and let me know where I can find it.  I would love to present these opportunities for sharing as a regular part of this blog. When dealing with mental illness, people sometimes live in the negativity.  I love to see efforts to celebrate in spite of.  And I would love to have your feedback about places that you have found forums that especially creative individuals can showcase ‘what they do’.

In the meantime, here is a wonderful resource for those of you who see a connection for creativity and mental illness.  Here is the link to the article:  http://bit.ly/13UgWdD. In addition, I recommend you go to Tumblr and search the terms mental illness or mentally ill bloggers to find those posting creatively.  It provides a wonderful picture of the spirit of many of the mentally ill.  It is also very moving.  If you want to learn about what survival means, familiarizing yourself with the art of the mentally ill will teach you.  I promise.

The other thing I would like you to do is share with ME when you find resources that share the art of those surviving and thriving through mental illness.  I will do the same for you.  Finally, if you have a diagnosis, and would like to share your art, let me know.  If you are willing, I would love to share you and your art with my audience.  Inspiration is so important.  Take a risk…     

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