as an artist that struggle with depression, i think my mental illness does not make me creative, however i believe art and creative pursuits is a great meditation to soothe my soul
Yeah, being creative can definitely provide a form of mindfulness. I can relate to that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wish you all the strength for your struggles!
For ever so called artist that is Crazy I can name 5 or 10 that lived great happy and fulling lives , Why do the crazy artists get all the attention? I paint and have been a art teacher all my life , I happy living a blissful life and have been more creative in the last 7 years than ever ,
@@rickeysmith1718 some artists cant express enought and make us sad. There are many factors in this capitalism world. Appreciation, being seen and sharing effectivly to the world is the idea of the artist, but noone easily get there. Its where we stuck at the darkness. Anyway.. i am happy you seems to be a great happy artist.
I suffer in constant anxiety since I was 15, and I'm glad that I never drink alcohol my entire life. I am a novelist and a creative, having a loving family did help me overcome the suffering. Took me more than 10 years to get out of it. Though I wasn't fully healed, I am so much better now than I used to be.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Great to hear that you are much better now than years ago. Anxiety can truly be such a cruel and destructive force. And as you are a novelist, I hope that you now gain more joy from writing :).
Good on you for never touching alcohol. It is one of the worst things anyone can do for anxiety. I began self-medicating my anxiety with alcohol and it almost ruined my life. I'm sober now and can confidently say that alcohol addiction is hell on Earth.
@@jazzfeline5970 The reason why i didn't touch alcohol is I actually grew up in a family with alcoholic and abusive father so in my mind, I associate alcohol to being abusive and that's why I hate it, even the scent of it makes me really angry for some reason. Also, like all bad things that happened in the family has alcohol involved.
@@Telltalesign Wow, that is great and impressive. Would love to know what genre your novels are if you like to share :). And obviously all the strength for your current and upcoming projects!
To be honest, as a writer, and songwriter, I write from my own experiences, but I realized that happiness was my curse, the more I'm at peace, the more I face writer's block, it's like I look forward to negative experiences, sadness and agony, so that I can write better, and reflect what everyone goes through in the hardships of their life...
I am a creative, music is my most skilled creative area, and when I'm happy apparently I do not create, I realized that I as well have it as a curse, I try to sabotage or self destruct just to be sad again,
I don’t write but I feel my love for my violin deeper when I’m in emotional distress, the beauty pours out of it so much easier. Have you taken the enneagram test? I do believe we must all be type 4s 😂
As a creative person, I find creating to be therapeutic. Being able to spend long periods in a flow state is as important to me as exercise and eating healthy.
I dont know why theses guys dwell on the so called CRAZY artist , I have been an artist and a art teacher all my life , I have been more creative the last 7 years than I ever was , Life is blissful.
@rickeysmith1718 I think it's the romanticized idea of the tortured artist. You'll get more clicks with the negative as opposed to 'artist says things are ok'
You got that right I taught art History for years the text books only hit the rebellious artists and again for every Van Gogh there are 5 or more artist doing wounderful things , I discover little gems of art work in every museum I visit , For give the misspellings I dont have auto correct.@@erikbuchanan4648
As an individual who's wasted much of my life testing the waters of different creative fields, without ever finding the courage to delve whole heartedly into any one & produce a commendable original piece, I find this to be one of the most touching videos I've ever watched on YT. Though meant to be inspirational in some way, I really love the pessimistic, bleak aura it evokes.
I suffer from mental illnesses my whole life, but at 17 I drop out school and stayed one year home, basically. Tried a lot of different forms of art and found myself in poetry. Now i am what I am because i'm a poet, and my poetry is my life. Not that I am paid to write it nor people consider me a great poet, but that doesnt matter at all. I'm a poet and my poetry is my life, its what makes me alive and live. Thats all it matters. Keep trying, my friend. You will find your voice! Wish you the best
Ps: age doesnt matter here, I'm just pointing to say it was a hard time. At 17, we are still creating our social skills, so being away from social circles was really hard and I suffer from it still. Just want to note that, although i also love the pessimistic side of it, its all up to us. I love nietzsche's views about art and suffering.
There are far more genius artist out there without mental health issues than with... having major depression is not a prerequisite to creativity. In fact, I've seen far more artist with mental health issues that never made it, and never will... What this video is discussing is how some artist raw emotion that are on display in their artworks captivates us. But they are not the only artist whose works we consider beautiful at all. It's much more like it's own genre.
Still, I think the video is suggesting that creativity and greater-than-normal anxiety go together. They don't often reach the status of "mental illness," but they do correlate in many artistic individuals as do creativity and greater sensitivity. Whether cause or effect, the high-low creative cycles in some seem to shadow the high-low emotional cycles of bipolarity--again, not to the degree of mental illness but in kind. But surely, as you imply, plenty of people suffering anxiety aren't creative, and plenty of creatives don't suffer (much) anxiety. Nonetheless, I agree totally that artists should not romanticize suffering or substance abuse, etc., and shouldn't rationalize their own.
They looked forward to that schizophrenia with joy, but without haste, not pining for it, but seeming to have a foretaste of it in their hearts, of which they talked to one another. But when they looked at me with their sweet eyes full of love, when I felt that in their presence my heart, too, became as innocent and just as theirs, the feeling of the fullness of life took my breath away, and I worshipped them in silence. Their children were the children of all, for they all made up one family.
Always find the courage in the midst of the dark. Disappointments, discouragement and more dark forces will drag you down. Once you are there for so long, you must find the courage to follow the light.
Thats right and what is even more sad about him is that he was actually highly regarded among many of his peers and got recognition for his work. It just shows what kind of beast mental misery is. Thank you, I am glad you liked it :)
In Plato's book "The Republic", Socrates has a conversation with his friend Cephales, who is very old. Asked by Socrates if his old age isn't too hard to live and handle, Cephales answered that no, it's not that hard. Quite the contrary, you feel less pulsion and bad feelings as years pass. He adds that many of his friends of his age see old age as a curse, because they are "loosing" senses and strengh, but for Cephales, who doesn't feel that way at all, it's more a problem of character, qualities and flaws, to focus on negative things, than simply being old. As a creative person, myself, I have some troubles of shyness and anxiety about being judged by others, and the fact that I crave for connexion to others doesn't help, because I end up fearing rejection. In ancient times and in mythology, the creative people are always portrayed as loner, isolated from society, locked in their tower (for the magicien), their cabin in the woods (for the hunter), their work-house (for the technician). It's because they need alone time to improve their art, and sometimes, especially when you are young, you see them as "bad people" because they don't want to play with you. This is why "gifted" children are always rejected by their friends at school... unless they come and share their talent with others, and include them in their creative process. In my own experience, everytime I opened to others and asked them if they wanted to participate in it, I made a lot of friends in no time. It took me years to understand that, but a sport coach once told me that in a clearer manner : < If you want them to come to you, you have to admit your own vulnerability, and the fact that you need them, that you are not better than them, and that you can make a team. > In fact, society understands isolation, when it's "creative/busy solitude" : the loners are not alone, they are improving, and they give something to the world. It's loneliness, and living only for yourself that society disapproves, and people see you as selfish and arrogant, which starts the conflict, ending up with you, alone and sour, "versus the world". In my case, art and writing helped me to improve my social skills. Because I had to look for knowledge, and to understand how people think and feel, how they work as humans, it gave me precious informations about psychology and empathy. Because I chose to write about epic and tragic things, I had to build a bridge with ancient texts and wisdom, that gave me an explanation to the world, the sens of being linked to something older and greater that I'm an inheriter of some sort, and that I have to foster and take care of, to improve and pass to others, at my little level. In many case, art can be used as therapy, to make you more accoustumed with more deep and joyfull themes and ideas. It's a question of "neurologic programmation" : by using the same words and talking about the same ideas, you shape your brain, and thus, your mood and mind. If your ideas are mostly about action, courage, kindness, virtue and friendship, you are more likely to emulate them in your daily, real, life. But if your art consist mainly in showing how sad and alone you are, your art becomes your prison and cell. I met many people whom hobbies and work are centered around drawing and painting. Some of them are very happy and full of passion, others are very shy and avoidant, even closed or agressive, because of anxiety. Most of the time, this is due to the shape of their minds, that they build through time. So, in my opinion, as Cephales said, it isn't art or creativity themselves, it's how we behave, and the nature of our character.
@@nabayanchakma2419 I see what you mean. I've met with many people who are very self-centered, very elitist, or that just has a fear to interact, or a condition/handicap of some sort (many of my friends are in this case). But my point is to demonstrate that society doesn't necessarily blame "isolated" people (those who need to have alone time), because isolated people still have links with society. Many genius or artists are like that, they have troubles with being social, yet, society values their work, and "recognizes" their difference. Solitary people, on the other hand, are different, because they tend to cut off links with society. Society, thus, doesn't blame wanting to be alone, it blames the refusal to interact and participate. It's deeper than just "deviating" from the norm, which is a real thing, don't get me wrong. It more about giving or refusing to give.
I love how u opened and closed with the cephales saying. You write beautifully. And I enjoyed reading your ”conclusion”. Also what do you write about? And what do you write?
It don't seem like society understands loner people and that they need their time alone. Every person that i knew and that existed in history who was like that, even though they gave big contribution to the world and were, in fact, brilliant people in their way, people often only saw their madness. And about their creativity in their time alone, people often times made them feel like they was just a worthless ill mentally person, and that all their ideas was just a reflection of that mental illnesses, and the discredit of people onto them that leaded them most of cases to their mental decline. So in the end, it doesn't matter if you live by yourself alone, or if you make things, contributions to the world, people will put their ego in the front and judge it poorly.
I remember having a nervous breakdown because I thought of what would happen to me if I couldnt do art anymore. I already have bad anxiety as it is but I really do love art and, as Steven Zepata says, art is an evil queen demanding your work.
I'm on a English degree and I'm surrounded by, if I can be frank, shitty writers who justify and encourage binge drinking believing it's necessary to drink to call yourself writer. It's not just frustrating but really distressing since I've lost people to addiction, which little known fact, ultimately destroys creativity and eventually your soul. Because were not invincible, were not above death, even if we feel like were in hell. Maybe creativity has bought me anxiety but it has also bought me peace, and the way I see it, it always passes even when you're so fucking sure that it won't. To anyone who needs to hear this: please hold on and know that you'll sail again ♡
It can be a lot of work. I get tired by work. When I feel tired I loose creativity and gain frustration. I tire easily. Im an emotionally exhausted creative. It turns up while “working” and its a balancing act of anger and frustration and accomplishment. It’s exhausting.
I haven't finished the video yet but I just want to say how much I relate to this concept. I am truly miserable; I am surrounded by that same darkness or madness. I have tried to blame it on my youth, or blame it on every small detail of my life, but so far I am unable to save myself from it.
" Creativity is the highest peak of your consciousness; hence it is painful, it is arduous. You are going uphill. To be uncreative is very comfortable; it is a downward journey. You need not do anything, nothing is needed on your part; just the gravitational pull is enough. When you are coming down from the hill towards the plains you can just turn your car engine off, no gas is needed; the car will go on rolling down. But if you are going uphill then effort is needed, great effort is needed. Creativity needs the greatest effort because many things have to be dropped when you are moving upwards; unnecessary weights have to be dropped. And you are carrying so much luggage; it is all unnecessary, it is useless. But people go on collecting, people are great collectors. They will collect any kind of rubbish, hoping that maybe some day it will prove of some use. They are greedy and they feel empty so they go on stuffing themselves with every kind of thing. You are so full of ego and ego is a great weight. You cannot move upwards. You will have to put the ego aside - and that is the greatest pain. To be a creator means you drop the very idea that “I am separate from existence.” Creation happens only when you are one with the existence. Creation happens only when you are so in tune with the creator that there is no disturbance from your side. And the greatest disturbance comes from the ego. It nourishes itself on disturbance, it lives on disturbance. Ego means the idea that “I am separate.” And if you think you are separate, you are living in a lie - and creativity flows out of the experience of truth. You have to know the truth, that you are not separate. No man is an island, we are all part of one vast continent. The whole existence is one, it is one organic unity; hence all that is great has come out only in those moments when the creator was dissolved into the whole. Great paintings, great poems, great music, great dance, all happen only when you are dissolved, when you are no more. If you are, suddenly you become the block, you stop the flow. Then God cannot use you as a flute, he cannot sing through you. The flute has to be just a hollow bamboo, just an open space, just a vehicle. The great poets, the great musicians, the great dancers, are all vehicles. They don’t dance, they are being danced. They don’t sing, some unknown energy sings through them. That’s why creativity is painful, because nobody wants to melt and merge and dissolve. We cling to our identities. In fact, we want to be creative so that we can hang a few more awards around our egos - so the ego can become more famous, so that you can say, “I am somebody special. I am a great poet or a great composer or a great author” - or something. And that’s the greatest problem to be faced by any creator: that he has to drop his ego.And in the beginning it is for the ego that you want to be creative. It is a very paradoxical process: you have to drop the very ego that was the impetus in the beginning, that wanted to be famous, that wanted to leave its name resounding down the corridors of time, that wanted to make history. That very same ego becomes the cause of stopping the flow of unknown energies in you. Otherwise God is always pouring; you have just to be open, available. You are not to be separate. It hurts in the beginning; it hurts more if you are resisting. If you are not resisting much it hurts less; if you are not resisting at all it doesn’t hurt at all. Then dropping the ego can be one of the most joyous acts."
A few years ago I finally realized that I was not the one who was crazy. The people around me were. Illogical, unreasonable, unwise, uncreative and unappreciative of the beauty of life, knowledge and creative endeavors. While I can’t get away from them, it has helped me put their sour opinions and presence in perspective. I will create in spite of them. One way or another.
As a child I was a genius (still am, just not artistically). I surpassed everyone and I created inventions that were absolutely eccentric yet perfectly functional. I was severely abused, forced to perform because my success became an evidence rather than something to get praised for. Perfection was always expected of me, I was brought down the second I was less than, and my creativity suddenly faded away one day. I distinctly remember just staring down at a paper and feeling bored for the first time in my life and I was horribly shocked. I couldn’t think. I’ve yet to regain it, I’ve lost most memories to PTSD and have been on antidepressants ever since. So no, misery doesn’t bring you creativity. It can make you understand things better, to me it was nihilism and misanthropy, but it never allowed me to write beautiful, profoundly (positive) emotional stories. A broken mind is too tired for anything but survival.
😮😮....🌬️ in my most creative years as an artist, I was always driven by a strong focus and a sense of joy and curiosity for discovery.🐆 That you need to be anxious or unbalanced never crossed my practice, it never has, although it might have manifested in other aspects of my life linked to survival and growth...🐸 As far as artistic behavior and practice..it was mainly a sense of urgency and personal involvement, wether in music, painting, drawing, sculpture even film and animation, as my diverse interests emerged....🌹
I totally agree with what you said , Why do theses guys always dwell on the CRAZY artits , get more views I guess. I have been more creative in the last 7 years than in my entire life , It is blissful . I sell at shows and have won prizes . But I dont worry about status or money , even though I am below the povetry level ( retired art teacher) just doing the art is blissful . Spell check is not working.
It is wild how so many creatives really struggle mentally. Throughout my life I've always felt the need to create - I spent a lot of my childhood making little paper-drawn comics and cartoons, doodling on all my school folders. I said I wanted to be a "cartoonist" when I grew up in my 4th grade yearbook. And throughout my teens and early adulthood I would make music with friends, make little home videos, make animations, etc. I've always had this constant NEED to create, and I've always had these intense bouts of anxiety and depression that had come along with it. Even as a kid I remember being perpetually nervous. I've noticed that mental anguish in a creative person seems different than the regular anxiety and sadness I've seen in my non-creative friends and peers. Speaking personally, it's like the suffering comes from an inexplicable place of dread and despair that I have never been able to put my finger on. It's tough to discuss because I think a lot of the general public has this notion that something tangible is causing all anxiety, whether it be work, school, relationships, finances, etc. However, even though these things do affect me (like they do all of us) I've found that I'm able to navigate those anxieties a lot better than the intense random bouts of dread I occasionally get. I could be in a good relationship, around good friends, living comfortable with work and money, content with my art, and yet still this feeling lives inside that something in my world just isn't right. I don't seem to notice that specific feeling nearly as much in non-creative people. Also, to end these long tangents haha - I do personally feel like there is a connection between the art and the anguish; however, my most creative bouts always come directly after a mental health episode. Usually when I'm going through it, the urge to be creative diminishes and I feel lost, but when I bounce back (however long it takes) I feel like I have this creative excitement flowing through me and I spend so much time making old things, new things, exploring ideas etc. A blessing and a curse.
I also think that creativity can also be a coping mechanism by creative people. I think charles bukowski exemplifies this since he was regularly beaten by his dad and he found refuge in literature and alcoholism
Ideally it allows the creative person to cope with the insanity and chaos of modern life without resort to substance abuse. Or pathological sexual depravity or political ideological zealotry.
My dad beat me physically/mentally and always told me ill never be enough for anything. I am a creator I sing play piano write music lyrics poems short stories reflections thoughts ideas etc and I found that this was my refuge/escape. However there came a time in my life where i was beat down i was at war in my mind I stopped creating because I started to believe my father, I was not enough. Then i eventually turned to drugs. So def a coping mechanism like you said
It is this kind of feedback that really encourages me to continue producing videos. Really glad you liked it Eleazar and thank you for taking the time to comment :)
Brief Respite The sun came out briefly And for a short time my world was bright My face got warm My heart felt good Now the clouds are back again And the day looks dreary My face is cold My heart struggles tell
Thank you for seeing our heart and soul and for explaining it, cause even I, an aspiring artist whose biggest dream is to share the beauty she sees with the world did not understand why I feel so much of everything around me. Not just my own suffering depression and anxiety but everyone’s suffering depression and anxiety…..❤❤❤
awesome content... I humbly believe that it's not creativity leading to darkness of mental illness but lack of psychological preparedness in the face of constant scrutiny and loneliness I will go to my grave telling others... "fill your mind with Wonder and there will be no room for fear"I also add those who take on the greatest adventures in general are fearless and it's fear that is the only destructive force. it is fear which leads those to scrutinize others different from themselves which lack the light and creativity
Nicely said! And I definitely agree with you that psychological preparedness (i.e., resilience) is so crucial to hold inner demons at bay. Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective and thoughts. Glad you liked the content :)
You are absolutely correct. I lived this. I have an amazing mind but it comes with a very painful cost. 20 years of battling alcohol. I'm sober now but mentally struggling with everything.
I have Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar type, Borderline Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, complex PTSD, Autism, ..am a poet, jewelry designer, dancer, and do other arts. My conditions have greatly influenced or shaped my art. I have poems from Manic ("Philharmonia" and others) and depressive episodes ("Pearl in the Darkness") as well as written in the beginning of a long psychotic episode ("Hermit Crab").
I loved your video and it motivated me to put aside procrastination and create again. Thank you. You gave me perspective to not be stopped by mental instability and even use it as a catalytic propellant.
For me personally. The only thing I do in life is the creative pursuit. Every amount of my own problems in life hamper my creativity and expression. To be blunt. How can I do art when iam suffering. My problems take the stage of my life, and they do not leave a space for my creativity. How can I engage my senses and be creative. When I lost my sense in life A concrete example. Having money struggle means that when I sit down to do art. My mind is at least partly still at the problem of no money. I can try to ignore it. But the resources of my mind are divided. Having suffered in life also does not make one more creative. But suffering can help to make a paradigm shift towards the recognition of the value of art. Happiness is the key to the all-encompassing nature of our creative drive. Not the good and bad paradigm of the struggle of survival and suffering . It is a fractured approach to the holistic nature of creativity. Creative thinking and survival are mutually exclusive. I hope these hottakes aren't to random and without context For the benefit of all, Domo
You actually are very creative and people that suffer mentally are very creative. You’re just not using your creativity and where that’s making you happy that’s why you’re suffering.
Everything and nothing. Perhaps you are working on a masterpiece and you are too close to it to see it. Or maybe you indeed just suck. In that case it is still better to have tried and failed than not tried at all.
@Taylor Thomas suffering and creativity don't always correlate. We all suffer and suffer to various degrees. Just because one suffers doesn't mean they have creative talent. Creativity itself is a rare trait. On the big 5 personality test it is related to trait openness. For someone to make a creative masterpiece, that means their mind is beyond the 1% of the population in this ability. It is more related to very high intelligence and divergent thinking over suffering. Also part of the reasons why van gogh and the screaming painting are so famous. Is because the people who created them were intelligent, gifted and lived in such a different perspective then the norm. That their work is lifted to high status because it is so different. Those paintings do carry skill but it largely it is about a different perspective. There are many craftsmen artists who created intensely skilled work who didn't suffer from psychosis. Also van gogh drank absinthe almost daily. Which is likely part of the reason he went mad and painted like he did.
I am so glad i came across this video. so well put! I was at a point of my about 4 months ago, where I couldn't even read a sentence or listen or watch anything because of how loud my inner monologue was. It was like I lost all that I have learned like basic language and lost the zeal to learn more. I couldn't hush it anymore. Thought there was no way out of it. It was crushing to see myself helplessly grieving the loss of my own confident kind self. I was tired of fighting the monsters in my head. But, here I am, watching these amazing videos and taking notes. I didn't know I'd even live to this day but i did. if only, I could convince my depressed self that things would change! Nevertheless, I now live for these fleeting moments of joy of being human, that someday it will again be dark, but I'd again suffer through it to see the light. over and over again.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. Great to hear that it was helpful for you. And yeah, I understand that it can be highly difficult to wander through the darkness, but we just have to appreciate the short moments of light that come once in a while.
I had no idea. I want to say that these words you spoke were a revelation to me, only they aren't. I have always known that I brought forth all my best work when I was at my most broken and in my darkest place. What I had no idea of was why? Why did I love so much the agony? Why was it that I produced nothing that touched me if something in the cold, flat, darkness had not reached out to caress, to make drop the length of my rigid spine, in an impossible way, a thin and broken thumb which to my straining heart, seemed the tolling of a death knell that I by god could not help but to lean into, and to fall over and down, over and over again... To finish something I truly love breaks my heart...because it takes so much of me into itself and most of the time I can never again see, maybe cannot bear to see, in whatever miserable, beautiful, thing I have created, the person whose abject desolation and terror I so lusted after and ...enjoyed. Now... ? I really don't know. I don't. They've called me crazy all my life. I guess that I am. I'm so grateful....that the monsters know, and to Dusty, who slays the bastard 🐉 dragons.
Then I wish you all the strength to overcome those demons in the process of writing your novel :). And thank you for your nice feedback, glad you liked the video.
Thats such a great compliment. Thank you :). Though, I do still have challenges understanding the many layers of Nietzsche's writing, always learning something new from this brilliant thinker. Very glad you liked the video.
Just googled it and it sounds really interesting. Apparently, Dali even influenced the psychoanalyst Lacan with his views. Thank you Victor for bringing that up :)
Upon the spiritual path, there is no turning back. I hold the lantern in my hand as I proceed into the darkness. Follow me as I light the way into the Realms Beyond.
Thank you I really needed this. I don't know if the algorithm really knows how I feel. It really did help me realize what I'm going through right now, now I can go back to my painting🙌
Very glad you found it valuable and yeah it's really crazy how the algorithm sometimes seems to present us with exactly what we need at that moment. Wish you strength and all the best with your painting :)
Thank you so much. I was actually quite nervous about starting this youtube channel and making videos, but seeing comments like yours really encourage me to keep going and improve further :).
If someone asked me whether i would choose greatness or happiness, i couldn't help but pick greatness. i fear that i may learn the hard way, to be careful what I wish for.
Such an amazing content to watch and to understand there is light at the end of a tunnel, never to stop believing in universe and yourself ..and never to abuse the creative wisdom! Always maintain the balance folks!! 😇
one time i took acid and locked myself in a dark room, and when i peaked, i shook hands with a shadow covered in black flames, and it told me to enjoy fear. I never felt so scared in my life when i was by myself in the darkness but my mind turned that pure fear into joy and power, and i never experienced something so beautiful in my life. I didn't know what it all meant, but any fear i face can never reach to what i witness that day. And i miss it
I am going to rise above this suffering and drug dependence and become insufferable. I don't like to drink or do drugs. I love creating meaningful art that is also beautiful. I refuse to be defined by stereotypes.
anxiety really fcked up my brain, having it feels like you're always expecting the worst for your future, even at school when the teacher is discussing something, just the thought of getting called out to present on the board is enough to make my hand tremble, my head shake and my breathing really unstable, i got no control over my body when having it and often find myself daydreaming to cope, i would sometimes make arts with any material i see during class to seek comfort that it had ruined the books i used for my study, i often draw things on my hands or make little doodles on the table
it's the byproduct of the abuse i had as a child, i got physically beaten at a young age on a daily basis, making me unable to sleep at night from being scared of what might happen tomorrow, i was always sleep deprived and very malnourished as a child and would always get scolded by my teacher on kindergarten because i always slept during class, they would punish me by making me stand infront of other classes and make me sing alone, i remember each and every detail of it i would always be in tears while i sang and faces of the kids laughing at me
It is suffering which has lead me to my creativity, would I have been creative if I had not been through suffering? I don't know, but I do know that without suffering I would have not become introspective, without introspection I would not have known myself and I would not have felt the inner anguish I do now, as a result of suffering.
David lynch on the other hand would say that vincent van gogh did not really suffer WHILE he was painting. He says that negativity eradicates creativity and causes the artist to not do anything let alone do something creative. But he says that one should meditate toh let creative ideas flow more freely in your head Although i think life experiences including suffering are needed to create incredible art. David lynch also recalled that he was suffering before he discovered meditation with depression and anger so indeed he has also suffered.
Simply have pure love, no expectations, no worry of result, with u empowered with love, all the hurdles coming on your way are simply to make you more stronger at will, never will hurdles trouble u You. Give love a chance in your life.
Ahh!! I loved, loved your video! Such a complex topic with so many layers and points of approach. But I love you linked it to neuroscience. As a person who study neuroscience and genetics can validate all you said. Actually we can know now that genetic factors predispose to mental illness. We have to take into consideration the childhood psychological factors also that many times are the roots of the adult’s problems. I agree in something else you said: there is always hope, no matter how deep into the darkness you might think you are. Medicine advances so rapidly and there are more and more medications that can help to modulate de chemicals in the brain. Of course. Chemical treatment is not for everybody but we won’t know until we try. I always say to people to learn to meditate to quiet their minds, it is a substitute for drugs ( or alcohol) that can level brain chemicals also. Since the mechanistic point of view I think all the tortured artists (mathematicians, physicists, artist of all types, etc) have an enhanced creativity because the chemicals of the brain are firing up and stimulating other parts of the brain that enhances sensation and how they perceive the world. Colors are different, smells are different, everything is different, even ideas are different… Thank you for your great content💙
Thank you so much for your feedback and thoughts :). Taking the genetic factors into account is also highly interesting and just shows how huge of a task it is to understand our minds and its potential for different pathologies. I also really like your thoughts on how one can quiet their mind with the help of meditation which could be a great healthy substitute for drugs as you said. And yeah your idea with the chemicals firing up and stimulating other parts of the brain to enhance sensation and hence the perception of the world is I think also really fascinating. Its similar to what some people report under the influence of psychodelics which is also a very interesting area and I think also gradually an increasing area of research within neuroscience.
I agree with you, apart from the medicine being an healthy substitute ...most anti-depressants and also bi-polar treatments are not healthy at all!!! My bi-polar daughter tried many medicines and they all made her depressed and made her gain a lot of weight, to a point that she almost killed herself....thank God she stopped! She now only takes lithium and is trying to lower the dose and sometimes olanzipine {sleeping drug} when she sleeps to little...for the rest she needs to manage her manias by trying to manage the "bad" circumstances.The use of alcohol is a far less bad medicine than what the pharma industry offers.... I wish she had listened to her brother, who told her not even try those medicine because you are worse of afterwards.....
@@Jannette-mw7fg ik im just a random guy from Canada but I really would love for you and your family to have the strength to overcome all the shit you’re going through, take care today jannette!
Oh my God. I just realized that Jesus who created this world also was the ultimate artist in the sense that he suffered terribly and gave his life for his creation, for his ultimate piece of art. Yet another layer to what it truly means to carry your cross and follow him.
I find this is a rather simplistic dated version of the creative. I'm a creative and have been nearly my entire life. Embracing uncertainty is not only the best and most productive way for any creative, it should be that for every human being as well. There are very very few certainties in life, only death comes to mind, embracing how life is never what we plan for can be a liberating state of mind. The philosopher Alan Watts once wrote, "life is being on the crest of an ever breaking wave" I've always found that interpretation of uncertainty the most beautiful.
Yeah, you're right. There is still so much left to discuss on this topic like Bipolar as you mentioned. And thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, glad you liked the video :)
I think that mental suffering like living in an urban environment, experiencing conflict and war don't necessarily demand creative achievement but situations like those allow one to chose creativeivity as a form of healing and therapy
Sailing into uncertainty brings greatness, progression and meaning to life. Of course you should not take on impossible tasks for the sake of it, that will finish you off but you should strive to overcome your obstacles and hardships. If you do nothing like Schopenhauer recommends, you don’t overcome your hardships and this too leads to depression, a feeling of worthlessness and gives no meaning or value to your life. Nietzsche’s philosophy is about overcoming .
As a clinically depressed individual with severe anxiety and has used substances since I was young to deal with it and became an artist to help cope, this is interesting.
Today there is so much more awareness of the destructiveness of alcohol than there was in Van Gogh's time, but it is still a demon for some people. No excuses there is no escape from pain it is necessary for creativity, so no pain no gain.
Great video!! Hard to believe this is your first.. Keep it up!! Just one opinion of mine.. It is great to see all those visuals with your voice over.. I felt a little pulled back from the subject when I suddenly see a person talking. Good luck to you and hope to see many more.
I also agree but it would not prevent me from watching another one of your videos. The content was very well presented. If you ditch the headphone and microphone it wouldn't be distracting. You have good features that don't need to be hidden
@@B.Duncan Thank you so much, I really appreciate your thoughts. Yeah I definitely want to ditch the big headphones anytime in the future, but currently they still provide me a nice way to monitor my voice when I speak. As soon as I get more comfortable, I am hoping to record without them or to get smaller headphones. And through the short shots of me, I actually wanted to add a "human element" to the video, though I understand that it can distract from the actual subject at times. Hope to find a good balance. Grateful that you subscribed and I look forward to your feedback on future videos :).
"Find what you love, and let it kill you"
-Charles Bukowski
@Sirius263 You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.
Many a good man has been put under the bridge by a woman. -bukowski
If what you love kills you the it cannot be love.
as an artist that struggle with depression, i think my mental illness does not make me creative, however i believe art and creative pursuits is a great meditation to soothe my soul
Yeah, being creative can definitely provide a form of mindfulness. I can relate to that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wish you all the strength for your struggles!
For ever so called artist that is Crazy I can name 5 or 10 that lived great happy and fulling lives , Why do the crazy artists get all the attention? I paint and have been a art teacher all my life , I happy living a blissful life and have been more creative in the last 7 years than ever ,
@@rickeysmith1718 sounds like a boring life, maybe you need some schizophrenia to pump things up. Just kidding hehhe 😅
@@rickeysmith1718 some artists cant express enought and make us sad. There are many factors in this capitalism world. Appreciation, being seen and sharing effectivly to the world is the idea of the artist, but noone easily get there. Its where we stuck at the darkness. Anyway.. i am happy you seems to be a great happy artist.
I suffer in constant anxiety since I was 15, and I'm glad that I never drink alcohol my entire life. I am a novelist and a creative, having a loving family did help me overcome the suffering. Took me more than 10 years to get out of it. Though I wasn't fully healed, I am so much better now than I used to be.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Great to hear that you are much better now than years ago. Anxiety can truly be such a cruel and destructive force. And as you are a novelist, I hope that you now gain more joy from writing :).
Good on you for never touching alcohol. It is one of the worst things anyone can do for anxiety. I began self-medicating my anxiety with alcohol and it almost ruined my life. I'm sober now and can confidently say that alcohol addiction is hell on Earth.
@@jazzfeline5970 The reason why i didn't touch alcohol is I actually grew up in a family with alcoholic and abusive father so in my mind, I associate alcohol to being abusive and that's why I hate it, even the scent of it makes me really angry for some reason. Also, like all bad things that happened in the family has alcohol involved.
@@lyfeglass I did. I already got two published books and working on more. 😄😄
@@Telltalesign Wow, that is great and impressive. Would love to know what genre your novels are if you like to share :). And obviously all the strength for your current and upcoming projects!
To be honest, as a writer, and songwriter, I write from my own experiences, but I realized that happiness was my curse, the more I'm at peace, the more I face writer's block, it's like I look forward to negative experiences, sadness and agony, so that I can write better, and reflect what everyone goes through in the hardships of their life...
Same lol
I am a creative, music is my most skilled creative area, and when I'm happy apparently I do not create, I realized that I as well have it as a curse, I try to sabotage or self destruct just to be sad again,
I don’t write but I feel my love for my violin deeper when I’m in emotional distress, the beauty pours out of it so much easier.
Have you taken the enneagram test? I do believe we must all be type 4s 😂
You gave it words, same with me when I'm happy I can't write😢
Yes
As a creative person, I find creating to be therapeutic. Being able to spend long periods in a flow state is as important to me as exercise and eating healthy.
I dont know why theses guys dwell on the so called CRAZY artist , I have been an artist and a art teacher all my life , I have been more creative the last 7 years than I ever was , Life is blissful.
@rickeysmith1718 I think it's the romanticized idea of the tortured artist. You'll get more clicks with the negative as opposed to 'artist says things are ok'
You got that right I taught art History for years the text books only hit the rebellious artists and again for every Van Gogh there are 5 or more artist doing wounderful things , I discover little gems of art work in every museum I visit , For give the misspellings I dont have auto correct.@@erikbuchanan4648
As an individual who's wasted much of my life testing the waters of different creative fields, without ever finding the courage to delve whole heartedly into any one & produce a commendable original piece, I find this to be one of the most touching videos I've ever watched on YT.
Though meant to be inspirational in some way, I really love the pessimistic, bleak aura it evokes.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. So glad you found the video valuable and I hope that you find the courage for creating that original piece.
I suffer from mental illnesses my whole life, but at 17 I drop out school and stayed one year home, basically. Tried a lot of different forms of art and found myself in poetry. Now i am what I am because i'm a poet, and my poetry is my life. Not that I am paid to write it nor people consider me a great poet, but that doesnt matter at all. I'm a poet and my poetry is my life, its what makes me alive and live. Thats all it matters. Keep trying, my friend. You will find your voice! Wish you the best
Ps: age doesnt matter here, I'm just pointing to say it was a hard time. At 17, we are still creating our social skills, so being away from social circles was really hard and I suffer from it still. Just want to note that, although i also love the pessimistic side of it, its all up to us. I love nietzsche's views about art and suffering.
@@Pedrintavs Thanks. 🙂
@@PedrintavsI,d really like to read your poetry, is it on the internet or somwhere online?
There are far more genius artist out there without mental health issues than with... having major depression is not a prerequisite to creativity. In fact, I've seen far more artist with mental health issues that never made it, and never will... What this video is discussing is how some artist raw emotion that are on display in their artworks captivates us. But they are not the only artist whose works we consider beautiful at all. It's much more like it's own genre.
Great, balanced, and reflected insight. Thank you!
Still, I think the video is suggesting that creativity and greater-than-normal anxiety go together. They don't often reach the status of "mental illness," but they do correlate in many artistic individuals as do creativity and greater sensitivity. Whether cause or effect, the high-low creative cycles in some seem to shadow the high-low emotional cycles of bipolarity--again, not to the degree of mental illness but in kind. But surely, as you imply, plenty of people suffering anxiety aren't creative, and plenty of creatives don't suffer (much) anxiety. Nonetheless, I agree totally that artists should not romanticize suffering or substance abuse, etc., and shouldn't rationalize their own.
This is such an incredible breakdown of these psychological states. I'm better at understanding my own faults with this as well.
They looked forward to that schizophrenia with joy, but without haste, not pining for it, but seeming to have a foretaste of it in their hearts, of which they talked to one another. But when they looked at me with their sweet eyes full of love, when I felt that in their presence my heart, too, became as innocent and just as theirs, the feeling of the fullness of life took my breath away, and I worshipped them in silence. Their children were the children of all, for they all made up one family.
Beautifully written!
Always find the courage in the midst of the dark. Disappointments, discouragement and more dark forces will drag you down. Once you are there for so long, you must find the courage to follow the light.
That is beautifully said, Jeff. Thank you :)
Sending love and inspiration to all fellow creatives 🩵
Great video, Ludwig Boltzman deserved a place among these geniuses. His work in thermodynamics is one of the greatest scientific achievements ever
Thats right and what is even more sad about him is that he was actually highly regarded among many of his peers and got recognition for his work. It just shows what kind of beast mental misery is. Thank you, I am glad you liked it :)
Cioran is the shit!
In Plato's book "The Republic", Socrates has a conversation with his friend Cephales, who is very old. Asked by Socrates if his old age isn't too hard to live and handle, Cephales answered that no, it's not that hard. Quite the contrary, you feel less pulsion and bad feelings as years pass. He adds that many of his friends of his age see old age as a curse, because they are "loosing" senses and strengh, but for Cephales, who doesn't feel that way at all, it's more a problem of character, qualities and flaws, to focus on negative things, than simply being old.
As a creative person, myself, I have some troubles of shyness and anxiety about being judged by others, and the fact that I crave for connexion to others doesn't help, because I end up fearing rejection. In ancient times and in mythology, the creative people are always portrayed as loner, isolated from society, locked in their tower (for the magicien), their cabin in the woods (for the hunter), their work-house (for the technician). It's because they need alone time to improve their art, and sometimes, especially when you are young, you see them as "bad people" because they don't want to play with you. This is why "gifted" children are always rejected by their friends at school... unless they come and share their talent with others, and include them in their creative process. In my own experience, everytime I opened to others and asked them if they wanted to participate in it, I made a lot of friends in no time. It took me years to understand that, but a sport coach once told me that in a clearer manner : < If you want them to come to you, you have to admit your own vulnerability, and the fact that you need them, that you are not better than them, and that you can make a team. > In fact, society understands isolation, when it's "creative/busy solitude" : the loners are not alone, they are improving, and they give something to the world. It's loneliness, and living only for yourself that society disapproves, and people see you as selfish and arrogant, which starts the conflict, ending up with you, alone and sour, "versus the world".
In my case, art and writing helped me to improve my social skills. Because I had to look for knowledge, and to understand how people think and feel, how they work as humans, it gave me precious informations about psychology and empathy. Because I chose to write about epic and tragic things, I had to build a bridge with ancient texts and wisdom, that gave me an explanation to the world, the sens of being linked to something older and greater that I'm an inheriter of some sort, and that I have to foster and take care of, to improve and pass to others, at my little level. In many case, art can be used as therapy, to make you more accoustumed with more deep and joyfull themes and ideas. It's a question of "neurologic programmation" : by using the same words and talking about the same ideas, you shape your brain, and thus, your mood and mind. If your ideas are mostly about action, courage, kindness, virtue and friendship, you are more likely to emulate them in your daily, real, life. But if your art consist mainly in showing how sad and alone you are, your art becomes your prison and cell.
I met many people whom hobbies and work are centered around drawing and painting. Some of them are very happy and full of passion, others are very shy and avoidant, even closed or agressive, because of anxiety. Most of the time, this is due to the shape of their minds, that they build through time. So, in my opinion, as Cephales said, it isn't art or creativity themselves, it's how we behave, and the nature of our character.
Loners are socially punished for deviating from the norm. Some are fearful of you, some look down on you and find you repulsive.
@@nabayanchakma2419 I see what you mean. I've met with many people who are very self-centered, very elitist, or that just has a fear to interact, or a condition/handicap of some sort (many of my friends are in this case). But my point is to demonstrate that society doesn't necessarily blame "isolated" people (those who need to have alone time), because isolated people still have links with society. Many genius or artists are like that, they have troubles with being social, yet, society values their work, and "recognizes" their difference. Solitary people, on the other hand, are different, because they tend to cut off links with society. Society, thus, doesn't blame wanting to be alone, it blames the refusal to interact and participate. It's deeper than just "deviating" from the norm, which is a real thing, don't get me wrong. It more about giving or refusing to give.
I love how u opened and closed with the cephales saying. You write beautifully. And I enjoyed reading your ”conclusion”. Also what do you write about? And what do you write?
It don't seem like society understands loner people and that they need their time alone. Every person that i knew and that existed in history who was like that, even though they gave big contribution to the world and were, in fact, brilliant people in their way, people often only saw their madness. And about their creativity in their time alone, people often times made them feel like they was just a worthless ill mentally person, and that all their ideas was just a reflection of that mental illnesses, and the discredit of people onto them that leaded them most of cases to their mental decline. So in the end, it doesn't matter if you live by yourself alone, or if you make things, contributions to the world, people will put their ego in the front and judge it poorly.
I remember having a nervous breakdown because I thought of what would happen to me if I couldnt do art anymore. I already have bad anxiety as it is but I really do love art and, as Steven Zepata says, art is an evil queen demanding your work.
That's a great quote, thank you for sharing your thoughts :)
I'm on a English degree and I'm surrounded by, if I can be frank, shitty writers who justify and encourage binge drinking believing it's necessary to drink to call yourself writer. It's not just frustrating but really distressing since I've lost people to addiction, which little known fact, ultimately destroys creativity and eventually your soul. Because were not invincible, were not above death, even if we feel like were in hell.
Maybe creativity has bought me anxiety but it has also bought me peace, and the way I see it, it always passes even when you're so fucking sure that it won't.
To anyone who needs to hear this: please hold on and know that you'll sail again ♡
It has never been boring, but certainly needs a reminder how much light and beauty there is. Open your eyes
It can be a lot of work. I get tired by work. When I feel tired I loose creativity and gain frustration. I tire easily. Im an emotionally exhausted creative. It turns up while “working” and its a balancing act of anger and frustration and accomplishment. It’s exhausting.
Yeah, it can really be exhausting. Wish you the strength to continue Cynthia!
@@lyfeglass oh! thank you I don’t have a lot I need to do. There 4 portraits will be great. Ones I’m not a student in but more fluent
I used to be creative.i can't do anything anymore.but I'm changing it at this exact moment.thanks for this video it helped me see
you got this!
You will rise again Joey!
I feel the exact same way
I haven't finished the video yet but I just want to say how much I relate to this concept. I am truly miserable; I am surrounded by that same darkness or madness. I have tried to blame it on my youth, or blame it on every small detail of my life, but so far I am unable to save myself from it.
I feel the same .I can't even put my finger on it .can't even see where it starts or what's actually bothering me.cant find a way to solve night mare
I hope you'll see some light soon, wish you all the strength necessary to endure the darkness!
" Creativity is the highest peak of your consciousness; hence it is painful, it is arduous.
You are going uphill. To be uncreative is very comfortable; it is a downward journey. You need not do anything, nothing is needed on your part; just the gravitational pull is enough. When you are coming down from the hill towards the plains you can just turn your car engine off, no gas is needed; the car will go on rolling down. But if you are going uphill then effort is needed, great effort is needed.
Creativity needs the greatest effort because many things have to be dropped when you are moving upwards; unnecessary weights have to be dropped.
And you are carrying so much luggage; it is all unnecessary, it is useless. But people go on collecting, people are great collectors. They will collect any kind of rubbish, hoping that maybe some day it will prove of some use. They are greedy and they feel empty so they go on stuffing themselves with every kind of thing.
You are so full of ego and ego is a great weight. You cannot move upwards. You will have to put the ego aside - and that is the greatest pain.
To be a creator means you drop the very idea that “I am separate from existence.” Creation happens only when you are one with the existence. Creation happens only when you are so in tune with the creator that there is no disturbance from your side. And the greatest disturbance comes from the ego. It nourishes itself on disturbance, it lives on disturbance. Ego means the idea that “I am separate.” And if you think you are separate, you are living in a lie - and creativity flows out of the experience of truth.
You have to know the truth, that you are not separate. No man is an island, we are all part of one vast continent.
The whole existence is one, it is one organic unity; hence all that is great has come out only in those moments when the creator was dissolved into the whole.
Great paintings, great poems, great music, great dance, all happen only when you are dissolved, when you are no more. If you are, suddenly you become the block, you stop the flow. Then God cannot use you as a flute, he cannot sing through you. The flute has to be just a hollow bamboo, just an open space, just a vehicle. The great poets, the great musicians, the great dancers, are all vehicles. They don’t dance, they are being danced. They don’t sing, some unknown energy sings through them.
That’s why creativity is painful, because nobody wants to melt and merge and dissolve. We cling to our identities. In fact, we want to be creative so that we can hang a few more awards around our egos - so the ego can become more famous, so that you can say, “I am somebody special. I am a great poet or a great composer or a great author” - or something. And that’s the greatest problem to be faced by any creator: that he has to drop his ego.And in the beginning it is for the ego that you want to be creative. It is a very paradoxical process: you have to drop the very ego that was the impetus in the beginning, that wanted to be famous, that wanted to leave its name resounding down the corridors of time, that wanted to make history. That very same ego becomes the cause of stopping the flow of unknown energies in you. Otherwise God is always pouring; you have just to be open, available. You are not to be separate.
It hurts in the beginning; it hurts more if you are resisting. If you are not resisting much it hurts less; if you are not resisting at all it doesn’t hurt at all. Then dropping the ego can be one of the most joyous acts."
A few years ago I finally realized that I was not the one who was crazy. The people around me were. Illogical, unreasonable, unwise, uncreative and unappreciative of the beauty of life, knowledge and creative endeavors. While I can’t get away from them, it has helped me put their sour opinions and presence in perspective. I will create in spite of them. One way or another.
Exactly this.
As a child I was a genius (still am, just not artistically). I surpassed everyone and I created inventions that were absolutely eccentric yet perfectly functional. I was severely abused, forced to perform because my success became an evidence rather than something to get praised for. Perfection was always expected of me, I was brought down the second I was less than, and my creativity suddenly faded away one day. I distinctly remember just staring down at a paper and feeling bored for the first time in my life and I was horribly shocked. I couldn’t think. I’ve yet to regain it, I’ve lost most memories to PTSD and have been on antidepressants ever since. So no, misery doesn’t bring you creativity. It can make you understand things better, to me it was nihilism and misanthropy, but it never allowed me to write beautiful, profoundly (positive) emotional stories. A broken mind is too tired for anything but survival.
Thank you for sharing and wish you all the strength in the future!
😮😮....🌬️ in my most creative years as an artist, I was always driven by a strong focus and a sense of joy and curiosity for discovery.🐆
That you need to be anxious or unbalanced never crossed my practice, it never has, although it might have manifested in other aspects of my life linked to survival and growth...🐸
As far as artistic behavior and practice..it was mainly a sense of urgency and personal involvement, wether in music, painting, drawing, sculpture even film and animation, as my diverse interests emerged....🌹
I totally agree with what you said , Why do theses guys always dwell on the CRAZY artits , get more views I guess. I have been more creative in the last 7 years than in my entire life , It is blissful . I sell at shows and have won prizes . But I dont worry about status or money , even though I am below the povetry level ( retired art teacher) just doing the art is blissful . Spell check is not working.
@@rickeysmith1718☀️ yep, absolutely, it's a channel of joy, not dark times, always been that way for me...
This massages my ego and validates my superiority complex.
It is wild how so many creatives really struggle mentally. Throughout my life I've always felt the need to create - I spent a lot of my childhood making little paper-drawn comics and cartoons, doodling on all my school folders. I said I wanted to be a "cartoonist" when I grew up in my 4th grade yearbook. And throughout my teens and early adulthood I would make music with friends, make little home videos, make animations, etc. I've always had this constant NEED to create, and I've always had these intense bouts of anxiety and depression that had come along with it. Even as a kid I remember being perpetually nervous.
I've noticed that mental anguish in a creative person seems different than the regular anxiety and sadness I've seen in my non-creative friends and peers. Speaking personally, it's like the suffering comes from an inexplicable place of dread and despair that I have never been able to put my finger on. It's tough to discuss because I think a lot of the general public has this notion that something tangible is causing all anxiety, whether it be work, school, relationships, finances, etc. However, even though these things do affect me (like they do all of us) I've found that I'm able to navigate those anxieties a lot better than the intense random bouts of dread I occasionally get. I could be in a good relationship, around good friends, living comfortable with work and money, content with my art, and yet still this feeling lives inside that something in my world just isn't right. I don't seem to notice that specific feeling nearly as much in non-creative people.
Also, to end these long tangents haha - I do personally feel like there is a connection between the art and the anguish; however, my most creative bouts always come directly after a mental health episode. Usually when I'm going through it, the urge to be creative diminishes and I feel lost, but when I bounce back (however long it takes) I feel like I have this creative excitement flowing through me and I spend so much time making old things, new things, exploring ideas etc. A blessing and a curse.
I also think that creativity can also be a coping mechanism by creative people. I think charles bukowski exemplifies this since he was regularly beaten by his dad and he found refuge in literature and alcoholism
Thank you, thats a great point and I think that could easily be true for many individuals. And Bukowski is a really fascinating person on his own.
Ideally it allows the creative person to cope with the insanity and chaos of modern life without resort to substance abuse. Or pathological sexual depravity or political ideological zealotry.
My dad beat me physically/mentally and always told me ill never be enough for anything. I am a creator
I sing play piano write music lyrics poems short stories reflections thoughts ideas etc and I found that this was my refuge/escape. However there came a time in my life where i was beat down i was at war in my mind I stopped creating because I started to believe my father, I was not enough. Then i eventually turned to drugs. So def a coping mechanism like you said
Coping with what though? Creativity requires coping with creative thought. Contradiction.
It's true. All greatness is always the fruit of agony. Whereas be happy and you'll never amount to shit.
This resonated so much with me. Seriously, thank you for making this.
It is this kind of feedback that really encourages me to continue producing videos. Really glad you liked it Eleazar and thank you for taking the time to comment :)
As a writer who suffers anxiety, depression, bipolar, PTSD, and autism, I appreciate this video. It gave me a brief moment of light.
Glad it helped you Michael :)
Tell me that you’re a leftist without mentioning politics
Brief Respite
The sun came out briefly
And for a short time
my world was bright
My face got warm
My heart felt good
Now the clouds are back again
And the day looks dreary
My face is cold
My heart struggles tell
Thank you for seeing our heart and soul and for explaining it, cause even I, an aspiring artist whose biggest dream is to share the beauty she sees with the world did not understand why I feel so much of everything around me. Not just my own suffering depression and anxiety but everyone’s suffering depression and anxiety…..❤❤❤
I wish you all the strength Desiree to endure the darkness and share that beauty you see with the world :)
You get a like from me. Good job on touching the overall surface.
Thank you Emmanuel. Very glad you liked it :).
awesome content... I humbly believe that it's not creativity leading to darkness of mental illness but lack of psychological preparedness in the face of constant scrutiny and loneliness I will go to my grave telling others... "fill your mind with Wonder and there will be no room for fear"I also add those who take on the greatest adventures in general are fearless and it's fear that is the only destructive force. it is fear which leads those to scrutinize others different from themselves which lack the light and creativity
Nicely said! And I definitely agree with you that psychological preparedness (i.e., resilience) is so crucial to hold inner demons at bay. Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective and thoughts. Glad you liked the content :)
Anxiety has crept back into my life .I darkness like never before .I watched this video to help me feel some kind of comfort
Hey, keep it up brother
What a Great Video man, specially the last lines. Standing Ovation Bro
Wow, thanks Sebas for those encouraging words. I actually put a lot of effort into the last part and I am really glad that you liked it :).
You are absolutely correct. I lived this. I have an amazing mind but it comes with a very painful cost. 20 years of battling alcohol. I'm sober now but mentally struggling with everything.
Wish you strength!
This terrified and confirmed all my paranoia and suspicions about my brain.
I have Schizoaffective Disorder Bipolar type, Borderline Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, complex PTSD,
Autism, ..am a poet, jewelry designer, dancer, and do other arts. My conditions have greatly influenced or shaped my art. I have poems from Manic ("Philharmonia" and others) and depressive episodes ("Pearl in the Darkness") as well as written in the beginning of a long psychotic episode ("Hermit Crab").
Would you like to share where we can take a look at your art? :)
I loved your video and it motivated me to put aside procrastination and create again. Thank you.
You gave me perspective to not be stopped by mental instability and even use it as a catalytic propellant.
So, glad you liked it and that it helped you overcome your procrastination :). Stay strong!
I always felt like when I was dealing with the most mental suffering those were the times I was at my most creative with music.
For me personally. The only thing I do in life is the creative pursuit. Every amount of my own problems in life hamper my creativity and expression.
To be blunt.
How can I do art when iam suffering. My problems take the stage of my life, and they do not leave a space for my creativity.
How can I engage my senses and be creative. When I lost my sense in life
A concrete example.
Having money struggle means that when I sit down to do art. My mind is at least partly still at the problem of no money. I can try to ignore it. But the resources of my mind are divided.
Having suffered in life also does not make one more creative.
But suffering can help to make a paradigm shift towards the recognition of the value of art.
Happiness is the key to the all-encompassing nature of our creative drive.
Not the good and bad paradigm of the struggle of survival and suffering . It is a fractured approach to the holistic nature of creativity.
Creative thinking and survival are mutually exclusive.
I hope these hottakes aren't to random and without context
For the benefit of all,
Domo
Nicely said Domo, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts :)
An excellent analysis. Many thanks for posting. Nietzsche has always been a difficult philosopher for me to understand. This has unmuddied the water.
Thank you, Phillip; very glad you liked it, and yes, Nietzsche is quite a challenging read. but full of so much wisdom.
There are no words for how brilliant this video is. Thank you so much
Thank you for your encouraging feedback :) Very glad you liked it.
Well done, brilliant synopsis!
Thanks for these encouraging words, glad you liked it :)
Your video helps person who had been in this mental situation , thank you its an eye opener fr. All of us.GOD BLESS, ALHAMDULILLA
Appreciate your nice words and glad it was valuably for you :)
I am suffering mentally and I am not creative. what am I doing wrong?
I wrote this as a joke a year ago and you'll are still commenting on it Jesus
I felt like that
You actually are very creative and people that suffer mentally are very creative. You’re just not using your creativity and where that’s making you happy that’s why you’re suffering.
Everything and nothing. Perhaps you are working on a masterpiece and you are too close to it to see it. Or maybe you indeed just suck. In that case it is still better to have tried and failed than not tried at all.
@Taylor Thomas suffering and creativity don't always correlate. We all suffer and suffer to various degrees. Just because one suffers doesn't mean they have creative talent. Creativity itself is a rare trait. On the big 5 personality test it is related to trait openness. For someone to make a creative masterpiece, that means their mind is beyond the 1% of the population in this ability. It is more related to very high intelligence and divergent thinking over suffering.
Also part of the reasons why van gogh and the screaming painting are so famous. Is because the people who created them were intelligent, gifted and lived in such a different perspective then the norm. That their work is lifted to high status because it is so different. Those paintings do carry skill but it largely it is about a different perspective. There are many craftsmen artists who created intensely skilled work who didn't suffer from psychosis. Also van gogh drank absinthe almost daily. Which is likely part of the reason he went mad and painted like he did.
Angst. Let it drive you.
I am so glad i came across this video. so well put!
I was at a point of my about 4 months ago, where I couldn't even read a sentence or listen or watch anything because of how loud my inner monologue was. It was like I lost all that I have learned like basic language and lost the zeal to learn more. I couldn't hush it anymore. Thought there was no way out of it. It was crushing to see myself helplessly grieving the loss of my own confident kind self. I was tired of fighting the monsters in my head. But, here I am, watching these amazing videos and taking notes. I didn't know I'd even live to this day but i did. if only, I could convince my depressed self that things would change! Nevertheless, I now live for these fleeting moments of joy of being human, that someday it will again be dark, but I'd again suffer through it to see the light. over and over again.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts. Great to hear that it was helpful for you. And yeah, I understand that it can be highly difficult to wander through the darkness, but we just have to appreciate the short moments of light that come once in a while.
Read it twice. It is indeed so relatable for me.I sometimes suffer the same.
I had no idea. I want to say that these words you spoke were a revelation to me, only they aren't. I have always known that I brought forth all my best work when I was at my most broken and in my darkest place. What I had no idea of was why? Why did I love so much the agony? Why was it that I produced nothing that touched me if something in the cold, flat, darkness had not reached out to caress, to make drop the length of my rigid spine, in an impossible way, a thin and broken thumb which to my straining heart, seemed the tolling of a death knell that I by god could not help but to lean into, and to fall over and down, over and over again... To finish something I truly love breaks my heart...because it takes so much of me into itself and most of the time I can never again see, maybe cannot bear to see, in whatever miserable, beautiful, thing I have created, the person whose abject desolation and terror I so lusted after and ...enjoyed. Now... ? I really don't know. I don't. They've called me crazy all my life. I guess that I am. I'm so grateful....that the monsters know, and to Dusty, who slays the bastard 🐉 dragons.
Thank you Sandy for sharing that. I wish you all the strength to continue slaying those dragons :)
Fantastic video. I’m in the process of writing my novel and I’m facing all my demons in this enterprise.
Then I wish you all the strength to overcome those demons in the process of writing your novel :). And thank you for your nice feedback, glad you liked the video.
Great work. Very few can present Neitzsche in such simple language.
Thats such a great compliment. Thank you :). Though, I do still have challenges understanding the many layers of Nietzsche's writing, always learning something new from this brilliant thinker. Very glad you liked the video.
Dali used a method called Paranoiac Critical. It was defined by Dalí himself as "irrational knowledge" based on a "delirium of interpretation".
Just googled it and it sounds really interesting. Apparently, Dali even influenced the psychoanalyst Lacan with his views. Thank you Victor for bringing that up :)
Upon the spiritual path, there is no turning back. I hold the lantern in my hand as I proceed into the darkness. Follow me as I light the way into the Realms Beyond.
Beautifully said!
Thank you I really needed this. I don't know if the algorithm really knows how I feel. It really did help me realize what I'm going through right now, now I can go back to my painting🙌
Very glad you found it valuable and yeah it's really crazy how the algorithm sometimes seems to present us with exactly what we need at that moment. Wish you strength and all the best with your painting :)
Very good video. Thought I was listening to a channel with 500k subs, the quality is just as good 👍
Thank you so much. I was actually quite nervous about starting this youtube channel and making videos, but seeing comments like yours really encourage me to keep going and improve further :).
Ive caught myself thinking about that alcohol thing...but they you put it makes it all the more terrifying...think it's time to change some things
Light this boring place up. Love it.
Yeah, lets do this :)
If someone asked me whether i would choose greatness or happiness, i couldn't help but pick greatness. i fear that i may learn the hard way, to be careful what I wish for.
It's all right, we have no other option. This is our curse, this is how we fight. We have come a long way, now there's no turning.
Such an amazing content to watch and to understand there is light at the end of a tunnel, never to stop believing in universe and yourself ..and never to abuse the creative wisdom! Always maintain the balance folks!! 😇
Nicely said! Thank you :)
one time i took acid and locked myself in a dark room, and when i peaked, i shook hands with a shadow covered in black flames, and it told me to enjoy fear. I never felt so scared in my life when i was by myself in the darkness but my mind turned that pure fear into joy and power, and i never experienced something so beautiful in my life. I didn't know what it all meant, but any fear i face can never reach to what i witness that day. And i miss it
I am going to rise above this suffering and drug dependence and become insufferable. I don't like to drink or do drugs. I love creating meaningful art that is also beautiful. I refuse to be defined by stereotypes.
anxiety really fcked up my brain, having it feels like you're always expecting the worst for your future, even at school when the teacher is discussing something, just the thought of getting called out to present on the board is enough to make my hand tremble, my head shake and my breathing really unstable, i got no control over my body when having it and often find myself daydreaming to cope, i would sometimes make arts with any material i see during class to seek comfort that it had ruined the books i used for my study, i often draw things on my hands or make little doodles on the table
it's the byproduct of the abuse i had as a child, i got physically beaten at a young age on a daily basis, making me unable to sleep at night from being scared of what might happen tomorrow, i was always sleep deprived and very malnourished as a child and would always get scolded by my teacher on kindergarten because i always slept during class, they would punish me by making me stand infront of other classes and make me sing alone, i remember each and every detail of it i would always be in tears while i sang and faces of the kids laughing at me
i make alot of arts although i never post it on the internet nor show it to anybody, i am scared of criticism i have zero idea how to take it
It is suffering which has lead me to my creativity, would I have been creative if I had not been through suffering? I don't know, but I do know that without suffering I would have not become introspective, without introspection I would not have known myself and I would not have felt the inner anguish I do now, as a result of suffering.
That is beautifully said :)
@@lyfeglass Thank you
David lynch on the other hand would say that vincent van gogh did not really suffer WHILE he was painting. He says that negativity eradicates creativity and causes the artist to not do anything let alone do something creative. But he says that one should meditate toh let creative ideas flow more freely in your head
Although i think life experiences including suffering are needed to create incredible art. David lynch also recalled that he was suffering before he discovered meditation with depression and anger so indeed he has also suffered.
That is a very interesting and refreshing take. Thank you, didn't think of it that way.
Yeah, art does not "demand" suffering. That is a romanticizing of creatives.
Simply have pure love, no expectations, no worry of result, with u empowered with love, all the hurdles coming on your way are simply to make you more stronger at will, never will hurdles trouble u
You. Give love a chance in your life.
This was really insightful and beautiful. Thank you!
Very glad you liked it and found it valuable :)
this is such a beautiful video. it spoke right into my soul. thank you so much
Glad you liked it Frederick :)
Ahh!! I loved, loved your video! Such a complex topic with so many layers and points of approach. But I love you linked it to neuroscience. As a person who study neuroscience and genetics can validate all you said. Actually we can know now that genetic factors predispose to mental illness. We have to take into consideration the childhood psychological factors also that many times are the roots of the adult’s problems. I agree in something else you said: there is always hope, no matter how deep into the darkness you might think you are. Medicine advances so rapidly and there are more and more medications that can help to modulate de chemicals in the brain. Of course. Chemical treatment is not for everybody but we won’t know until we try. I always say to people to learn to meditate to quiet their minds, it is a substitute for drugs ( or alcohol) that can level brain chemicals also. Since the mechanistic point of view I think all the tortured artists (mathematicians, physicists, artist of all types, etc) have an enhanced creativity because the chemicals of the brain are firing up and stimulating other parts of the brain that enhances sensation and how they perceive the world. Colors are different, smells are different, everything is different, even ideas are different…
Thank you for your great content💙
Thank you so much for your feedback and thoughts :). Taking the genetic factors into account is also highly interesting and just shows how huge of a task it is to understand our minds and its potential for different pathologies. I also really like your thoughts on how one can quiet their mind with the help of meditation which could be a great healthy substitute for drugs as you said. And yeah your idea with the chemicals firing up and stimulating other parts of the brain to enhance sensation and hence the perception of the world is I think also really fascinating. Its similar to what some people report under the influence of psychodelics which is also a very interesting area and I think also gradually an increasing area of research within neuroscience.
I agree with you, apart from the medicine being an healthy substitute ...most anti-depressants and also bi-polar treatments are not healthy at all!!! My bi-polar daughter tried many medicines and they all made her depressed and made her gain a lot of weight, to a point that she almost killed herself....thank God she stopped! She now only takes lithium and is trying to lower the dose and sometimes olanzipine {sleeping drug} when she sleeps to little...for the rest she needs to manage her manias by trying to manage the "bad" circumstances.The use of alcohol is a far less bad medicine than what the pharma industry offers.... I wish she had listened to her brother, who told her not even try those medicine because you are worse of afterwards.....
@@Jannette-mw7fg ik im just a random guy from Canada but I really would love for you and your family to have the strength to overcome all the shit you’re going through, take care today jannette!
Oh my God. I just realized that Jesus who created this world also was the ultimate artist in the sense that he suffered terribly and gave his life for his creation, for his ultimate piece of art. Yet another layer to what it truly means to carry your cross and follow him.
I find this is a rather simplistic dated version of the creative. I'm a creative and have been nearly my entire life. Embracing uncertainty is not only the best and most productive way for any creative, it should be that for every human being as well. There are very very few certainties in life, only death comes to mind, embracing how life is never what we plan for can be a liberating state of mind. The philosopher Alan Watts once wrote, "life is being on the crest of an ever breaking wave" I've always found that interpretation of uncertainty the most beautiful.
That's a great quote, thank you :)
Instead of Alcohol i take ashwagandha. its like ive felt peace for the first time in ages
@ eh tenah
I take it w/biswweilla & curcumin. Gives more pain help then w/o.
Stairy Night! I would like to see that painting.
You left out Bipolar it's associated with creativity But still this an amazingly complex video loved it
Yeah, you're right. There is still so much left to discuss on this topic like Bipolar as you mentioned. And thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, glad you liked the video :)
@@lyfeglass Of course brother I have bipolar one myself I've actually subscribed. I really like your videosman you have a great format
@@minimayhem1996 Looking forward to seeing you around in future videos :)
Brilliant video please make more like this ❤
Thank you Felix. Such encouraging comments really drive me to improve and continue producing videos :)
@@lyfeglass 😊😊 it’s excellently researched and your narration is clear, well written, and pleasant to listen to
It is trying to perfectly express what is inside you. That is the suffering.
I think that mental suffering like living in an urban environment, experiencing conflict and war don't necessarily demand creative achievement but situations like those allow one to chose creativeivity as a form of healing and therapy
This video was very helpful to me thank you I’ve showed some of my friends we are inventors and artists
Glad you found it valuable :)
@@lyfeglass what a legend 🙏🏻 thank you brother OSSSSS
Such a well-made video! All the best for your youtube career and thanks for this video!! much love
Thank you so much for your warm and encouraging words. Very glad you liked the video :)
Absolutely fantastic video
Thank you David :)
Great commentary! Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
this is soo interesting thank you for making this
Glad you liked it Steve and hope to see you around in future vids :)
Great first video!!! Subscribed and excited to see what you do next
Thank you, so glad you liked it. I am currently working on the next one and hope to upload it soon :).
What a great video to listen to while drawing
You totally nailed Nietzsche's voice Rico 🙏
Mental illness doesn't make you a better artist, it is just that mental illness is found in people that most often are creative.
Wow! SO informative! Thank you for your works!
Glad you liked it :)
Ha- I was grabbing a wine glass at the very moment you started talking about relieving the anxiety with alcohol! 😢 I put it back, for now 😢
I know that it can be tough. Wish you all the strength :)
Such a useful video! Thank you
Sailing into uncertainty brings greatness, progression and meaning to life. Of course you should not take on impossible tasks for the sake of it, that will finish you off but you should strive to overcome your obstacles and hardships. If you do nothing like Schopenhauer recommends, you don’t overcome your hardships and this too leads to depression, a feeling of worthlessness and gives no meaning or value to your life. Nietzsche’s philosophy is about overcoming .
Great Seeing You !
Come Back Soon So We Can See You Again..
Loved it, keep going!
Feedback like this really encourages me to keep going, thank you :)
As a clinically depressed individual with severe anxiety and has used substances since I was young to deal with it and became an artist to help cope, this is interesting.
All I’ve ever wanted was to feel okay. I’d like to believe they felt the same.
Wish you strength!
@@lyfeglassthanks a bunch buddy
Keep making such videos . Loved it !
Thank you for your kind words. Really gives me encouragement to continue :).
Excellent, loved this
Thank you, glad you liked it :)
Today there is so much more awareness of the destructiveness of alcohol than there was in Van Gogh's time, but it is still a demon for some people. No excuses there is no escape from pain it is necessary for creativity, so no pain no gain.
I needed this one. Thanks a lot : )
Glad you found it valuable Michael :)
To the self-doubting writer... That hit deep.
Beautiful video!
Thank you Francisco :), glad you liked it!
Great video!! Hard to believe this is your first.. Keep it up!! Just one opinion of mine.. It is great to see all those visuals with your voice over.. I felt a little pulled back from the subject when I suddenly see a person talking.
Good luck to you and hope to see many more.
Thank you, glad you liked it. And also thanks for your valuable feedback :)
I also agree but it would not prevent me from watching another one of your videos. The content was very well presented.
If you ditch the headphone and microphone it wouldn't be distracting. You have good features that don't need to be hidden
p.s. I subscribed
@@B.Duncan Thank you so much, I really appreciate your thoughts. Yeah I definitely want to ditch the big headphones anytime in the future, but currently they still provide me a nice way to monitor my voice when I speak. As soon as I get more comfortable, I am hoping to record without them or to get smaller headphones. And through the short shots of me, I actually wanted to add a "human element" to the video, though I understand that it can distract from the actual subject at times. Hope to find a good balance. Grateful that you subscribed and I look forward to your feedback on future videos :).
@@lyfeglass I understand the headphone thing. My ears are shot and ear buds just don't cut it for me, especially when I'm listening to music.
Read Otto Rank on artists and creativity, it was a bit similar to this. Ernest Becker mentions this in his Denial of Death.
Thank you, just ordered "Art and Artist". Looking forward to it!
Thank you so much for this!
Glad you found some value in it :)