What is it: Mental health problems have been observed for thousands of years and evolutionary theory suggests that there must be some kind of survival advantage to them. Research indicates that this survival advantage is creativity, and that the traits associated with different mental illnesses (e.g. anxiety, depression) have different effects on creativity. For example, the creative traits needed to develop scientific theories are very different from the traits required for producing surreal paintings.
Why is it cool: There is a continuum between the mentally ill and the healthy, so we all probably identify with certain “psychotic” traits without having debilitating symptoms of a meeting the requirements of diagnosis as having a full ‘psychiatric disorder’.
These traits (e.g. abstract thinking, flexibility, emotionality) fuel creativity and should be embraced!
Where to find it: here!
Submitted by: Katie Murray