Sometimes I feel that when my mood is most stable my ability to be creative is stifled. As a student taking humanities classes, this is somewhat of a concern. I'm not suggesting that I should get off my meds to be more creative, but I was just wondering if anyone else had similar experiences/information.

I think my depression has been slowing killing my creativity, and once I started taking AD, my creativity had died totally. I do photography, and I normally would have a good few ideas in my head, but I have not been about to come up with anything for like a month now... I am in deep deep trouble with my project...

hi

i was quite creative while depressed, i drew alot, wrote in journal after journal and huge amounts of poetry. i find when i felt great for the past few years most of my creativity was demolished. i could scrapbook and make some decent cards, but as far as poetry, journaling and drawing.... good luck!!


jenn

I'm more driven to create when I have something that tears at me. If things are hunky dory, no need or drive to write away the tearing.

That said, I've been fine being creative lately, over one particular issue. Now that the issue is kind of out of sight/out of mind, I don't feel so driven to create. I'm on Zoloft and have been before, during and after the issue.

I think a lot of "the greats" though, have been depressive or bipolar.

I've always heard that many of the great artists had mood disorders, but I now understand why. I found it hard to be motivated to write while I was very deeply depressed, but as my mood lifted just a little, I felt that I had more depth to my writing, often drawing from my personal pain.
Sometimes during a psychotic episode, after hallucinating or having a vivid dream, I could almost write directly what I had seen or heard. I agree that having that mental turmoil helped to inspire me to write more creatively than I have ever before. I'm glad that I am feeling better now, but I don't want to sacrifice that artistic spark.

yep, a certain level alright.

My brother was a very gifted artist. He could literally draw anything or anyone you put in front of him. He had schizophrenia and I do recall him not being able to draw as well when he was on various meds.

generaly the most creative people have mood disorders. I understand where you're coming from. I do photography, when my mood is unstable (especially when manic) i come up with some really great ideas. When i'm calmer, and feel more stable i feel pretty uninspired. Those are my experiences anyway. I think my meds may have stopped some of my creativity.

Maybe you could visit your doctor and express your concern regarding this, and maybe they could sugest something.

I hope this helped a bit.

Take care.

I think it's true. I'm on zoloft now and I don't want to do anything in the evenings except blob on the couch and watch TV. When I wasn't medicated I used to write - fiction. I have no desire to write now. When I try it's like brain constipation. It just won't come. I used to write music, too. And I used to day-dream, constantly, especially when I was driving - and the daydreams would be about whatever writing I was doing. I don't daydream when I'm on zoloft. I kind of miss it. I actually wonder whether zoloft does anything except help me not get hurt by things. it makes me a bit immune.