Creativity And Madness

Intrigued by history's list of "troubled geniuses,"Albert Rothenberg investigates how two such opposite conditions—outstanding creativity and psychosis—could coexist in the same individual. Rothenberg concludes that high-level creativity transcends the usual modes of logical thought—and may even superficially resemble psychosis. But he also discovers that all types of creative thinking generally occur in a rational and conscious frame of mind, not in a mystically altered or transformed state. Far from being the source—or the price—of creativity, Rothenberg discovers, psychosis and other forms of mental illness are actually hindrances to creative work. Disturbed writers and absent-minded professors make great characters in fiction, but Rothenberg has uncovered an even better story—the virtually infinite creative potential of healthy human beings.

Analyst and author Ann Belford Ulanov draws on her years of clinical work and reflection to make the point that madness and creativity share a kinship, an insight that shakes both analysand and analyst to the core, reminding us as it does that the suffering places of the human psyche are inextricably—and, often inexplicably—related to the fountains of creativity, service, and even genius. She poses disturbing questions: How do we depend on order, when chaos is a necessary part of existence? What are we to make of evil—both that surrounding us and that within us? Is there a myth of meaning that can contain all the differences that threaten to shatter us? Ulanov’s insights unfold in conversation with themes in Jung’s Red Book which, according to Jung, present the most important experiences of his life, themes he explicated in his subsequent theories. In words and paintings Jung displays his psychic encounters from1913–1928, describing them as inner images that “burst forth from the unconscious and flooded me like an enigmatic stream and threatened to break me.” Responding to some of Jung’s more fantastic encounters as he illustrated them, Ulanov suggests that our problems and compulsions may show us the path our creativity should take. With Jung she asserts that the multiplicities within and around us are, paradoxically, pieces of a greater whole that can provide healing and unity as, in her words, “every part of us and of our world gets a seat at the table.” Taken from Ulanov’s addresses at the 2012 Fay Lectures in Analytical Psychology, Madness and Creativity stands as a carefully crafted presentation, with many clinical examples of human courage and fulfillment.

Eighteen psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals describe the work, lives, and personalities of sixteen famous artists, writers, and musicians, examining their art from an esthetic viewpoint and also as reflections of the artists' emotional lives.

This book deals with the complex relationship between the highest form of human activity -- creativity -- and mental illness. The heroes of this book are brilliant geniuses in various fields: three writers, four painters and three musicians. The common denominator of these figures is that they lived in Russia in the nineteenth century, a period of cultural and artistic blossoming. Besides the extraordinary creativity they had -- each in his own domain -- these great figures have another common denominator -- their tragic fate. Two committed suicide, two became disabled with severe depression, two were addicted to alcohol, and another died from the complications of brain disease. These psychopathological processes led to the decline in their creativity and to their eventual deaths. However, their struggle with their inner "demons" is also largely what gave meaning to their lives, suffering and work. The authors have demonstrated that in order to understand the nature and the complexity of their works of art, one must recognise the structure of their personalities and comprehend the various psychopathological components that affected their lives. In this book, the authors draw upon examples of many psychopathological possibilities: developmental deprivation and early loss in childhood, psychiatric disorders such as mood and psychotic disorders, the influence of organic factors like brain disease (eg: following an infection such as syphilis) or alcohol abuse, and the overall effect these factors had on the course of the subjects personal lives. It is most ironic that the artistic works of these gifted but tortured, broken souls have uplifted and inspired generations of art lovers, bringing them immense pleasure and meaning.

Exploring the lives and achievements of over 1,000 extraordinary men and women, this book offers answers to the age-old questions about the relationship between mental illness and greatness, and also reveals factors that predict creative achievement. The book is filled with colorful stories about many of the most eminent artists, scientists, social activists, politicians, soldiers, and business people of our time. Moving beyond anecdotal accounts, The Price of Greatness is based on over 10 years of original scientific research on major 20th-century figures. Delving into many of humankind's greatest achievements and the special attributes and backgrounds of those who accomplished them, this illuminating work will interest anyone who wants to know why some people achieve fame - and what price they may pay in the process.

This book re-examines the common view that a high level of individual creativity often correlates with a heightened risk of mental illness.

Discover how creativity depends on inside-the-box thinking-that's right, not outside the box-and a new perspective on creative thinking.

La Marr Jurelle Bruce ponders the presence of "madness" in black literature, music, and performance since the early twentieth century, showing how artist ranging from Kendrick Lamar and Lauryn Hill to Nina Simone and Dave Chappelle activate madness as content, form, aesthetic, strategy, philosophy, and energy in an enduring black radical tradition.