Creativity and Mental Illnesses Go Hand in Hand, New Study Shows

Most people who know a thing or two about literature agree that the best novels and poetry are more often than not written by rather “eccentric” people.

However, a new study conducted by researchers working with the new Karolinska Institutet in Sweden argues that this “eccentricity” translates into psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety syndrome on quite a regular basis.

On the other hand, it seems that having a relative who is suffering from the aforementioned conditions ups the probability that one will grow to become a rather creative individual.

“If one takes the view that certain phenomena associated with the patient's illness are beneficial, it opens the way for a new approach to treatment,” consultant in psychiatry and doctoral student Simon Kyaga explained.