Creativity comes from within. It can be developed through practice and experience but the essence of creativity is something people are born with. Creative imaginations, creative motives and creative products are at the pinnacle of human evolution and it is ideas like these that have pushed the human race to greatness. Creativity is the ability to build new ideas and as of now, it is one of the most sought-after skills an individual can possess. As students in an Architecture School, all of us possess an innate sense of creativity which is expressed in different ways and which flourishes at different rates. All of us are creative individuals and through the use of this creativity, we aim to make a mark in this world.
Since the dawn of time, it has been observed that extremely creative individuals are, in some way or another, unusual, different. Psychological processes closely related to madness are in many ways connected to what fuels creativity. References can be drawn from various famous artists, writers, poets, composers, scientists and philosophers, namely, Van Gogh, Franz Kafka, Ernest Hemmingway, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sylvia Plath amongst others. Likewise, results of various studies and anecdotal reports suggest an increased rate of various mental illnesses in creative people. While it is quite clear that emotional instability can be detrimental to creativity, it can be advantageous as well. It may provide immense motivation, conviction, imagination and the inspiration for discoveries and breakthroughs. These are the kind of ideas that are very important to break away from conventional norms and societal standards. Even though we romanticize the idea of creative pursuits being driven by the illnesses which reside in our minds, a serious look has to be taken at the way we deal with our mental health and how we treat others who seek out a friend in a tough time.
Given the current state of the world around us, it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of one’s state of mind. Social media does not help by setting impossible standards for our daily lives; suddenly there is a need to portray our best side to the world around us. This is the source of unwarranted pressure succumbing to which can become harmful to one’s mental health. The mind gets addicted to the instant gratification social media provides. Every notification, every ping of the smartphone creates a surge of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which has longstanding detrimental effects on how our brain perceives the world around us. In this scenario, the mind rarely has time to wander, roam freely, and ponder on life and its intricacies. Being bombarded with content every minute of every hour is not good for a healthy mind and not good for flourishing one’s creativity as well. Pinterest, for example, is one of the biggest image-sharing platforms in the world but a wide number of people have held it up as one of the biggest killers of creativity.
From social media dictating how we live, to AI being the next big thing; these are interesting times. We assume the worst but try to make the best of the tools around us. When computers have started to showcase creativity at the most basic levels, we need to be aware of the way we think about and even use the creativity at our disposal. Maybe we have to get out the inner “mad scientist” to create something meaningful and worthwhile. Even though there is a connection between mental illness and creativity, that doesn't need to be the only way forward. As there were examples of artists suffering from mental illness being creative, there are many people on the other side of the spectrum as well. Many artists, writers, poets, composers and scientists presumably have led reasonably “sane, emotionally stable” lives – William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, Walt Whitman, Aldous Huxley, Carl Jung, Niels Bohr, Duke Ellington and the like. One can be creative without having to suffer for it.
Thus, creativity and its connection to mental illness is nuanced. The fact of the matter is that all of us are different in our ways and for each of us there is a certain way we harness our creative potential. Some of us like to ponder and brood over life to begin the creative journey while some of us can do without it. But when it comes down to the human condition, keeping one’s mental health in check is of utmost importance. Being conscious of one’s situation and being sensible enough to be able to deal with others’ is quite testing, which might be dealt with through conscientious efforts.
The creative pursuit is not easy in any sense. The path is strewn with uncertainty, indecision, hesitation and marred with incessant questioning from everyone with half a brain. It’s very easy to get lost in an attempt to satisfy everyone and trying to solve every problem we can lay our hands on. Social media does work on validation, we seek it out, we live off of it. In a similar line of thought, we tend to seek out validation for our creative outcomes. The institutionalized way to judge creativity is not a perfect one with a lot of room for a lot of error. One might not be able to objectively judge a subjective outcome of a design process and there lies the conundrum. Van Gogh only ever sold one painting in his entire life, but that did not stop him from creating his own art. The creative field has many examples like this. A lesson one can take from this is to be creative in one’s own way; to have confidence in oneself and to be able to take criticism with a pinch of salt. Although criticism is the way to grow and learn as a creative individual, one might try to seek out constructive criticism, be it from a friend or a colleague or even from a person in power. While working on a project, one can attempt to deliberate with someone whose opinion they care about and who is empathetic to their situation.
There is a plethora of sources from which one can seek advice. But the best way to deal with these illnesses might have already been taught to us. It is to look at the person and empathize with them. Architecture, Design, and Planning always tell us to feel what the user will feel, to relate to them, to consider what effect our interventions will have on them, and to see the world through their eyes.
To be empathetic is to feel, to live, to breathe as a human being. We are all empathetic towards something or another, be it a friend, a loved one, a family member, a dog on the road, a social cause or even a way of life. To be empathetic is to be willing to walk a mile in the other person’s shoes. To be empathetic is to be human. Maybe that is what we, as a community and as humankind, need in these challenging times of today. Self-empathy is equally important. It is the act of observing one’s actions in an empathetic manner. If done with openness and honesty, one might just be able to accept their imperfections, their blemishes, the parts which make them human. Maybe, that will help one to be empathetic towards one’s environment. Maybe all we need to do is to listen to someone and hope that someone will listen to us when we need them to.
In our collective creative effort towards a better tomorrow, we should be looking forward to cultivating the creative mind as best as we can while also trying to be empathetic towards ourselves as much as others. Creativity and mental health can go hand in hand as we grow and prosper.