Creativity, Depressive Disorders, and Bipolar Disorders Although creative people, on average, have better mental health than others, the most creative people—“creative geniuses”—are at higher risk for developing a mental illness than other people (Simonton, 2014). Specifically, depressive and bipolar disorders occur more frequently among the most creative writers and artists than among the general population, leading some researchers to propose a biochemical or genetic link between depressive and bipolar disorders and the artistic temperament (Jamison, 1993). Writer Mark Twain (left), novelist Ernest Hemingway (middle), and poet Sylvia Plath all suffered from severe bouts of depression throughout their lives. Both Plath and Hemingway committed suicide.

CSU Archives/Everett Collection