[Dixielandjazz] Creativity and Mental Illness

[Steve Barbone]

"Mike C." <mike at railroadstjazzwest.com>

> I've always wondered if schizophrenia, as in the case of Thelonious Monk, and
> depression as in the case of Rosolino, had anything to do with their top notch
> musical skills.

Dear Mike & Listmates:

"In another study by psychologists, rates of mental illness were examined in
30 creative writers, 30 matched control subjects, and the first-degree
relatives of both groups. The writers had a substantially higher rate of
mental illness, predominantly affective disorder, with a tendency toward the
bipolar subtype. There was also a higher prevalence of affective disorder
and creativity in the writers' first-degree relatives."

Interestingly enough, the primary "affective disorder" illness cited above
is manic depression. Also interesting in the above study, Schizophrenia
rates seemed to be the same between creatives and regular folks.

Also, the above study showed a predisposition to affective disorders among
24 out of 30 writers and only 9 out of 30 in the control group.

Would creative musicians have the same profile as the writers? Probably. So
beware, not only are they on the edge but it appears that their families may
be also on the edge.

Google <Creativity and Mental Illness> for more information on the subject.
Or see; "Kind of Blue¹: creativity, mental disorder and jazz" at

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/183/3/193

for an opposing view based upon jazz musicians and jazz loving
psychiatrists. Interesting question asked there; Does life as a jazz
musician cause mental disorder?

Gee, and we used to call it "Artistic Temperament". <grin>

Cheers,
Steve Barbone