Summary

The question of whether or not mental disorder is the price humanity pays for exceptional creativity has been debated since classical times. Modern research methodologies have been adding increasingly robust empirical data to inform this debate. Studies of accomplished individuals have found that exceptionally creative writers report more affective illness. Population-based studies have found an excess of extremely high scholastic achievement amongst people with bipolar affective disorder, but not schizophrenia. These findings have been interpreted as evidence that people with affective disorders are a likely source of society's most exceptional ideas and work. Widespread stigmatization of mental health problems would be profoundly challenged by evidence that social progress relies on individuals with mental illness. However, such a romantic ideal often tempts researchers to over-interpret findings in this area. Research in this area faces many methodological difficulties, and despite decades of research, there is little that can be confidently claimed regarding putative mechanisms that could explain how mental disorder translates into creative processes, or vice versa. This chapter does not claim to put these ancient debates to rest, but it does provide an account of the current research that has explored these seemingly paradoxical associations between psychiatric disorders and creativity.

Introduction

Society throughout the ages has been drawn towards the archetype of the mad genius. Major figures from history have exemplified putative associations between exceptional creativity and mental disorder (Andreasen,1987; Jamison, 1989, 1993; Jamison and Goodwin, 2007; MacCabe, 2010; MacCabe et al. 2009).