Percentage of depression within writers

Yorth

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Almost every writer that I know of is or has been depressed. I want to know if this is something that only I experienced or if there is a bigger world out there where artist aren't depressed and the flowers are pink and the birds chirp with the morning dew.
 

aree

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Well if you are J K Rowling or I eat tomato then you might live in the rosy field. But even then they have to go through the criticism and depressed period just to reach the summit they are right now.

I just started writing recently, still all we can do is write more and continue impeove ourself.

And yes depression come on the back side of the badge of an artist.
 

Owl

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Depends. Are we talking actual medical depression? Then, no, I don't know many despite knowing a lot of writers and artists. If we're talking about people going through bad phases in which they are "depressed" due to their stories, then everyone. But that's normal :blob_sir:
 

Nanakawaichan

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Almost every writer that I know of is or has been depressed. I want to know if this is something that only I experienced or if there is a bigger world out there where artist aren't depressed and the flowers are pink and the birds chirp with the morning dew.
In my case, I start writing to keep me sane or... Letting my dark side out *gyahahaha*. Monotonous routine and sometimes life doesn't go according to my plan. Place bind me, responsibility bind me but my mind remain free that's why I write.
 

AliceShiki

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Almost every writer that I know of is or has been depressed. I want to know if this is something that only I experienced or if there is a bigger world out there where artist aren't depressed and the flowers are pink and the birds chirp with the morning dew.
Uhn... If anything, I got borderline suicidal when my first boyfriend broke up with me, does that count?

It had nothing to do with writing though, and I only wrote in Roleplays back then. So uhn... I wouldn't count it myself.

Honestly, my life is quite a mess rn, and I'm not even close to being depressed. I don't think there is a relationship between writing and depression.
 

idaeasthesia

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Almost every writer that I know of is or has been depressed. I want to know if this is something that only I experienced or if there is a bigger world out there where artist aren't depressed and the flowers are pink and the birds chirp with the morning dew.

I dont think depression has an association with writting as much as you think. Mild depression is part of anyones normal life, and clinically diagnosed ones are rare to see in people engaging in hobbies, since depression can sometimes cause withdrawal.
 

Llamadragon

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Iceland's had a small population for a long time and bloodlines are easy to trace, and someone did a study where they traced mental illness back in time. There was a clear association between that and people with creative jobs. Which includes writers.

Lifestyle is certainly a factor and professional writers are not always paid well. But on a fundamental level, there seems to be a trait that sometimes express itself as creative endeavors, ann sometimes express itself through depression, two sides of a coin.
 

Sabruness

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If anything, my starting to write stories sprouted months after a family death and subsequent clinical diagnosis of anxiety and mild depression. It was quite helpful in keeping down most periods of mental shittiness.
 

CupcakeNinja

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I dont think depression has an association with writting as much as you think. Mild depression is part of anyones normal life, and clinically diagnosed ones are rare to see in people engaging in hobbies, since depression can sometimes cause withdrawal.
Just cuz you write dont mean you depressed. But if you depressed, to any degree, you may be more prone to writing. Why? Because you are more prone, in turn, to reading. And thats because reading is a form of escapism. So yes, there IS an association and while its not like its always true for everyone a majority of readers and writers probably are or have experienced some type of depression.

And i dont mean casual readers either.
 

Yorth

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Depends. Are we talking actual medical depression? Then, no, I don't know many despite knowing a lot of writers and artists. If we're talking about people going through bad phases in which they are "depressed" due to their stories, then everyone. But that's normal :blob_sir:
The problem though is that there isn't a lot of people who go check up on their mental state in the first place. Soo, it's hard to know how many people are actually clinically depressed.
 

MrDarkness1234

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Yeah well I have a lot of mental issues in past that was borderline killing me because all I wanted to do was to die which I tried a couple of times but lucky didn't work and I mostly write to keep me sane at least so that I could when I wote my first failed novel then I took writing more seriously and I feel a lot better but there are sometimes where my mind goes into zones where I do want to kill myself but to tbh I don't now but still there's a lot issues with me still but getting better
 

Azrie

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Well one big factor is that a lot of people don't even realize that they are depressed, one of the big reasons is because of the way society portrays depression -- Wanting to die, or just a miserable state of being. We are told that feeling down is normal, and negative emotions are normal. Some people tell that to themselves even when they've been feeling those emotions nearly every single day; that is depression. At least in my opinion. Generally online communities tend to have depressed people, since it's a form of escapism and some people cope through that, others simply escape from stress. Which is just as valid.

i think people should just be more aware in general, it's rather easy to think depression (or any other mental illness) is a joke when you haven't suffered from it. Ignorance is a bliss.
 

GDLiZy

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Great experience made great man. Same thing applied. Great artists drew from experience. The more profound the experience the more their source of inspiration.
 

Polpota

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There was this thing going around for awhile where a lot of writers were dyslexic which made them more creative, then there was a time where having Aspergers made you a better writer, and right now depression makes you a more vivid writer.

I don’t know if writers suffer more from depression or suffer more for chasing what may set themselves apart. I walked into a room full of writers and I hated it. Each of them had a disorder except for one fairly quiet guy. Now do writers suffer from disorders? Definitely but it’s not like the profession only sucks in those who suffer however in writing there’s this real fantasy of the starving tortured artist trying to crawl up from the refuse of obscurity to create a piece of art despite the odds.

For those of you on this thread that really have to battle your demons I feel for you, because your voice is being drowned out by a horde of hucksters selling a sob story with a tear soaked manuscript.
 

LostinMovement

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The one clinically depressed person I know is my brother-in-law's friend. He is a lawyer. Depression is not unique to creative people, meaning artists. It's just that the media has portrayed as so for many years.
 

idaeasthesia

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Just cuz you write dont mean you depressed. But if you depressed, to any degree, you may be more prone to writing. Why? Because you are more prone, in turn, to reading. And thats because reading is a form of escapism. So yes, there IS an association and while its not like its always true for everyone a majority of readers and writers probably are or have experienced some type of depression.

And i dont mean casual readers either.

Hmm... thats interesting to know. Thanks for enlightening me.
 

Ai-chan

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Being depressed is a prerequisite to being a writer. Unless you're on drugs, in which case you'd be happy while you're on it. Pretty sure Togashi Yoshihiro was on drugs while making Yu Yu Hakusho. And then he fell into depression.

So yes, writing and depression goes hand in hand. BTW, clinical depression and depression are different things. It's similar to the difference between hay fever and spanish flu.
 

yansusustories

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Being depressed is a prerequisite to being a writer.
I don't think so but maybe we'd need to define what we understood as a 'writer' then.

Personally, I don't have depression. In fact, I'm an optimistic person and disregarding some times where I'm immensely stressed out because too much is going on, I'm immensely happy with my life. I also have lots of ideas and write daily. :blob_melt:
Among the other writers I know, some mentioned being depressed or having some other issues but as for how many of those are actually diagnosed by somebody other than themselves ... who knows?
 

Viator

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Don't forget that there is also a theory with alcohol and writing being intertwined, which is a depressant.

As for me, I have clinical depression. Specifically major depressive disorder. When it's not keeping me from writing at all, or indeed having any interest in anything, I will admit I tend to write from that place. So I fit the theory in a way, as I write a lot. I don't however generally share what I write, and I have trouble being prolific. Part of the reason for this is I simply lose the will to write.

So this poses a problem, as I believe people like me who struggle with severe depression would have difficulty ever being recognized as a writer. Perhaps after my death it'll be different. That said, a lot of artists do make art from a dark place. I don't think there are any hard lines. Creativity in some aspects is a way to cope with the horrors and vagaries of life. But not all writers will be depressed, and not all depressed will be writers.
 

Phantomheart

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Not all writers have depression, but a lot of people with depression do write. Writing is one of the most common and recommended coping skills used in therapy, not to mention by hobbyists. Some people write to get their feelings out, some people write because they just want to make stories. Writing, like @flucket said, is a creative outlet, and is expressed in many ways.
 
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