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Schizophrenia is the price we pay for minds poised near the edge of a cliff

(www.psychiatrymargins.com)
262 points Anon84 | 2 comments | 28 Jun 25 21:22 UTC | HN request time: 0.42s | source
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cageface ◴[29 Jun 25 07:14 UTC] No.44410923[source]▶
Maybe this could explain why mental illness & creativity seem to be so closely related? Just as one example, James Joyce's daughter was schizophrenic.
replies(1): >>44412882 #
kayodelycaon ◴[29 Jun 25 13:13 UTC] No.44412882[source]▶
Mental illness and creativity are not closely related. There is correlation but mental illness is not required for creativity.

According to Wikipedia, creative people are 25% more likely to have a mental illness.

As for why so many bipolar people are famous, manic episodes can be very productive.

For myself, being bipolar has given me several lifetimes of perspective to inform my writing.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity_and_mental_health

replies(2): >>44413593 #>>44427458 #
1. andrewflnr ◴[29 Jun 25 14:47 UTC] No.44413593[source]▶
> Mental illness and creativity are not closely related. There is correlation

What do you think a correlation is if not a relationship? No one said it was "required".

replies(1): >>44414061 #
2. kayodelycaon ◴[29 Jun 25 15:52 UTC] No.44414061[source]▶
Yeah. I wasn’t clear. I do not believe that 1 and 1.25 is considered “close”.

There’s absolutely a correlation, enough to be causation. But it doesn’t make mental illness a primary factor in creativity in modern society.