A connection between pain and writing?

[Kerrybuchanan]

Yep. A puking zombie.

 

[Steven Sorrels]

This is just my opinion, so take it as you will.

I think part of that comes from the fact that when we are truly happy and in a good place, we naturally don't think to question or explore ourselves to understand why. We just accept that things are going good and ride the wave. When things get rough, when we are in pain, whether emotional, physical, or psychological, we begin to question why so that we might try to escape the pain. This internal analysis helps us get in touch with that fickle muse within us all.

I know that some of my best quality writing has come during difficult times in my life when I was battling depression, or horrible insomnia, or emotional devastation from a disastrous ending to a relationship. Those times of pain and difficulty made it easier to access those feeling and thought patterns, allowing my work to reflect those emotions in my characters. A good example is a short work I did years ago. The first section was written as I was just coming out of a long stretch of insomnia and had just broken up with a girl. I came back later and wrote another chunk after I had leveled out, then stuck it in a cabinet and forgot about it. When I came across it much later on I realized how much I liked the first bit and abhorred the second.

I think the process works for everyone a little differently, but as many have observed, some of the greatest artists (no matter their field or subject of art) where the most troubled people in life. Van Gogh, Robin Williams, Freddy Mercury: all drew on the pain of their personal lives to deliver momentous and lasting art to the world.

I'm not saying creation is pain, but many find their stride in their darkest moments.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I haven't been ignoring the thread but I've had the most incredibly busy week. Today is the first day I've had to think and I'm wondering if that's part of the problem. My stories are my pain control. Many years ago I came off all painkillers except the occasional paracetamol. In a way I don't need to be constantly thinking of them when I'm not in pain and I can focus on other neglected areas of my life.

 

[j.grey]

I think there's a stronger connection between all forms of artistic expression and our mental health, at least that's certainly true for me. Writing helps ease the emotional pain and also justifies my abuse of caffeine and alcohol. I mean, I'm a writer so I have to... right?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I think there's a stronger connection between all forms of artistic expression and our mental health, at least that's certainly true for me. Writing helps ease the emotional pain and also justifies my abuse of caffeine and alcohol. I mean, I'm a writer so I have to... right?

I don't have any mental health issues. It has wound up more than one psychologist determined to prove I have them and that's the cause of my fibromyalgia. On an anxiety and depression questionnaire I can score highly but that's because there is an overlap between the answers given for physical and mental illnesses. EG Do you get dressed every day - well no because there are times I can't actually do it or it will take away energy from what I want to do. Are you scared about going out alone? Well yes I was scared about going out alone but I was scared because my knees had a habit of giving way and I was falling - also if I don't watch my blood sugars I get confused.

My husband has severe depression but the only time I was depressed was when I was on anti depressants. I get down but that's different.

 

[j.grey]

I have quite severe depression but I am very distrustful of prescription medication. I feel that it's largely the entirely correct mental position to take for an intelligent person living in this very crazy world. I self-medicate with fast motorcycles, writing and, very occasionally, punching people who deserve it. It's working so far.