This is very interesting.  Personally, I believe that I have done some of my best creative work while hypomanic or manic.

Yes, SC, I am afraid that's most likely the case with me also.  The hypomanic state... I don't think I'm too productive when in a full blown manic state.  I'm too irritable and angry.  :(

Oh this fits me!!! I used to write poetry during my depressive state. Now I lay around and think of design. Not to brag but my thing is interior design now. I sit around and think of how to make my house into my own paradise. So far so good.....I actually love that part of being bipolar.

:p  The list of famous folks w/bpd was veryyyyy interesting - ya know, I can't help but wonder - where did any of the ones alive today find health insurance!?   Just found out today I am being "denied" because of this diagnosis.....not to happy with that news.
Janet

Yeah, I was denied also.  Big bummer.  Too much of a risk.   :(

This is interesting.  I draw fairly well and like to write.  I recently had to participate in a class at work and part of the class consisted of getting feedback from your associates.  One month prior to the class I had to pass out a questionare to 12 associates and they had to rate me on a scale of 1-5 in 8 different categories.  I scored the highest in creativty and innovation and the lowest in interpersonal relationships and teamwork......who would have thought  :joker:

cat...

that is really interesting.  

thanks for sharing that with us.

I know that i am most creative as well when i am in my keyed up state as well.    :p

Great list of personalities with bipolar. Thanks for sharing this with us. I used to be creative until I was diagnosed with BP. The drugs took away the creativity and I really liked to write. I had a book in progress to be published. The manuscript is stashed away somewhere and will probably never be finished. I think we are all gifted people with BP.
Sheepwoman

Cat, Touched With Fire is the first, the absolute first thing that came to mind when I read the topic title, wonderful and absorbing book!

yes, Touched with Fire is a fascinating book.  If you haven't read it, you should.  It's by Kay Redfield Jamison (who also wrote An Unquiet Mind).  Dr. Jamison suffers from bipolar disorder herself.  Thanks Plumdinger, for sharing that with us.

I just read that Owen Wilson was hospitalized today for a suicide attempt.

Even funny people hurt too.

This post has been edited by NorthernLight: Aug 26 2007, 09:32 PM

I go to a liberal arts college, and many of my friends are artists and musicians. I'm almost positive at least a few are manic depressive, and have been hospitalized for related issues before (without a diagnosis on anything but depression though). Most creative people tend to be a little more off-kilter than people who go into business or more cut-and-dry things.



It is in my experience that funny people often hurt the most.

This post has been edited by Tierra: Aug 27 2007, 02:30 AM

I'm 31. I started writing horror stories at age 18, the same age I was diagnosed Bi-Polar. I started making horror films at age 27 (none you've heard of) the same age my Bi-Polar progressed into Panic/Anxiety. My best work comes out not when I'm depressed, but when I'm between depression and mania. That ultra fine line between where fantasy and reality dance very closely together. I find that when we are filming I get very anxious and usually turn manic, this usually leads to very productive shoots and also I am able to flex my story more and really zip through things as I have no problem Directing when I'm on cloud nine.
Now, the problem is at the end of the day when it's all over I come crashing down into a deep depression. I am on Wellbutrin XL and Lithium. These work well together for me, but when it's time to get busy with my craft I always get manic. Theres no stopping it, I dont think I would really want to lose that edge, it's just the aftermath that sucks.

Most definitely. I think when a bipolar person is moody their senses can become more sensitive. I have noticed a few times during extremely moody/racing/agitated periods colors really jump out at me. Looking at a field in the Fall I can differentiate between the thousands of shades of brown and grey (Winter). Same goes for music: I can hear all of the nuances of notes/chords: tones, overtones, feedback, sustain, etc.

I am having so much trouble focusing my creativity on my school work. I want to paint and write my poems and express my angry and sad feelings. I can't do that through my school writings so they are getting neglected. Any advice?

Hi and Welcome Linny

Have you thought of focusing it on things other than school work and then leaving your school work free for just school work. Things like keeping a journal, starting a blog. You could keep a book of poetry that you write and paint, that does not need to be handed in for school. Just for yourself. In that way, you get your creativity out, release your feelings and don't allow it to affect your school work.

Trace

I am sooooooooooo creative when I am unmedicated. If I were to be locked alone in a house with no television or computer, no neighbors, and no medication, I would be a best selling author. I am an amazing writer when at my craziest. On medication.... nothing.

This post has been edited by Sweet Melissa: Jul 15 2009, 09:57 AM

That´s what I fear :(
I´m a dancer, designer and drawer. When I´m depressed I do almost nothing...but when I have a manic episode it leads me to the best of it all. I even won a design award (and I was in a manic episode during the time I sewed it).
God, I fear therapy so much, because I dont want any medication. I dont want to live without mania.

Ive remodeled 2 homes. Took 20 years and have been told they are phenominal and that is what I should be doing for a living..... no, can't do that... I'm a perfectionist and it takes to long to get things perfect to make any money.... everything I do must be done exactly right or not at all.... I research everything before and during a project. I spend to much $$ to get things right.
Having bipolar issues can be a good and bad thing. I would rather be normal and not worry so much about the things that dont' bother others. Yes, bipolar people can be creative,smart and intellectual...... we just have brain chemical imbalances that cause emotional problems that effect our loved ones the most.


David