The Cost of Creativity
If you choose a creative path you need to know about the risks of creative burnout on your mental health. Creative burnout, like creative anxiety, is not openly discussed so it’s likely no one is preparing you for it. The truth is that artists struggle disproportionately with mental illness. Statistics show that creative people have a 1 in 3 chance of struggling with serious mental illness compared to that of the average, which is 1 in 5. With the average lifespan of a musician reaching only 52 years. Let’s explore what can be done to better your odds.
Lately I’ve been listening to old Audioslave albums. A year after the suicide of songwriter Chris Cornell, I am struck by the depth of sadness in his songs, something I didn’t fully appreciated until now. Trying to brighten the mood I dug out an Elton John vinyl that belonged to my mum in the 70′s. Before I knew it ‘Candle in the Wind’ had filled the room with the same beautiful darkness, a song of a legendary creative burnout, the story of many sensitive artists taken out by the bright lights. Which led me think about how creative people are almost expected to burnout for the sake of consumerism.
History is littered with examples of creativity being sold at the expense of its creators. Whether it’s gentrification or subcultures being turned into mainstream fads, it’s never the creators who seem to benefit. Brooklyn, Berlin and Byron Bay. Places that attracted communities of artists because the cost was cheap and the lifestyle was free. Where boundaries were pushed to make way for the creation of new music, art and style. Creative hubs are doomed to become cool, and ‘cool’ is very sell-able. So in go the overpriced and out go the artists who can no longer afford to live in the world they created.
History is also littered with stars that shone so brightly, they burnt out long before their time. Van Gogh, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger, Robin Williams, the list is endless and that’s just the ‘famous’ ones. Why people who bring so much value to the world are not given the tools they need to thrive and survive, frankly, infuriates me. Instead their pain is often excused and romanticised with the old ‘tortured artist’ narrative. I believe it comes down to society not understanding how creativity works, and how creative people are wired, which lead us to treat creative people like machines rather than people.
Creative people are sensitive. This heightened sensitivity is what enables them to see the inspiration and connections that others do not. To feel deeply, often plunging to the depths of their soul in order to create. They experience an intense creative process that is full of fear, uncertainty, self-doubt, vulnerability and criticism. The process is emotionally and physically demanding. Sure they can tap into a flow state where energy is harnessed from a seemingly outside source, but the aftermath is exhaustion. They need rest, lots of rest. And sometimes when it looks like they’re resting, their minds are ticking away and are really hard at work.
People who don’t experience the creative process can assume it’s all easy and fun. Whether they realise it or not, society begins to treat creative’s like content factories, wanting them to produce and perform endlessly without rest and rejuvenation. Even machines need fuel and servicing. Creativity is not convenient, it can’t be reliably predicted or scheduled for, as it’s never exactly the same twice. Our systemised world teaches us that that which is not easily categorised and replicated it’s not efficient - it’s deficient. This attitude is hurting creative minds.
Never in my creative training did anyone mention how to stay mentally healthy while doing deep emotional work and pouring my soul into projects. There was no mention of setting boundaries, creating safe spaces, resting and refueling. We are expected to learn the hard way that our soul is not a tap you can turn on whenever you want, and take from without ever feeding. It’s not just the masses that don’t understand us and our needs, but creative people themselves mistrust the mystery of who they are. Most of us are ill-equipped to navigate our own process, and expect too much from ourselves. Sleepless nights, endless tours, creative work and self promotion all in the same day and never encouraged to switch off (in a healthy way). When you think about what we are really asking of creative minds, the statistics are not so surprising.
It just seems so wrong that the same ‘mainstream’ that refuses to make room for creative nature and it’s needs by labeling it as weird, difficult or wrong, has no problem embracing the products of creativity. Not just celebrating the artist but ripping off the art, watering it down, mass producing it until every last dollar is squeezed from the concept. K-mart’s cheap imitations of artisan products spring to mind. Don’t let the thrill of cheap fashion distract you from the fact that creative people are literally killing themselves to deliver the originals.
If the sad statistics don’t inspire you let’s bring it back to the economy. In the globalised information age in which we live, where robots do the work of yesterday; It’s creative thinking and problem solving that will create the work of tomorrow. It’s those special people who think outside the box that will create the systems that run our lives and businesses. Kids today are growing up with aspirations to be youtubers and social influencers - jobs that literally didn’t exist a few short years ago. It’s time to reform our priorities. It’s time the fostering of holistic creativity became an open discussion.
If you have been made to feel different or weird because of the way you think, feel, and express yourself - know that it’s not you who needs to change. But it is you who can start to change the world for all creatives, for everyone. Can you make your mind a safe place to feel and dream without judgement and criticism? Can you celebrate your need for rest and refuel in the same way you honour your need to express yourself creatively? Can you listen to your body’s needs over the needs of ‘The Man’s’? Can you show the world how creative people should be treated? Can you stop charging for less then your worth?
The Failure Friendly Book is a collection of all the things that I wish I didn’t have to learn the hard way, and this blog is my ongoing commitment to share the tools and resources creative minds need to navigate creative life. I will walk beside you on your creative path and cheer you on along the way. My faith in you is unwavering. Lean on it when you need to and ask for help whenever you want to.
I’m here for you.
Your Friend,