Mental illness has a close relationship with art and popular culture

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MENTAL HEALTH

Mental illness has a close relationship with art and popular culture

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Guest writer

Albrecht Durer’s Melancholia
Albrecht Durer’s Melancholia

Throughout history, links have been proposed between mental illness and creativity. The evidence for this is still awaited, but that does not stop us appreciating the work of artists providing insights into their condition, or a truthful depiction of the suffering and stigma

The aim of this article is, first, to highlight the pos­itive contributions those suffering from mental health problems have made to popular culture t
References

1. Kyaga S, Landén M, Boman M et al. Mental illness, suicide and creativity: 40-year prospective total population study. J Psychiatr Res 2013 Jan;47(1):83–90.

2. Stuart H. Media portrayal of mental illness and its treatments: what effect does it have on people with mental illness. CNS Drugs 2006 Feb 1;20(2):99–106.

3. Royal College of Psychiatrists. Minds on film [blog]. Available online