Lived Experience Forum

[chibam]

I'm wondering if anybody here is a creative person (i.e. writer/painter/sculptor/musician, ect.) who has found that their ability to create has withered/dried up due to their depression? If so, have any of you found any effective ways of remedying this particular noxious effect of their depression?

In case it's not obvious - I'm not just shooting the breeze with this, I'm actually suffering from this problem at the moment. I think to a certain extent, my problem is that whenever I sit down and stare at that empty page, with my mind free to roam, it invariably drifts back into the tangled web of all life's problems and I find that I can easily blow 3 or 4 hours just agonizing about life and accomplishing nothing. I guess that what I really need is a way to stay on track, but the catch 22 is that creativity demands a fair degree of freedom.

[Former-Member]

I'm creative and draw alot and cook. With my depression I can not cook. I get overwhelmed by having to have everything timed and just end up crying in bed for a few days. So strange because cooking is an outlet for me. I can do it on a high though. I'm know to stay up for two days and cook a lot of cakes and cookies. My neighbours love me lol.

With my drawing I tend to it more when I'm depressed. I can't do it when I'm on a high or have anxiety as my mind is going a billion times and hour.

I find it for me when I draw when I'm depressed it makes me focus and takes away the pain. It is hard to get motivated though. Very very hard so my husband when's he notices me very down will put my pencils in his hand and request I draw something like a pinup or owl. It's nice because I can have an hour or two away from my head.

The only thing I can think in advice to you is maybe when you go to do something creative have a clear outline on what you want to do so your head doesn't go into over drive.

Hope you start being able to realise your creativity soon

[Former-Member]

Absolutely! I suffer depression anxiety bpd & during bad times i sit and stare too. I find those times require a shift to more physical creative outlets, hands on, like furniture, gardening, sewing.
But with writing, the latest strategy i have learned to break through writers block is Mindfulness. Be fully conscious in the present moment & start writing first about what you see, what your skin feels touching it (texture, temperature...), what you heat (close by, then distant, rhythm, irratic, sharp, soft sounds & how they make u feel. What do you smell? how does the air feel going into your nose & lungs? is it cold, fast flowing or warm & flowing? Engage those fife senses first & write write write. You'll find imagining scenarios behind what you pick up will start to trickle through but warm up with your 5 senses. Rember to breathe & relax. Good luck.

[chibam]

Thanks, @Former-Member & @Former-Member.

I think I get what your saying, Tawney. Just start writing something and that'll get the momentum running and then the good stuff will start pouring out...

I must admit, I've tried similar exercises before, but none as structured as what you offer. Certainly ought to be worth a go.

@Former-Member, clear outlining is being both a blessing and a curse for me. A curse, in the sense that I find myself facing several major forks about the overall direction my story can take and I can't seem to settle which ones to take. Both choices have very compelling support arguments. But depending on what thoughts are running through my head I will, from time to time, begin to think that my prefered path is rubbish and that I ought to be re-tooling the framework I have to be carried out on the alternate path.

[mrkotter]

Being bipolar I just get up and walk away. I know in a week or two it'll come back again as my modd gets better and I'll be off writing again. I don't even think about it anymore, I just return when I'm ready. 

Sucks at work though because I don't have that freedom. At work I try to structure my writing. I'll plan and use headings to remind myself what the main points are that I want to get across. Sometimes works. 

[BamBam]

Writer's block has led to at least one suicide if you listen to Victor Frankl (I think that's the right name).

When I write for my blog I find myself channeling a lot of frustration and energy.

Does anyone have any creative tips for writing to a mass audience when you have a lot of stakes?

[chibam]

@BamBam I can certainly believe that about the suicide.

In relation to your query about the stakes, perhaps you could write about inserting them into some of the vampires from the twilight franchise? Leaving aside the tweenage girl demographic, there are plenty of people out there who would love to see those characters get staked.

Jks...

[Appleblossom]

Ha ha @chibam

Thanks @BamBam I prefer the use of the concept of channeling energy and frustration for a creative outlet, rather than chanelling ghosts and spirits in a New Age manner, but thats me.

Not sure what you meant about stakes in writing your blog ... ?

Personally, I am procastinating more about writing than I ever thought I would.  I should be able to get the time to all my papers and get a steady writing practise .. but fall into a sense of worthlessness and that it doesnt really matter ... perhaps that is why i am here ... trying to find a reason ... meaning ...

[Neb]

Procrastination is to me as fire is to wood!

[Appleblossom]

Procastination is an issue and we all need some strategies to kick start our projects.

Sometimes there is a true situation of overwhelm which needs to be worked through.

My basic approach is to keep active and creative ... in some way ... and hope that it does all come together in the long run.  There are only 24 hours in a day.... approximately ...