A team of Swedish researchers at Karolinska Institutet has undergone an investigation tracking 1.2 million patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses, revealing a significant proportion of those diagnosed to be in artistic or scientific professions. The disorders include schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, autism, ADHD, anorexia nervosa and an increased risk of suicide.
In particular, diagnosis of mental disorders was common in professions such as researchers, dancers, photographers and authors. Specifically, authors were about 50 per cent more likely to commit suicide than the general population.
The researchers went on to point out that creative and scientific professions were more common in people whose relatives had been previously diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, suggesting a link to genetic predisposition of developing these illnesses.
The findings of this study are interesting as they highlight a trend that has been observed for many centuries. Historical and biographical accounts show that many famous and highly influential artists, writers, and politicians battled with mental disorders. Leo Tolstoy, for example, suffered from clinical depression as well as substance abuse, and Vincent Van Gogh was battled with bipolar disorder for the majority of his life. This recent study manages to show this connection on a broader-scale for the first time.
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121016084934.htm