The Mental Artist.

Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, are just but a few members of this club. The notion of famous artists, going out in a blaze of glory at the age of 27 has been so romanticized, that it's almost become an aspiration to some. The less glaring factor of this narrative has been the fact that a lot of them have actually gone out by way of substance abuse, suicide, in disillusionment, after struggling with mental health issues.

Then you have your Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Francisco de Goya, Picasso and many others, who also lived with serious mental issues.

Naturally, all of this has led many people to wonder and question the relationship between art and mental health. Are you a more genuine, intense and effective artist when the insides of your mind are twisting about à la 'The Exorcist'?

Would we then have our artists on the mental borderline, so as to benefit from the best of their creativity, or should we rush to their side in concern, as we would with any of our loved ones?

Sure, the image of the angst-ridden, decadent, you-only-die-once artist has carved itself a nook in popular culture. Yet investigation has neither revealed artists to be more productive when in mental distress, nor concluded that they are more prone to mental health related issues in comparison to anyone else. This, however, in no way takes away the sheer wonder of it, when an artist actually manages to channel and represent their mental condition into artistic expression. 'The scream' by Munch serves as a perfect example.

No doubt that artists face factors which are unique to their profession and may exacerbate the state of a struggling psyche space. Fame, that holy grail, comes first to mind, and the danger of getting what you always wished for. We have seen many crumble in the face of it. Then you also have other factors, like anxiety in regard to how your work will be received, dealing with creative blocks, unassured income, non-conformism and the associated societal pressures, to name a few.

So where is the place where artists go, to actually stay alive?

In indigenous societies, we observe that every member, be it the elderly, the weaver, the warrior, the blacksmith, the griot or the carver was protected and regarded in reverence to their contribution to the whole. A sense of community and acceptance is crucial to those in the arts, the warmth of social support.

It also behooves the person feeling mental pressure, to cultivate an internal culture of self-healing, be it through your art, spiritual practices, stepping aside from usual routine or any other means of anchoring the self.

Engaging in mindful endeavors, especially in service of others, is also known to uplift one's mental, emotional and social well-being. In fact, your art can be a crucial tool for such interactions, even as therapy to those in need of it.

Should we be much concerned about our mental health, seek help! There is no place for shame or inadequacy, when we feel the situation running away from us. Please, talk to someone or seek professional advice as and when the situation calls.

Let's remember too, that one does not have to be an artist in the first place, so as to benefit from the association of mental health and art. The exhilaration that accompanies participating in artistic expression, be it music, theatre, dance groups, group art, can be availed to people from all walks of life. Such activities are no doubt of big mental health positives to many individuals and should be deliberately employed as much as possible to such ends.

It surely is a reflection of our place in the collective consciousness, the way we handle those among us who's mental state calls to our attention.

The End.