Kreativnost i mentalno zdravlje

Abstract

Creativity has been associated with certain mental disorders since ancient times. It was believed that there was no genius without a bit of ''madness''. Today we know that ''madness'' refers to mental deficiencies (psychiatric disorders), that is, states characterized by deficits in cognition, behavior and regulation of emotions. The impact of musical creative activity on mental health has always interested scientists, as well as laypeople. Studies examining the potential correlation between these two variables were largely based on biographies of well-known musicians, and such findings cannot be applied to the general population. However, the results obtained from representative samples do exist, suggesting that creative individuals not only show more schizoid traits, but also achieve higher scores on psychoticism scales. Assuming the connection between creativity and poor mental health does exist, it primarily refers to affective disorders, such as bipolar or depressive disorder. On the other hand, there are many studies in which the correlation between these two variables has not been found. Conversely, some studies have suggested a positive impact of amateur musical engagement, such as choir singing, on our well-being. This paper focuses on summarizing the main findings in this area, as well as on the question whether music represents help or a potential threat to our well-being.