Greetings,
Last year, I reviewed a movie called Touched With Fire. I thought it was brilliantly made, on so many levels, but it also struck a chord with me, due to its subject. I went into this a bit during that review, but the best way to go even deeper is to talk about the book from which it spawned, Touched With Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and Artistic Temperment by Kay Redfield Jamison.
As stated in the title, this book explores how certain mood disorders can lend itself to intense creativity for those who have them. It cites an extremely high number of artists and writers who either definitely had or could have had some form of manic depressive illness, and shows how extreme they were with their work. Jamison also writes about her own struggles and how she eventually sought out the help that saved her life.
If it isn't already obvious by the description, this book is not exactly light reading. It delves pretty deep into the details, using medical terms and whatnot, and you have to stay focused on it. And considering what it's about, it can get heavy. I know all of that may not seem like the most fun reading experience, but it could be very important, especially for those who deal with these issues. It sheds light on things they may be experiencing, giving some valid explanations as to why they are.
What this book mainly does is try to show how all that talk about "mad geniuses" may be rooted is something very real. It has often been said that there is a fine line between genius and madness, and Jamison shows what it may be for a lot of people. As many artists, including myself, can attest to, there is a overwhelming aspect to those bouts of intense creativity. Sometimes it is frightening; sometimes it is captivating. And for the latter, it can seduce you into always wanting to stay in the highest levels of your emotions, even though doing so can be dangerous. But even with that warning, it can often be just too intoxicating. But through the help she got herself, she realized that she could let her creativity thrive without letting it control her to that dangerous degree. It's like how a campfire can keep you warm in the cold night, but if you don't keep an eye on it and keep it under control, it can burn down the whole forest. And keeping that fire in check does not diminish from the good it can do. In fact, when things are not out of control, when you can focus, that is when the work can get done.
Now, I have heard some critics of this book accusing the author of romanticizing mental illness by attaching it to all these great and renowned artists. I don't feel she is doing that at all. In fact, the artists and writers mentioned in the book, whilst, indeed, great and renowned, did not exactly lead the easiest of lives. Far from that. Yes, it may seem lovely to be able to paint pretty pictures and write pretty words, but if you look at many of them, they lived with a lot of turmoil. There is nothing to romanticize about that. Speaking from personal experience, it is a harsh road I have to travel on to get to what eventually comes from me by way of my writing. I am grateful that anything good can come out of it, but that does not diminish the struggle. Only finding a way to deal with it can help you with that. Again, thankfully, in my case, my writing is a result, but also a kind of treatment for what I go through.
So, it is difficult for me to know who to recommend this book to. It is well-written enough that it could interest a lot of different people, but again, some of the heaviness may not be what they're interested in. Still, if the subject intrigues you, it is worth a read. Also, if you are someone who suspects you may be dealing with the issues described in this book, or if the book itself makes you suspect that, please do me, and especially yourself, a favor. Ask for help from a professional on the matter. Do not make assumptions. Do not self-diagnose. And for the love of all things sacred, DO NOT LOOK FOR ANSWERS ON TUMBLR!!! Believe it or not, that last one was not a joke. At all! The best and wisest action is to go to someone who is an expert on the subject who can really help.
In closing, this book was fascinating and very helpful to me, as it was for many people who could relate to its subject, much like how the story told in the film of the same name did so as well. Sometimes, all it takes for things to start getting better is knowing that there is someone else out there who can understand. Someone else who survived.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
My Review of the film Touched With Fire: blogspot
