In a small study, five themes were identified with regard to creativity and how it is influenced by bipolar disorder, according to Sheri L. Johnson, Ph.D., and her associates.
Study participants took three tests: the Seven-up Seven-down scale, the Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder scale, and the Creative Achievement Questionnaire. After qualitative analysis, several themes emerged: the pros and cons of manic energy, benefits of altered thinking, finding a balance of medication that promotes creativity, the idea of creativity as central to the identity of a person with BD, and the importance of creativity in reducing stigma and improving treatment.
“Participants were eager to see their creativity taken into account within treatment as a way to help foster more positive communication and to combat the stigma that they all too often experience. As such, creativity appears to be a positive focus for promoting growth and wellness, and for reducing stigma,” the investigators said.
Find the full study in Qualitative Health Research (doi: 10.1177/1049732315578403).
