The Sylvia Plath Effect

Why poets and artists are more likely to struggle with mental illness - Submitted by Liliana Grange

Poets and artists are often perceived as deeply emotional, which some studies suggest it may be caused due to a higher chance of struggling with mental illness. While not every creative person has mental health issues, there is a strong connection between creativity and deep emotion. Artists tend to think deeply about life and their own feelings, which can sometimes lead to depression or anxiety. The experiences of famous creative people like Sylvia Plath and Vincent Van Gogh show how close art and mental health can be connected in some cases.  

One explanation for this connection is called the Sylvia Plath effect. The Sylvia Plath effect suggests that poets, particularly female poets may have higher rates of depression and mental illness compared to other types of artists. This may be because poetry requires a lot of emotional honesty and self reflection. Poets often use introspection, meaning they look inward and analyze their own thoughts and emotions. 

While this can help them create meaningful work , too much introspection can turn into rumination. Rumination is when someone keeps thinking about negative thoughts repeatedly without finding a solution, which can make depression and anxiety worse. Sylvia Plath's poetry often focused on dark topics like death, identity and feeling trapped, reflecting on her own struggles with depression. 

Another reason artists may struggle is because they often feel isolated or misunderstood. Vincent van Gogh is a good example of this. During his lifetime he was not successful and lived in poverty, even though his paintings are now world famous. He also struggled with serious mental heath issues and loneliness. His tendency to overthink and spend long periods alone may have made his condition worse. Ultimately creativity doesn't cause mental illness. Deep emotion tide to introspection and rumination of feelings can tip the scale toward an unhealthy mental state. Great art comes from all places of the mind. 

The wet dawn inks are doing their blue dissolve. On their blotter of fog the trees Seem a botanical drawing-- Memories growning, ring on ring, A series of weddings.

an excerpt from Sylvia Plath’s poem, Winter Trees