Artistic Creativity & Substance Abuse: The Role of Schizotypy
Artistic Creativity & Substance Abuse: The Role of Schizotypy Introduction There is an undeniable association between artistic creativity and drug use: references to substance use are prevalent in nearly every genre of music, many well known and historical musicians, visual artists, comedians, actors, writers, and creative types have struggled with severe substance abuse problems, some unfortunately losing their lives early as a result. Famous examples include Vincent Van Gogh, Sigmund Freud, Kurt Cobain, Richard Pryor, Edgar Allen Poe, and Robert Downey Jr. This post examines the cause of this association. Predictors of Creativity Normal personality traits as well as pathological personality traits are predictive of creativity (includes creativity as a cognitive ability, creative hobbies & professions, creative achievements, problem solving, imagination, and creative abilities & tendencies in art, science, and in social relations): a combination of high openness, extravers...