The Tortured Writer Trope

[keiramarcos]

Content moved to: Writing and Junk

Comments

[esteefee]

Well, fuck, be all logical and stuff. I actually discovered my depression was interfering with my writing, not helping. Who knew?

[keiramarcos]

It's hard to do anything when you can barely get out of the bed and showering is suddenly a major life event.

[belle_meri]

You are lucky, Keira, that you can take the medications. I'm one of those who can't take them. The psychological side effects are worse than any good they do for me. I just have to literally suffer through bouts of severe depression every winter as I try in vain to figure out a way to break the cycle. Drives me mad!

And the depressive cycle combined with my now permanent disability after a back injury a year ago may be why I'm still stuck in my now decade long writing slump. I hate not being able to write... I can't even force the words out anymore for all that they are still in my head.

[silentflux]

Thanks for sharing this. As someone who works daily with people who struggle valiantly with severe and persistent mental illnesses, I strongly believe the more people share their experiences, the more we can all learn and hopefully educate others. And I just want to say, I'm glad you found a med that works for you. ♥

[annieglennie]

Thank you! I have worked as a musician for 45 years and recently retired. I have suffered from clinical depression and medication works for me. The same mythos surrounds musicians as it does writers but I agree with you. that is an excuse for most. that sounds terribly judgmental but I am heartily sick of people saying to me ' You're a musician? but you're not crazy like most are' Duh! take care of yourself and the words or music or colors will come. Annie

[slash_reader]

Thank you for writing this, and putting it so clearly.

[legessa27]

The meds I take for my seizures leave my brain in a constant fog and that's the least debilitating of the side-effects, which I guess says something about that class of drug. Trying to express myself to others and be understood is a real pain in the ass because everything is always jumbled. My brain will be at one space and what I'm saying is somewhere else, hell I even rewrote this whole reply and it's still not coming out right. I'm lucky my mom and I share a hive mind or I would be completely screwed. That being said, I can't imagine not writing the ideas I have. I don't post anymore but I write out my stories anyway because screw it the ideas are mine and I enjoy it.

[jycaegima]

Thank you for this post. It resonated with me greatly.