A lot of people have the reservation that artists with mental disorders and personal tragedies produce more profound, emotionally-better art. Vincent van Gogh is a prime example of this stereotype as he most likely suffered from manic depression and took his own life in 1890, but remains one of the most notable post-impressionist painters and is the curator of some of the most recognizable works in the world.

   What people forget to take into account is how tragedy and mental illness have an effect on everyday life. People who suffer from debilitating mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar depression and schizophrenia often have: hallucinations, delusions, lack of motivation, disorganized sleeping, don’t have a proper diet and self-harm; and in Van Gogh’s case commit suicide, due to being overwhelmed and pushed to their limits.
   
    Loss of creative motivation is one of the most painful experiences for an artist to go through; it is usually the result of events occurring in their personal life that has an effect on their emotional and professional spheres. Famous impressionist painter Claude Monet was notorious for destroying his works in frustration, and the death of his wife Alice in 1911 halted his creation for two years.
 
  No matter what field one is in, whether it is poetry, painting, sculptures or dance, these symptoms make it nearly impossible to produce work. Even if one is not an artist, not taking care of oneself makes it hard to function in any field.

  On the other hand, the struggles and the emotions that many artists go through can be turned into amazing works, such as Frida Kahlo, famous for her self -portraits sporting her famous unibrow. She suffered lifelong chronic pain after catching polio at age six resulting in one of her legs being thinner than the other due to lack of circulation. The ailment forced her to be isolated from her peers as she had a delay starting in school. Her work “The Broken Column” showcases the pain she was in after undergoing surgery on her spine, and the operation left her bed ridden and wearing a metal corset to help relieve the pain.

  Having some great tragedy or mental illness is not required to be a great artist, but substantial experiences in one’s life can be transformed into works that allow the audience to empathize and even deliver therapy and closure to the artist.