Systems in Conflict: Labeling Youth Creativity as Mental Illness

ABSTRACT

Highly creative children and adolescents often behave in ways that may appear to be symptoms of mental illness. Multiple systems, including family, school, and mental health professionals, may unknowingly fail to recognize and nurture the creative side of these young people. This article presents a review of literature about the characteristics of creative people that may overlap some symptoms of mental illness. Case studies introduce a new therapeutic approach that embraces youth creativity, invites a positive meaning for symptoms, removes the stigma of a mental illness diagnosis, and improves the young persons' self-esteem and behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Creativity
• children
• adolescents
• bipolar disorder
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• conflict