Can being unconventional and artistic help you recover from depression?

Mental health professionals have always been interested in whether certain personality types have an easier time recovering from depression. An article in Psychiatric News (8/1/08) titled, “Being Artistic and Unconventional May Aid Depression Recovery,” examines this issue. The article reported on a randomized controlled trial published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, June 2008.  The investigators evaluated 174 individuals with major depressive disorder using standard personality assessment scales for five major personality traits including, “neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.” The study subjects were placed randomly in two treatment groups, receiving either antidepressant treatment or cognitive-behavioral therapy for a period of 20 weeks. The results were very interesting. “Both groups experienced, on average, significant reductions in depression. However, individuals within each group varied in their treatment response….Out of the five personality traits, only one—openness—was significantly linked with treatment outcome. Specifically, higher scores on openness at pretreatment were significantly linked with less depression at treatment completion than were lower scores on this trait. Moreover, higher scores on four particular facets of openness—being artistic, dreamy and imaginative, adventurous, and unconventional—were also significantly linked with less depression at treatment completion.” The results of this study suggest that individuals having the personality traits of openness, unconventional, and artistic have may a better treatment response to standard depression treatments.

The Bottom Line: Individuals with high levels of openness, and particularly those who are unconventional and artistic, may have a better treatment response to standard treatments for depression.

Reference: Original Article

Suggested Reading:

1. Overcoming Depression: A Step-by-Step Approach to Gaining Control Over Depression (Paperback) by Paul Gilbert(Author)
2. Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time: The New Behavioral Activation Approach to Getting Your Life Back (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) (Paperback) by Michael E., Ph.D. Addis (Author), Christopher R. Martell (Author)
3. Depression for Dummies (Paperback) by Laura L., PhD Smith (Author), Charles H., PhD Elliott (Author)
4. Anxiety & Depression Workbook For Dummies (For Dummies (Psychology & Self Help)) (Paperback) by Charles H., PhD Elliott (Author), Laura L., PhD Smith (Author), Aaron T., MD Beck (Author)

Additional Resources:

• For related articles on depression on the Web, click on: “Sphere: Related Content” located at the bottom of this blog post.
• For related books or blog posts with related content in Dr. Jeff’s and Dr. Tanya’s Blog, go to “Psychiatric Disorders: Depression” or type in the keyword “depression” into “Google Search” located in the sidebar.
• For related articles from Psychology Today, click on the “Psychology Today” banner in the side bar and type in the keyword, “depression” into the Psychology Today “Search”.
• For more books with related content, click any hyperlinked keyword in the blog or type in the keyword, “depression” into “Amazon Search” on the Amazon banner located in the side bar.

Depression Support Groups:

http://www.beatingthebeast.com/forum/

www.journeytowardsfreedom.com/forum/index.php?

Sources: See blogpost 8/27/08, See Psychiatric Disorders: Depression

Dr. Jeffrey Speller

Dr. Tanya Korkosz

Psychopharmacology Associates of New England

www.psychopharmassociates.com