by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767

As an author, I’m guilty of flippantly joking about the craziness of creativity. I laugh off the characters in my head, bouts of depression, mood swings, isolation, and the many rejections I face as if it’s to be worn as a badge of honor. Yet, because of our profession, circumstances, disease, TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), and genetics, many of us battle depression and various other mental health issues in silence and shame.

This could be deadly.

I faced chronic depression when I experienced a brain hemorrhage shortly after giving birth. Although I survived this TBI, I suffered from situational and chemically induced depression. Had I not turned to physicians for referrals for medical intervention, I would’ve never recovered.

The unfortunate effects of mental health issues don’t discriminate because we’re Christians. People of faith often secretly wonder, “What’s wrong with me?” when met with the challenges of flailing mental health.

We aren’t alone, and neither is this anything new. Many great authors who produced fantastic literature and didn’t receive the help they needed suffered severe mental health challenges, including the famous four listed below.

• Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe is well-known as a poet and master of the American short story. He’s significantly contributed to the detective genre, injecting creepy darkness into his writing. Yet, behind the scenes, Poe battled chronic depression, possibly bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and substance abuse. He reportedly attempted suicide by overdosing on laudanum. Afterward, he died from alcohol abuse.

• Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf was a renowned English novelist, essayist, and publisher. However, Woolf had a tough childhood plagued by incest and family dysfunction. This resulted in severe depression and mental breakdowns. Though she enjoyed enviable success as an author, Woolf was often said to complain about seeing herself as a failure. She was only 59 when she died by drowning herself in a river.

• Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is often the first name that comes to mind when famous authors with mental illness are mentioned. Hemingway and many of his close relatives suffered from severe depression. Unfortunately, his father, brother, and sister lost their lives to suicide. Hemingway attempted to get treatment for his ailment and received electroshock therapy in 1961. However, this treatment never helped, and he died by suicide days later.

• Sylvia Plath

Considered by many as one of the greatest American female writers, Plath crafted short stories and novels. However, she’s best known for her confessional poetry, much of it openly illustrating her mental challenges. Despite electroshock therapy and medication, Plath attempted suicide multiple times before finally succeeding at age 30 by inhaling gas fumes from her oven. James C. Kaufman, a psychologist, created the term “The Sylvia Plath Effect” in 2001. His terminology theorized that poets are more likely than other writers to suffer from mental illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

Authors––Should Seek Help

Unfortunately, some of us affected by mental health issues have the misconception that the condition is the source of our creativity. However, authors struggling with mental illnesses should seek help. Some of the famous writers on this list succumbed to early death because they didn’t get the help they needed.

In contrast, many of us who get the help we need can live long lives and enjoy successful careers.

Cecil Murphey is a critically acclaimed, highly respected Christian creative who also worked as a pastor before becoming a successful author. In several of his nonfiction books, he is brutally open about his battle with painful memories of the abuse he suffered growing up. While he never had severe depression, he often cautions others to get the spiritual and mental health help needed when they experience trauma rather than ignoring or accepting it.

Additionally, Anne Rice, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling are some authors who’ve been publicly outspoken about their mental health challenges sharing that they sought help, urging others to do the same. When dealing with depression, these authors faced challenges using available resources and flourished.

The following is a compiled list of tips for staying mentally and spiritually well, physically healthy, and focused as an author:

• Begin the day with prayer and a Bible-reading routine. Practice writing in a journal, including the things we are thankful for.
• Listen to spiritually uplifting music and messages throughout the day.
• Develop routines (personal and work-related).
• Create and maintain a regular, quiet workspace that’s clean, organized, and inspirational.
• Eat healthily and stay hydrated––meal-prepping whenever possible.
• Maintain a regular exercise routine and take breaks when needed.
• Get a good night’s rest.
• Set boundaries for ourselves.
• Set expectations with those who live with us.
• Give ourselves patience and grace.
• Be involved with a faith-based community.
• Attend weekly church services.
• Talk to our doctor if we believe we’re good candidates for medicine to address any mental health challenges.
• Don’t wait to talk to a mental health professional.
• Belong to a support group of other authors who understand our work and challenges.

Here is a list of mental health resources (most are faith-based):

• https://www.focusonthefamily.com/get-help/counseling-services-and-referrals/
• https://www.faithfulcounseling.com
• https://bestonlinetherapyservices.com
• https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
• https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/
• Text “Brave” to 741-741 to the Crisis Text Line or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
  Both provide free 24/7 support.

Maya Angelou says––“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” If that story happens to be one where we are hurting from the effects of mental health issues, it’s no laughing matter. It’s time for us to practice good self-care by seeking ways to heal, connect, and renew our minds through our faith-based communities, medical professionals, and the great healer Himself––Jesus.

Author, speaker, educational consultant, and editor–Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed. D. has had her hand in leadership for many years. She loves speaking to groups and delivering messages with a quick wit and real-life stories. Katherine is a freelance writer/content editor, a content editor/writing coach for Iron Stream Media, and a sensitivity reader for Sensitivity Between the Lines. She is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021, 2022). She was a finalist in the Genesis Contest ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers/Romantic Suspense 2022). She is a finalist for the Claymore Award 2022 (Thriller Division) for the best-unpublished manuscript. She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color), AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 and is an art instructor and virtual exhibition specialist for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine is the host of the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel and prequel to her first general market thriller novel, “A Fifth of the Story.”