[aquaman]

Hey all:

I've done a search through the forums already, so I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here.

My pdoc put me on Lithium Carbonate. I just picked it up from the pharmacy. However, I've been reading that it severely inhibits creativity. Has anyone noticed this? Is it bad?

My livelihood (writer/artist) depends on my ability to be creative. If Lithium inhibits this, then it might not be a viable option for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm open to taking it, I just don't want it to inhibit my cognitive functioning.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[SunAngel]

Originally Posted by aquaman

Hey all:

I've done a search through the forums already, so I hope I'm not beating a dead horse here.

My pdoc put me on Lithium Carbonate. I just picked it up from the pharmacy. However, I've been reading that it severely inhibits creativity. Has anyone noticed this? Is it bad?

My livelihood (writer/artist) depends on my ability to be creative. If Lithium inhibits this, then it might not be a viable option for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm open to taking it, I just don't want it to inhibit my cognitive functioning.

Lithium didn't agree with me at all, but so many

Seroquel XR inhibited my creativity though.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Lithium didn't agree with me at all, but so many others are on it and it helps them so much. As far as creativity is concerned, I have no idea, but do know that Seroquel XR inhibited mine.

I've been on lithium for five years. I still get tremors now and then, memory problems.. It does effect my creativity a little, more at first . Now it's not too bad. I have not found a psych med yet that doesnt interfere with my creativity a bit or a lot .

[lad007]

I will be honest with you, it is going to have some cognitive effects. I take it and it depends on how you want your life to be. I prefer being stable in my moods, and foregoing the manias and more creative periods, and not ending up in the hospital. You can still be successful, it just won't be so intense.

[Anneinside]

It all depends... are you equating creativity with the productiveness of hypomania (sometimes)? When I think of creativity I think of Kay Redfield Jamison who wrote the book Touched by Fire which has the premise that many truly creative people have bipolar. She has written many books and research articles... perhaps you have heard of her book The Unquiet Mind. Anyway, she takes lithium and remains creative. If you are taking too much then you might have cognitive effects but stopping creativity...no.

[Sophia57]

I was on lithium for many years and it was a miracle drug. I was able to accomplish so much, it got rid of the ideation instantly, and it turned my life around. Then my kidneys started to get damaged, and lithium psychosis on a low dose, probably concurrent with prednisone and another failed drug.

Why don't you give it a try and see how it affects you? If it inhibits your creativity, you can always try something different. I know someone who has been on it for 30 years with no side effects. we are all different.

[vjdragonfly]

I have been on lithium some time now and I don't feel it has inhibited my creativity. I love to do crafting of many types. I think in a way it has helped me to become more focused. It never hurts to try it, like said before, if it causes you problems you can always ask for a change.

[estimated prophet]

lithium really just makes me numb. I used to do a lot of guitar playing. I am not to ceative any more. But it definately makes my mood swings a lot less. Check it out.