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NEWSLETTER

VOL-II | ISSUE-3 | MARCH 2024

CENTER FOR WELL BEING AND POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Dear Readers,

In a world where getting hurt and disappoint-

ment is inevitable, forgiveness stands as a

beacon of hope, oering solace and healing to

wounded souls. Today, we delve into the

profound topic of forgiveness, an art that has

the transformative power to release us from

the shackles of resentment and pain and lead

us toward inner peace and healing.

Forgiveness is a profound act of self-love and

liberation. When we harbor resentment, anger,

or bitterness towards those who have

wronged us, we inadvertently allow the past to

dictate our present and future. The weight of

unresolved grievances burdens our hearts and

minds, impeding our ability to experience true

joy and fulllment.

However, forgiveness does not mean condon-

ing or forgetting the actions that caused us

harm. Rather, it is a conscious decision to

release the grip of negative emotions and

reclaim our power to live fully in the present

moment. It is a journey towards understand-

ing, empathy, and ultimately, freedom from

the chains of the past.

Yet, the path to forgiveness is not always easy.

It requires courage, vulnerability, and a willing-

Embracing Forgiveness: A Path to Inner

Peace and Healing

YUMNA.QURESHI@IAC.EDU.PK

ness to confront our deepest wounds. It may

involve confronting painful memories,

acknowledging our role in the situation, and

embracing empathy toward those who have

hurt us. It is a process that unfolds gradually,

often with its own setbacks and challenges.

But with each step taken towards forgiveness,

we inch closer to the profound peace and heal-

ing that await us on the other side.

Research in positive psychology has shown

that forgiveness is closely linked to improved

mental and physical health. Studies have

found that individuals who practice forgive-

ness experience lower levels of stress, anxiety,

and depression, along with enhanced overall

well-being. Moreover, forgiveness has been

associated with stronger interpersonal rela-

tionships, greater resilience in the face of

adversity, and a deeper sense of inner peace.

As we navigate the complexities of life, let us

remember that forgiveness is not a sign of

weakness, but rather a testament to our

strength and resilience. It is a gift we give

ourselves, a gift of freedom, healing, and inner

peace. May we embrace the art of forgiveness

with open hearts and minds, and may it guide

us towards a brighter, more compassionate

future.

YUMNA QURESHI

Since ancient time people have argued about

the possible connection between creativity and

mental illness. The ancient Greeks believed that

creative inspiration was achieved through

altered states of mind such as ‘divine madness’.

Aristotle equated insanity with genius. In 1889,

Cesare Lombroso published a book called “The

Man of Genius” (this book represented one of

the rst attempts to analyze the works of the

mentally ill) in which he argued that genius was

a form of insanity. Today the interest in this area

has increased manifold and there is ongoing

research to establish the link between creativity

and psychopathology. Although, there is plenty

of literature in this area, the ndings remain

inconclusive and the debate continues. There

are certainly many creative people who have

some form of mental illness. But not all creative

people have mental illness. Similarly, majority of

people with mental illness have no creativity at

all. But, let’s see rst what we mean by creativity

and mental illness.

Creativity comes from the Latin word creatus,

literally “to have grown”. Producing or bringing

about something partly or wholly new; invest-

ing an existing object with new properties or

characteristics; in imagining new possibilities

that were not conceived of before; and in seeing

or performing something in a manner dierent

from what was thought possible or normal

previously.

Mental illness or mental disorder are terms used

TANVIR_RANA@ HOTMAIL.COM

to refer psychological pattern that occurs in an

individual and is usually associated with distress

or disability that is not expected as part of

normal development. A number of mental

disturbances, such as Depression and Persoznal-

ity Disorders etc. are very common psychologi-

cal problems of the modern era (ICD-11

&DSM-VTR)

Many researchers have attempted to answer the

question, whether creative individuals vulnera-

ble to mental illness? One of the pioneer studies

in this area was conducted by the psychologists

Rushton (1961) and Andreason (1987) found

that creativity is correlated with intelligence and

psychosis. Similarly, Ludwig (1989), in his paper,

Reections on Creativity and Madness,

concludes that although not a prerequisite, a

touch of madness could enhance creativity.

Ludwig (1995) in his book, The Price of Great-

ness: Resolving the Creativity and Madness Con-

troversy examined the lives and achievements

of over 1000 extraordinary men and women and

concluded that creative people suer from more

mental diculties then ordinary people. Eysen-

ck (1995), Wills (2003) and Janka (2004), both

argued that madness and genius are common

traits of creative individuals.

Felix (1994), in his landmark study of 291 worldly

famous people highlighted who suered from

psycho-pathology. Among them, few important

names are given in each category.

Composers: Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schoen-

berg, Wolf, Beethoven and Wagner…….

Scientists: Darwin, Pasteur, Bell, Galton, Newton

and Mendel………

Philosophers: Emerson, Heidegger, Wittgen-

stein, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Marx, and Russell,

Politicians: Churchill, Gladstone, De Gaulle,

Mussolini, Nehru, Stalin, Disraeli, Hitler, Ataturk

and Lincoln…….

Artists: Picasso, Rossetti, Van Gogh, Charlie

Chaplin and Monore….

Writers: Dickens, Hardy, Huxley, Hemmingway,

Kipling, Sartre, Fitzgerald, Tolstoy, and Twain etc.

Furthermore, Ferry and Daniel (2014) have also

highlighted list of creative people, having some

form of psychological disturbances that is also

similar to the list of the Felix as mentioned

above. Accordingly, Whiteside (2013), suggests

that the brains of creative people appear to be

more open to incoming stimuli from the

surrounding environment, whereas other peo-

ple’s brains might shut out this same informa-

tion through a process called “latent inhibition”.

To sum up, Emil Kraeplien, the German psychia-

Creativity & Mental Illness

Prof. Dr. Tanvir Ahmad Rana

Consultant Psychiatrist & Professor of Mental Health

Staffordshire University (UK), & Wagner College, New York

trist, also emphasized the positive outcome of certain psychological disorders. Finally, American

philosopher William James, wrote: “When a superior intellect and a psychopathic temperament

coalesce, we have the best possible outcome in the form of genius”.