Essay On Amy Winehouse

The mentally ill often live in darkness, however there can be a mask, covering any sign of weakness. That mask comes in many forms but there is not one which sticks out like creativity. Poets, artists, musicians and writers everywhere have been found to suffer from various mental illnesses. Even world known stars struggle with something so intense. Amy Winehouse was a woman on a mountain of success, from a beautiful voice to numerous Grammy Award’s, but somehow it could all hide her underlying downfall. The life of Amy Winehouse was spent battling manic depression and addiction, but somewhere in all the darkness, she found a light in her world through music.

Mental illness is a condition that interferes with a persons thinking, feeling, mood, reliability and daily functioning. Conditions usually create a lesser capacity for coping with ordinary needs in life. However, it does not relate to a persons character or intelligence. With no treatment of the mental illness, it can lead to various consequences including unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. The impact of a mental illness on someones life can be reduced with the right treatment and care. (“What is Mental Illness”)

Dating back to 4th century B.C., links between mental illness and creativity have been documented. Dr. Arnold Ludwig of the United Kingdom examined the lives 1,004 people. The test confirmed a significantly higher prevalence of mental illness in individuals involved in creative professions (poets, fiction writers, visual artists, musicians, composers and those involved in theaters) than those in other professions (business, public office, exploration and natural scienc...

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...inutes of the announcement of her death, people began arriving at her home, leaving flowers and personal messages. Her father made a personal visit to the scene saying thank you to all her fans. Amy’s demons both inspired her greatest successes and yet tragically may have led to her downfall. But all Winehouse wanted was to make a mark in the world of music leaving touching words for us all “My greatest fear is probably dying with no one knowing of any contribution I ever made to creative music” (“The Untold Story”)

So many experience a damaging mental illness and very few are able to find good in their suffering. Despite substance abuse, Amy Winehouse faced manic depression openly allowing her to succeed in her music career. She created a light in her world, ultimately leaving behind a wonderful life where the battle against the demons was almost won.