Questions & Answers
about Creativity, Mental Illness & Addiction
Where did the Questions come from?
We asked high school students and young adults in Berks County, PA to submit questions about our three topics, and any connections between them. In addition, we are collecting new questions at every installation of our exhibit.
Contribute yours here.
Where did the Answers come from?
The answers here were developed in collaboration with ALBF Board members, Dr. Jonathan Harris (a neuroscientist working in the area of substance use disorder), Dr. Robert Nelson (a psychiatrist specializing in substance use disorder), and Frances Cortez Funk (a substance use prevention specialist working with college students).
Please fact-check us - information is constantly changing.
Any opinions expressed are probably mine (Ann Lemon).
Mental Health
Are there ways to treat depression without using medication?
¿Hay formas de tratar depresión y ansiedad sin tomar medicamento?
Mental Health
Why do so many famous and successful people commit suicide?'
¿Por qué se suicidan muchas personas famosos y exitosos?
Mental Health
What is “trauma”?
¿Que es “trauma”?
Addiction
Isn’t marijuana harmless… or even helpful?
¿No es inofensiva la marijuana… o incluso beneficioso?
Mental Health
What is Medication Assisted Treatment?
¿Que es tratamiento asistido por medicación?
Mental Health / Addiction
What effect do drugs have on teenage brains?
¿Que efecto tienen las drogas en el cerebro de los adolescentes?
Mental Health / Addiction
Is addiction a brain disease?
¿Es la adicción una enfermedad cerebral?
Addiction
What is causing the opioid epidemic?
¿Que est causando la epidemia de opioides?
Addiction
Do 12 -step programs work?
¿Funcionan las programas de 12 pasos?
Mental Health
What is the difference between normal worry and an anxiety disorder?
¿Cuál es el las diferencia entre la preocupación normal y un trastorno de ansiedad?
Mental Health
I need counseling, but I don’t have insurance. Where can I get help?
Necesito consejería pero no tengo seguro médico. ¿Dónde puedo conseguir ayuda?
Addiction
Is it possible to use alcohol and/or drugs in moderation and be ok?
¿Es posible consumir alcohol y/o drogas con moderación y estar bien?
Addiction
I have a friend (or family member) who drinks or uses drugs too much. What should do?
Tengo un amigo (o alguien del familia) que toma mucho o usa muchas drogas ¿Què debo hacer?
Mental Health
What will happen if I tell someone I’m having suicidal thoughts?
¿Què va pasar si le digo a alguien que estoy teniendo pensamientos suicidas?
Mental Health
Do men and women experience the same amount of depression?
¿Hombres y mujeres experiencian la misma cantidad de depresiòn?
Addiction
Is it normal to have things you can’t remember after a night of partying?
¿Es normal tener cosas que no puedes recordar despuès de una noche de fiesta?
Addiction
Don’t all college students drink?
No toman todos los alumnos de la universidad?
Addiction
What else is there to do around here if you don’t drink? Isn’t it boring?
¿Què màs hay para hacer por aquì si usted no toma? ¿No es aburrido?
Addiction
Is vaping better for you than smoking?
¿Es vapeando mejor para usted que fumar?
Addiction
Is the “War on Drugs” racist?
¿Es “la guerra en drogad” racista?
Addiction / Creativity
Do drugs help people be more creative?
¿Las drogas ayudan a las personas a ser màs creativas?
Mental Health / Creativity
Is there a link between creativity and mental illness?
¿Hay una coneccion entre creatividad y la enfermedad mental?
Is there a connection?
We can probably all come up with our own list of “tortured artists.”
Edgar Allen Poe. Amy Winehouse.
Vincent Van Gogh. Tchaikovsky.
Shelley.
BUT… Is there an association?
Or a cause-and-effect relationship?
Do we remove the genius, if we treat the illness?
Or is this a self-reinforcing myth that maybe causes unnecessary harm?
What do YOU think?
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