Musicians and mental health

A hat tip to Paste for marking Mental Health Month with a list of well-known musicians who've dealt with bipolar disorder, depression and so on. That's Brian Wilson, above, whose mental health issues derailed his career for many years, although he has had a renaissance that has been splendid, sweet and (best of all) long-running.

My issue is the use of the word "brilliant" in the headline. It buys into a depiction that mental health advocates I've interviewed over the years have identified as being a myth - the idea that being brilliant and suffering from mental illness go hand in hand. That's not say they coexist; they definitely do. But there is still a perception that creative geniuses must have that illness for their spark. Sadly, it doesn't do anything for those with mental illness who are not brilliant. No one seems to celebrate their lives at all.