Well said. I think that there's something to be said for the impact of *neurodivergence* on creativity - I do believe that Van Gogh had a unique perspective on the world which meant he saw colours and the environment in a way unlike other people, and that caused him to create his particular style. I believe he was neurodivergent but that's not the same things as "his mental illness caused his creativity" because someone can be both neurodivergent and mentally ill, and even if they ceased to suffer from the mental illness part they would always be neurodivergent. This is not to say he was necessarily autistic either but I am using the word in the sense of having a brain that is wired differently.

Non-autistic examples of neurodivergence include:

- having multiplicity (seeing your self as being composed of many selves, not the same as DID because you're aware of them and it doesn't negatively affect your life)

- having mild hallucinations and distortions of the visual field (as Van Gogh may have had to cause him to see his surroundings with almost psychedelic qualities)

- having synaesthesia

Etc

We should celebrate the positives of neurodivergence while at the same time recognising the difference between this state of being (which is part of the wondrous diversity of human consciousness and experience) and mental illness which is *always* a source of suffering.