Music and mental health: The hidden link between creativity and madness Since ancient times, people have experienced what we now call depression. From as early as 5,000 BCE, in Ancient Greece, the term melancholia referred to what we now   call major depressive disorder, synonymous with experiencing little pleasure in life and feeling low, down, and sad. While the word we use to describe the feeling (and disorder) of depression has changed over the years, the experience has stayed the same. Many great composers have experienced various forms of depression. Robert Schumann is the most famous case of a famous composer who suffered from severe mental illness, including debilitating depression, anxiety, and psychotic episodes. However, multiple other composers suffered from mental health problems. Some composers who suffered from mental health problems include: Beethoven, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Rachmaninoff Composers with Documented or Suspected Issues: Robert Schuma...