Anxiety, Depression, and Art

There are a lot of topics that are off limits to discuss in American culture.

We’re basically taught to steer clear of talking about things like death, mental health, sex, religion, and politics. You know, the stuff that gets people riled up or makes them super uncomfortable and sometimes extremely angry.

Bringing up these taboo subjects can even lead to people acting out aggressively. And honestly, with the way things are right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some of that in the coming days or weeks. I’m really hoping it doesn’t happen, but I’m not holding my breath.

In this post, I’m going to address one of the big ones: mental health issues and the death anxiety connection.

DEATH ANXIETY & MENTAL HEALTH

I would propose that, like death, mental illness is something we don’t understand. The human brain is very complex. It will be a long time before we can address mental health issues like a broken leg or a common cold.

We’re frightened of things we can’t explain or understand. We typically repress them or make something up to explain them (i.e., conspiracy theories).

We live in a death-denying culture. We lie and deny all of the time about uncomfortable facts. Humans generally don’t seek truth; they seek out what makes them feel good; this is called confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that involves favoring information that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. It causes people to seek out, interpret, and remember evidence in a way that reinforces their views while disregarding or downplaying information that contradicts them. This bias can influence decision-making and perception, often leading to flawed conclusions because it limits a person's ability to objectively evaluate information.

In their book Denial: Self-Deception, False Beliefs, and the Origins of the Human Mind, Ajit Varki and Danny Brower present a compelling theory that denial and self-deception are integral components of human evolution. They propose that the capacity for self-awareness combined with an understanding of mortality should have led to debilitating levels of anxiety, potentially preventing early humans from functioning effectively or thriving.

To cope with this awareness of death, humans developed a psychological mechanism of denial. They contend that by suppressing their constant anxiety over mortality, humans were able to innovate, take risks, and pursue their goals without feeling paralyzed by fear. Lying and self-deception, as extensions of this denial, became adaptive traits, contributing to the survival and advancement of human beings.

They suggest that these traits are essential for human society but come with significant consequences, such as the persistence of irrational beliefs and the difficulty in addressing existential truths. Which brings me to my point.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Depression and anxiety are two sides of the same coin. I know about both of them.

This is not about the “madness” of creative people or some old trope about being mentally ill as a great way to access creativity. I don’t buy into a lot of that nonsense. I don’t believe it works that way at all. In fact, I would argue the exact opposite: art is created to quell existential concerns, not because of them. The cart and horse analogy would apply here.

For most of my adult life, at least since my mid-to-late twenties (post military), I’ve suffered from anxiety and sometimes depression. It’s varied in form; sometimes completely disabling and other times only mild and kind of an inconvenience.

“Man stands face to face with the irrational. He feels within him his longing for happiness and for reason. The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.”

— Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

I never know why or when it’s going to show up. There is always a "rumble,” just below the surface, and I’m never really completely free from it. The anxiety part is the biggest problem for me. I do turn to making art when it hits.

Art has helped me a lot. However, since reading Becker and studying terror management theory, I think I have a better handle on what it is and even ways to deal with it from an analytical perspective—in my own way. I try to break down these complex concepts into smaller parts to understand how they work, relate to each other, or contribute to the whole. This helps me. Or at least gives me some comfort.

What causes anxiety or depression? That depends on who you ask. I would answer it like this: When a person suffers from depression or anxiety, the blinders about life are lifted. The person sees and feels the world for what it is—a terrifying, meaningless place. Zapffe used the term cosmic panic to describe an overwhelming existential realization of the absurdity and meaninglessness of human existence in the universe. In essence, the person’s illusions are no longer in place or meaningful. These illusions, whatever they might be, are disabled, and existence reveals itself for what it really is.

That explanation for me is real. I’ve lived it and continue to live it every day. Ernest Becker made it very clear that if we didn’t have illusions or constructs to lean on, we would be in a state of constant dread or terror. He said without illusions to quell our death anxiety, human beings would face a psychological crisis. In his book The Denial of Death, he argued that humans are unique in their awareness of mortality, which creates an existential fear. To cope with this, we construct illusions or "immortality projects" that give our lives meaning, such as creative projects, religious beliefs, political beliefs, and achievements that help us feel part of something enduring or “immortal.”

If these illusions are stripped away (via anxiety or depression), Becker believed that we would experience paralyzing dread or even nihilism, making it difficult or impossible to function or find purpose. This unbearable fear of death, left unchecked, could result in significant psychological distress and societal chaos, as people would lack the comforting frameworks that provide a sense of continuity and hope. In essence, our illusions shield us from the raw awareness of our impermanence, allowing us to live more manageable and motivated lives.

Art and a creative life give me meaning and purpose. Do I know, intellectually speaking, that my art is meaningless and won’t endure? Yes, I do. However, for me to function every day, I need to make art, and I need to pursue my preoccupation with human behavior.

In the words of Albert Camus, “Man stands face to face with the irrational. He feels within him his longing for happiness and for reason. The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.” The Myth of Sisyphus.

Revisiting Peter Wessel Zapffe and The Last Messiah (1933)

There are several figures in history that I believe are worth a second or third look concerning death anxiety and creativity.

Peter Wessel Zapffe is one of them.

He was a Norwegian pessimistic philosopher who wrote the essay The Last Messiah (1933).

Zapffe was born in 1899 in Tromsø Municipality, Norway. He died in 1990. He was 90 years old. He loved mountain climbing and photography. Norway has archived thousands of his images. He practiced law for several years as well.

It’s not a stretch to say he was an existential nihilist as well as a pessimistic philosopher. He had some very profound ideas about consciousness, death anxiety, and human behavior. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860), a German pessimistic philosopher, had a significant influence on him. Heidegger, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche all had an indirect influence on him.

I’m going to start with a quote from the ending of the essay:

Peter Wessel Zapffe

"The life of the worlds is a roaring river, but Earth's is a pond and backwater.
The sign of doom is written on your brows—how long will you kick against the pinpricks?
But there is one conquest and one crown, one redemption and one solution.
Know yourselves—be infertile and let the earth be silent after you."
Peter Zapffe, The Last Messiah

Let’s break this down.

"The life of the worlds is a roaring river, but Earth's is a pond and backwater."
This suggests a contrast between the larger, cosmic scale of existence ("roaring river") and the small, stagnant, and insignificant nature of life on Earth ("pond and backwater"). Zapffe often emphasized the insignificance of human life in the grand scheme of the universe.

"The sign of doom is written on your brows—how long will you kick against the pinpricks?"
The "sign of doom" portends destruction or meaninglessness for humanity. The phrase "kick against the pinpricks" refers to resisting inevitable suffering or unpleasant truths. Zapffe sees human life as an ongoing struggle against harsh realities, particularly the knowledge of death and meaninglessness.

"But there is one conquest and one crown, one redemption and one solution."
This line is somewhat paradoxical, as it suggests there is only one way to overcome the human predicament—through acceptance of a particular truth, which Zapffe reveals next.

"Know yourselves—be infertile and let the earth be silent after you."
Zapffe advocates for antinatalism—the idea that human reproduction perpetuates suffering. By choosing not to reproduce ("be infertile"), he suggests humanity can escape the cycle of suffering and allow the Earth to "be silent," essentially ending the human race as a way to cease the existential pain.

Zapffe's philosophy is deeply pessimistic, rooted in the idea that human consciousness leads to an awareness of life's absurdity, and the only way to mitigate this is by halting the cycle of suffering through non-procreation. This is in direct opposition to our “survival and reproduction” instincts. He would call those primal and animal like (no knowledge of suffering, meaninglessness, and dying.)

Cosmic Panic

His concept of "cosmic panic" refers to the overwhelming existential terror that arises when humans become fully aware of their position in the universe—namely, the realization of life’s inherent meaninglessness, the inevitability of death, and the apparent indifference of the cosmos. This moment of panic is more than just fear; it's a profound, paralyzing dread that emerges from our awareness of existential truths.

For Zapffe, "cosmic panic" is a direct consequence of human consciousness. While other animals live instinctively and without awareness of their mortality or the broader cosmos, humans are burdened with a level of self-awareness that allows us to comprehend our finite existence. This awareness can lead to a deep sense of horror as we confront questions of purpose and the randomness of life.

To avoid this state of cosmic panic, Zapffe believed that humans instinctively employ various coping mechanisms (see below; isolation, anchoring, distraction, and sublimation) to suppress the terror of existential awareness. Without these defenses, he argued, we would be left to confront the full weight of our existential insignificance, a confrontation so destabilizing that it would lead many to despair.

The Coping Mechanisms Used to Buffer Death Anxiety and Get Through Life

I’m most interested in his coping mechanisms for death anxiety. They are very much in line with Ernest Becker. I often wonder if Becker read Zapffe. I bet he did. Zapffe describes four coping mechanisms people use to deal with the painful awareness of life’s absurdity and the inevitability of death. He argues that human consciousness and self-awareness bring a unique existential burden, which we struggle to endure. To address this, he identifies four key methods we use to suppress our awareness of life's tragic nature:

Isolation
Isolation involves consciously suppressing disturbing thoughts or situations that remind us of life's inherent meaninglessness. By avoiding or ignoring thoughts of mortality or deep existential fears, we keep ourselves from confronting uncomfortable truths.

Anchoring
Anchoring refers to creating or clinging to a framework of meaning that gives us stability in life. This might include religious beliefs, cultural norms, or personal goals that provide a sense of purpose or direction. By attaching ourselves to a specific ideology or worldview, we prevent our minds from drifting into despair.

Distraction
Distraction is the practice of diverting attention from troubling existential concerns through various forms of engagement. People often use work, entertainment, social activities, or even compulsive behaviors to avoid deep reflection on life’s deeper, often unsettling questions.

Sublimation
Sublimation is the process of channeling existential anxieties into creative or intellectual pursuits—I use this all of the time. Rather than confronting death anxiety head-on, individuals may transform these concerns into artistic, philosophical, or scientific work. By doing so, they engage with the darker aspects of existence in ways that feel productive and meaningful.

He believed these mechanisms were essentially defense strategies, helping us cope with existential dread and the awareness of our limitations. He maintained, however, that these methods could only provide temporary relief, as the underlying truths remain, inevitably surfacing throughout our lives. Becker said the same thing essentially. There's no escaping the world as it is all of the time, only temporary relief.

Check out this video: “Peter Wessel Zapffe: The Norwegian Existentialist.” Tim Oseckas addressing the Existentialist Society in September 2024. Tim did a great job here. It was a pleasure listening to his research on Zapffe. Thank you, Tim!

The Irish Elk Story

And the final idea I want to address is his story about the Irish elk—he said, "certain deer in paleontological times succumbed as they acquired overly-heavy horns." This story was very profound to me when I first read it, and it has been in my head ever since.

He uses the Irish elk as a metaphor to illustrate the self-destructive consequences of evolution unchecked by pragmatic limits. The Irish elk, now extinct, had massive antlers, which grew to such an extreme size that they eventually became a liability. Though the antlers helped attract mates, they became a burden in the elk’s environment; they were cumbersome, made movement difficult, and ultimately contributed to the species' extinction as they hindered survival.

“Deer Antlers,” 2022—my tribute to Zapffe’s philosophy on our overabundance of consciousness.

Zapffe draws a parallel between the Irish elk's oversized antlers and the human consciousness (being aware of mortality). Just as the elk’s antlers became an evolutionary overdevelopment with disastrous results, Zapffe argues that human self-awareness—our ability to reflect on life’s meaning, confront death, and ponder the universe—has led to a psychological burden we are poorly equipped to bear. This consciousness, in Zapffe’s view, is an evolutionary trait that goes beyond practical needs, creating existential dilemmas that provoke anxiety, dread, and despair.

In essence, Zapffe suggests that consciousness, like the elk’s antlers, is an overextension of evolution that, while beneficial in some respects, also leads to suffering and potentially self-destructive behaviors.

Peter Wessel Zapfee making photographs.

Peter Wessel Zapfee photograph.

Rituals and Selfies: Creating Shields and Seeking Immortality

A constant stream of thoughts go through my head about human behavior related to death anxiety and the denial of death every day, almost all day—or most of the day.

I would like to think that I am observing, not judging. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I would like to think I’m (mostly) objective.

The things of considerable importance to me are the concepts of epistemology and critical thinking. I like evidence and reason, too. Therefore, when I witness irrational or unreasonable behavior or thinking, it affects me deeply. And I see a lot of it. All of the time.

These streams of thought are usually productive, or at least beneficial, to start a piece of art or to write about. Sometimes, it’s simply connecting the dots and ending up in a feedback loop that I can’t break. Input and output. Output cycled back around as input. Do you get it?

Here’s one that keeps coming back to me most every day—I think writing it out might purge it from my mind.

Ernest Becker said, “I think that underneath everything that is at stake in human life is the problem of the terror of this planet. It is a mystic temple and a hall of doom. If you don’t see it that way, you’ve built defenses against seeing it as it is.“ Wow! That hits me so hard—I mean really, really hard. Every time I read it, it feels like the first time.

What does he mean?

I think this quote reflects his view that at the core of human existence lies a profound awareness of mortality and the terror associated with it. And if you don’t see it that way, you’ve adopted distractions to avoid seeing it as it is. Period. These distractions (I call them illusions of importance) are prolific.

He captures the paradox of life by referring to the world as both a "mystic temple and a hall of doom," where beauty, wonder, and mystery coexist with the certainty of death. This awareness is the source of deep existential anxiety that drives most human behavior.

Most people build psychological defenses—systems of meaning, beliefs, and cultural symbols—to protect themselves from fully experiencing this "hall of doom." They can function without constant existential terror by distancing themselves from the reality of death. However, Becker believed that living authentically means facing this awareness directly, acknowledging both the mystical and the doom-laden aspects of life. It’s a path that not everyone takes because of the fear and vulnerability it demands, but it can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. And, as a creative person, if you are one.

“I think that underneath everything that is at stake in human life is the problem of the terror of this planet. It is a mystic temple and a hall of doom. If you don’t see it that way, you’ve built defenses against seeing it as it is.”

— Ernest Becker

This idea forms the foundation of The Denial of Death and Escape from Evil (two great books you should read), where Becker explores how our defenses against death influence culture, religion, wars, climate change, and interpersonal conflicts.

Which brings me to my point. One of the ideas I’ve been thinking about is religious rituals (of any flavor) and social media selfies. It sounds like an odd combination, but hear me out.

RELIGIONS, SHOPPING, TV, & DRUGS
First, religious rituals. Religion has been something humans have leaned on to quell existential terror for as long as we have been conscious of our mortality. And most prescribe some kind of ritual or rituals—rules to obey—and are preoccupied with. The “immortality seeking” is strong with religion. Most religions offer some kind of afterlife or immortality. We crave that. Whether it’s symbolic or literal. In the end, we know we are decaying sacks of meat that will die. Psychologically, we can’t handle this—we find ways to deny and lie about it.

In religion, it can be any ritual that’s executed over and over again. I think about Catholic rosary beads, Hindu chanting (Vedic chant), or Orthodox Jews swaying back and forth while praying or reading the Torah; called “shuckling.” The word comes from Yiddish and means "to shake, rock, or swing." Or even praying or meditation for long periods of time. Any of it can be a sign of extreme existential struggles (all happening outside of consciousness).

Organ Mountains - Las Cruces, New Mexico

That kind of constant diversion or distraction is, to me, a sign of palpable death anxiety. To occupy your mind so completely and fully is a sure sign that we want to avoid the thought of death at all costs. The non-religious do it for shorter periods of time, things like movies, shopping, sporting games, and music concerts. Anything that transports you away from the mortal coil and thoughts of dying.

Drugs are a very common way to escape reality too. It’s interesting we use the term “escape reality.” What does that mean? Reality equals “I’m going to die.” After all, the human mortality rate is 100%. Drugs can lead to some pretty bad endings, so not a good choice to use as a buffer. I might argue that with shopping and other activities we use to distract ourselves from “reality.”

SOCIAL MEDIA SELFIES

Social media selfies. I have struggled with this for a long time. I’m amazed at the number of people whose feed is almost nothing but selfies. My first thought is malignant narcissism. However, that's just a fraction of it. To see older people curating their lives and making sure they “look good” for the photo is so obvious to me—it’s like I’m seeing the Dunning-Kruger effect of visual information. In the end, I’m sad about it. I feel sorry for the people. The phoniness, the construction of a life they DO NOT have, and the looks they DO NOT possess (our culture craves youth and fitness—immortality). The fear of death—the fear of growing older and closer to death—is real. And it shows.

I recently read an article in the Daily Mail (British Paper) about a study done in Israel. It said,

“Many of us have phones filled with selfies documenting everything from holidays to duvet days. But what's behind the modern fascination with taking photos of ourselves? Psychologists have come up with a rather morbid answer: fear of dying. Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel quizzed 100 students on the motivations behind their selfie-taking. They found that those who took the most had strong signs of death anxiety, an intense fear of dying that affects up to a fifth of Britons. The experts said they think endless selfie-taking may actually be an attempt to 'preserve a fake feeling of immortality'. In a paper published in the journal Psychological Reports, they wrote, Selfies possibly fulfil a need to remain immortal. One of the behaviours used to achieve feelings of immortality is photography, and nowadays photography is literally on the tip of our fingers.”

I’m sure what they mean by “remain” immortal is looking youthful and good. The idea is that by taking pictures of yourself, you find psychological security in “preserving” yourself forever. They went on to say, “We found the more people were aware (and afraid) of their death, the more they were taking and sharing selfies. Other studies have suggested that people spend an average of seven minutes a day grinning into smartphone cameras for the perfect snap to post on social media.”

So the next time you see a social media account with endless selfies, or even a lot of them, remember that existential struggles are real for people. Moreover, think about how you cope with your knowledge of mortality. You have something you use, or many things; what are they? Are you aware? Or does this happen without your conscious acknowledgment?

How Different Cultures Deal With Death

I’m fascinated with how different cultures deal with death, or mortality.

A haunting song by Wardruna called "Helvegen" explores themes of death, the afterlife, and the journey into the unknown. The title translates to "The Way to Hel," referring to the Norse underworld, Helheim, which is ruled by the goddess Hel. T” The lyrics, sung in Norwegian, evoke the imagery of accompanying a soul to the underworld—a journey that’s both spiritual and introspective.

The song reflects on mortality and the natural cycle of life and death, asking who will "sing" for someone when they cross over, touching on ancient practices of guiding the soul into the afterlife. The lyrics resonate deeply with ideas of communal mourning, remembrance, and the Norse view of the soul's journey after death. The chant-like vocals and traditional Nordic instruments that drive Wardruna's music enhance this somber meditation on mortality by creating a setting that feels timeless and deeply rooted in old Norse spirituality.

You're Obsessed With Death and Art! I Don't Understand What You're Talking About!

Are We Equipped for This Conversation?

The Creative Mind & Mortality: Artists & Anxiety: The RA-4 Color Reversal Direct Positive Process

Greetings!

If you can, join Quinn on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 1000 MST for a conversation about the RA-4 color reversal direct positive process. This is a process where you expose color paper directly in the camera and process it as black and white and then color. 

Quinn will talk about why he uses the process in his latest work, how the process works, and an overview of how to do it. 

He'll talk about the "yellow and red problem with collodion" and how you can control the color in the reversal process. 

It should be an interesting conversation. Remember, you can always watch it later on his YouTube channel if you can't make the live show.

Stream Yard: https://streamyard.com/u7j2qbsnh5

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/U914Syb5UEY?si=48s2SQXQcrVfbG-P

The Creative Mind & Mortality (Artists & Anxiety): Show and Tell

Greetings,

This week we’re going to have an hour of “show and tell.” Tim Layton, from Tim Layton Photography, is going to join us and share some of his work with calotypes (paper negatives) and the projects he’s working on in service of his existential struggles. (https://timlaytonfineart.com)

In what ways do the ephemeral qualities of calotypes (paper negatives) symbolize the human confrontation with mortality and the passage of time?

The paper in paper negatives is like the human body—fragile and temporary, yet it holds the impression of a moment in time, much like our lives carry fleeting memories before they fade, degrade, and decay with age.

Stream Yard: https://streamyard.com/h8xk5frc74

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hySgChnIZNM

Half Animal and Half Symbolic

Based on Becker's theories, I'm excited to share my latest artwork, "Half Animal and Half Symbolic." This is a unique blend of direct positive color photography and acrylic painting. Measuring 24" x 9". The image takes you on a visual journey through the contrast and harmony between representational and non-representational art—or biological and symbolic.

The left side features a photograph of a tattooed arm holding golden-yellow dead grass, highlighting intricate tattoos (look close) against a dark background. The right side is an abstract painting with dynamic textures and warm, vibrant tones that evoke movement and intensity. Inspired by themes of existential struggles (death anxiety and terror management theory) via Ernest Becker.

The photograph is a RA-4 Color Reversal Direct Positive print. The abstract painting is acrylic on paper. It's abstractly mimicking the tattoos in the painting. It's a bit of cubism and color theory mixed up in mortality.

“The essence of man is really his paradoxical nature, the fact that he is half animal and half symbolic.”

— Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

The Creative Mind & Mortality - Artists & Anxiety: The Rock Place and The Hard Place

Join Quinn this Saturday to explore "The Rock and The Hard Place" theory. Dr. Jeff Greenberg explained this theory as it applies to war and violence, but it's applicable to all human behavior and interaction. Listen in and find out where you stand: Are you in the 'rock place' or 'the hard place"? And what does that mean?

Art as a Coping Mechanism for Death Anxiety
Symbolic Immortality through Creation: Artists often seek to achieve a form of immortality through their works. How does the act of creating art function as an attempt to transcend death? You can examine artists who explicitly engage with mortality in their work—e.g., Damien Hirst’s exploration of death in his formaldehyde animal pieces or Renaissance artists’ depictions of death and resurrection themes. Let's see how this connects into the rock and the hard place theory.

Stream Yard: https://streamyard.com/4pxkphp6tx

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eygE9-SXsdo