i dont think poor mental health influences creativity. It all depends on having a point of view, and the ambition, or desperation, to put that point of view out into the world. Sometimes poor mental health gives you a distinctive point of view, as well as making you desperate to put that point of view out there, so that you can get your feelings off.

However it doesn't take mental health to have a distinct point of view, or to want to put that point of view out there. In fact, when you get down to it, poor mental health can make you quite unproductive.

Here is an interesting scene from the documentary 'Crumb', about the underground cartoonist Robert Crumb. The scene focuses on his brother's work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyK5lfVdwfA

His brother is mentally ill, and as you can see, his illness seems gives him a very unique style (or point of view). More unique than Rob's even. Additionally, it seems to give him a certain desperation to get it out. As it goes along you can see his output become more frenzied and exhaustive. But like I said, poor mental health makes you unproductive; his work eventually descends into incoherence: senseless scribbles packed on a page 'graphomania' they call it. After that he doesn't draw for years, and still lives with his mother into his forties, while little brother Rob went on to be a successful cartoonist.

I believe that it's a myth which makes for a nice underdog story. Artists also buy into it and I think try to procure such stories themselves.
It's not necessarily true though. A lot of the people I see who've talked this talk have very little talent actually, and mostly want to yammer on about the piece to cover up the fact that there is nothing in it.
Sometimes there is a link. It's a very individual thing though.

Mental health could instead be a proxy to "Mental Veil"

As one peels away ideals and illusions accompanied, the schism between the daily and the stripped down reality acts as a fork in the road. One either spirals out of control, or weaves their own amusements on and away.

Attachment is bondage after all~

Another piece of line of thought to make one feel special. No one is really special.

People like stories that they can relate to and that describe a similar situation to their own. People who have depression have an easier time relating to art about depression. I'd say how much you like art made by mentally ill people compared to art made by normal people depends on how mentally ill you yourself are.

>>7143
I think people emphasize too much about relatability when curiosity also plays a role. 'A day in the Life of an Exotic Dancer' will attract more eyes than 'A day in the Life of an Accountant.', generally. Regular people can be curious about how the mind of a mentally ill person works. If it was as much about relatability as some imply, the works of mentally ill people wouldn't get nearly as much general exposure as they do.