- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie openly discusses her struggle with depression.
- In a CNN Africa interview, she shared that the battle almost kept her passion for writing novels silent.
- Revelation highlights the impact of mental health on creativity and artistic expression.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reveals that she is battling depression.
In an interview with CNN Africa, she said it almost kept her love for novels silent.
She admitted: “I was fighting depression. During that time, I was deeply upset. Deeply unhappy. There are ways to try to hide your misfortune, but you know, it’s there. It’s your constant shadow. It’s not a good place.”
One of the toughest parts of that season was the novel she loved deeply, the author explained.
“So, during those years when novels were something you loved deeply, it was just a terrible place.”
She recalls trying to fill the gap with other activities:
“I did a lot of things. I tried to distract myself. I said to the usual things, more things because I just thought the writing wasn’t happening. OK, why don’t I give a speech? Maybe there’s a part, maybe if I go, then I’ll be inspired, then I’ll be inspired…but I won’t come back. I’ll be back and in pain.”
According to her, books and poetry became her safe space.
“But I think I did something, too, like I read books that I like. During that period, I read more poetry because I think poetry really helps the language. But in the end, it’s just waiting and hope. You can’t control it.”
She describes her creativity as something spiritual:
“There are some stories, so I call it the ancestors and souls talking to me. So they are really talking to me right now. I’m so happy to be running around and rapping and dancing for this novel because that means a lot to me.”
Finally, she expressed her gratitude for overcoming that dark season:
“I’m grateful that I finally finished it.
