#107 - Rich Wright: The Dark Side of Creativity—and the Way Through

About this episode

Rich Wright discusses the intersection of creativity and mental health, sharing his personal journey through depression and recovery.

Content Note: This conversation includes discussion of suicide and severe depression. Please take care of yourself while listening. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States or a local crisis resource in your area. In this deeply vulnerable episode of Was It Chance?, we sit down with Rich Wright, founder of The Artist Recovery, for an honest conversation about creativity, depression, suicide, and the courage it takes to stay curious about hope. Rich shares how his creative instincts showed up early—from reverse-engineering fashion designs in his mind to launching his own clothing line with zero formal training. But when that venture collapsed in a high-stakes moment at Lollapalooza, it triggered a spiral that led to a suicide attempt and a long journey through inpatient care, therapy, and ultimately a search for healing beyond traditional models. What emerged from that darkness is The Artist Recovery—a platform and podcast dedicated to “bringing light to the dark side of art.” Rich reframes recovery not just as sobriety, but as renewal, resilience, and creative transformation. He speaks candidly about living with…

People in this episode

Hosts: Alan Seales, Heather Vickery

Guest: Rich Wright

Topics covered

• creativity
• mental health
• depression
• suicide
• recovery
• vulnerability
• hope

Keywords

• creativity
• depression
• suicide
• recovery
• mental health
• vulnerability
• hope
• The Artist Recovery
• Lollapalooza
• therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Artist Recovery, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, Lollapalooza, top university depression center

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