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 lifelong depression, being told by a top university depression center that they couldn’t help him, and the persistent flicker of curiosity that kept him alive long enough to seek alternative paths forward.
This episode is about more than mental health. It’s about the unique vulnerability of creatives. It’s about how art can both wound and heal. And it’s about the radical act of staying curious about the light—even when it feels impossibly far away.
Connect with Rich at theartistrecovery.com and explore his podcast, The Artist Recovery, on all major streaming platforms.
Rich Wright is an artist, multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of The Artist Recovery, a powerful initiative dedicated to helping creatives rebuild their lives and rediscover their art. Based in Michigan with deep Tennessee roots, Rich has spent his life navigating the intersection of creativity and mental health. From early struggles with depression and a suicide attempt in his twenties to years of therapy and alternative healing modalities, his journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. Through The Artist Recovery, Rich creates space for artists to confront the “dark side” of creativity—mental health challenges, addiction, burnout, and disappointment—while reclaiming renewal, courage, and authentic self-expression. His work centers on vulnerability, curiosity, and the belief that even the smallest light can guide someone forward.
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EPISODE TAKEAWAYS
- Creativity can be both a gift and a burden, and ignoring the mental health struggles that often accompany artistic work only deepens the isolation many creatives already feel.
- Failure—especially public or high-stakes failure—can become a breaking point, but it can also become the catalyst for reinvention and deeper self-awareness.
- Traditional mental health models don’t work for everyone, and healing sometimes requires curiosity, experimentation, and alternative modalities.
- Recovery is not just about sobriety; it can mean renewal, resilience, and reclaiming your identity as a creative human being.
- Even in the darkest seasons, staying curious about the smallest flicker of light can be enough to keep moving forward.