Creativity Matters For our Mental Health
Creativity matters when it comes to mental health. The book Your Brain on Art is a great resource that covers the impact of art and creativity on the brain in depth.
Below are five reasons why creativity matters for our mental health:
Stress Relief: Who isn’t stressed these days? It takes intention and awareness to live a life with minimal stress. Engaging in creative activities is a great way to find some relief, as they allow the mind to shift focus. Creative activities can often result in being in a flow state. During this meditative, relaxing state, our cortisol reduces, our nervous system can relax, we connect with our intuition, and we can be in the present moment. We can find mental clarity, calm, and feel grounded after just 45 minutes of participating in a creative activity.
Emotional Processing: Sometimes, the words are not there to express what we feel, or it is too uncomfortable to speak about what is deep in our hearts. Art and other creative pursuits provide a safe outlet to express emotions, leading to a deeper understanding of our feelings and a way to release and process challenging experiences and provide healing.
Healthy Dopamine Production: Technology has caused many to develop a dopamine addiction. Dopamine addiction is why we may constantly pick up our phones and scroll mindlessly—we are seeking more dopamine, which ultimately leads to a dopamine deficiency. Engaging in creative activities is a healthy way to release dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that helps improve mood and motivation. It will also reduce screen time since the focus is on being creative.
Resilience Building: Creativity often involves trial and error, which can build resilience. Overcoming creative blocks and experimenting with new ideas fosters adaptability, patience, and perseverance.
Self-Expression: Becoming an adult often results in quieting our authentic self - usually unconsciously. We behave in specific ways to fit society’s expectations of adulting. Creative activities can allow us to express ourselves without inhibition, giving us an outlet for authenticity. When participating in creative activities, we can be playful, childlike, experimental and let go of the worry of judgement. We can allow what wants to come through us and do so onto the canvas, the page, the instrument, or whatever medium of choice. It provides an outlet for what we may often hold within.
There are many reasons why creativity matters to our mental health, the above being just a handful. I hope you will see the importance of creativity and make time for it in your life.