Whether you consider yourself to be a creative person or not, everyone is creative to some extent. We don’t have to be professional artists to be creative; it’s enough to fill in a pattern in a mindfulness book. Here are some amazing ways creativity can improve your mental wellbeing.
Brain Function
The brain looks like a giant walnut, and if you’ve ever seen a walnut, you will know that it has two sides, a left side, and a right side. The brain also has two sides that perform different functions; the left side is for problem-solving, and the right side is for creativity and visuals.
Although some people are ambidextrous, most people have a dominant hand in writing and playing sports. It’s the same with the brain, some people have more dominant problem-solving abilities, and others are more creative. Activities like drawing help to stimulate the right side.
Improves Mood
If you want to improve your mood, then take up a creative project like painting, drawing, writing, or another art form. Creativity helps you connect with your inner flow state reducing your stress and improving your mood. But it’s important to be creative without expectations or pressures.
When you put yourself under pressure to be creative or to be as good as one of your artistic heroes, you can increase your stress instead of reducing it. Give yourself permission to express yourself freely with art supplies and try not to evaluate or judge your output, at least at the start.
Reduces Stress
Stress needs no introduction; everybody knows what stress is because it is so common in our everyday lives. Sometimes stress is unavoidable; an incident occurs in the family or working life triggering stress mode, but how you respond to the stress is an important feature of wellbeing.
Creativity focuses the mind and puts you into a state of flow; in this way, it can be thought of as a form of meditation. When you are feeling stressed, use a pen to start doodling to take your mind off it and process the issue under the surface; writing is also good for stress reduction.
Reduces Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotional state that causes someone to feel intensely fearful, agitated, and energetic; there are many types of anxiety that can range from mild to severe. Stress and trauma are thought to trigger anxiety, but often the cause of the issue is completely unknown.
Depending on how severe the anxiety is, someone might need medication or CBD oil, but in milder forms of the condition, some creativity can make a significant difference. Not only does creativity focus the mind, it also releases dopamine, a brain chemical that counteracts anxiety.
Combats Depression
Depression can be described as a low mood that seems to have no cause, this condition affects people in different ways, but creativity can help. If you are going through a depressive cycle, try a simple creative task to alter your thinking and process any underlying issues that come up.
