Creative Therapy
Creativity is a huge part of modern life. When humans feel stressed about something, they channel it into creating something, like a story, song, poem, or drawing. But why? Why do people feel an urge to be creative when life hits too hard? While it is often just seen has having fun or wasting time, being creative is actually a very helpful form of therapy. This is because creativity can reduce stress, and even help treat mental illnesses.
In the bustle of modern day life, squeezing in just a little time to relax and gather someone’s bearings can be difficult. However, having a creative outlet can be good therapy for the mind. According to verilymag.com, a magazine dedicated to helping women, “Whether it’s writing, baking, gardening, sewing, or playing music, a creative outlet can really improve your mental clarity.” Clarity is the quality of being clear, so mental clarity is a measure of how clear the mind is. This quote shows that hobbies like writing, sewing, and baking can be beneficial to a person’s mental health. Even if a person isn’t into creating things, experiencing someone else’s creative work, through listening to music or reading, can also help. But how, specifically, can the act of being creative help a human with mental health?
Studies show that having a creative outlet can relieve stress and improve the mood. According to verilymag.com, creativity increases control over emotional pain and depression. This shows that being creative can help a person feel better after a tough time. From creating an elaborate masterpiece to just doodling, being creative can help improve the mood of someone who is suffering. This is the result of the person reflecting on and understanding themselves when creating something. Creativity allows a person to understand and develop their interests more, allowing a deeper understanding with themselves, their hobbies, and their limits.
Studies also show that being creative can help prevent diseases like Alzheimer's and heart disease. According to the American Journal of Public Health, chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and depression are caused by high stress levels. CNN also reports that creative activities impact the brain in a way similar to meditation. In a way, creativity is like yoga for the brain. This shows that to de-stress, all someone have to do is to take some time to make something. The finished product, from a poem to a scarf to a batch of cookies, doesn’t have to be perfect. They just have to have fun with the process.
Is there a specific reason why creativity has such positive effects on the bodies of people? Perhaps being creative is a way to help us temporarily forget about the stresses of life. According to lifehack.org, “Many of the physical and mental benefits of creativity involve being in flow, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s term for that state we get into when we are so engaged in a creative task that our sense of time disappears and we temporarily forget ourselves and our “internal chaos.” This shows that the positive effects creativity has on people’s mental health is psychological. When people engage in a creative activity, they temporarily forget about the chaos they may be going through in their lives. This connects to the way creativity seems to relieve stress.
In conclusion, being creative can relieve stress and improve the mood, and even reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. This may be the reason many people turn to creative hobbies. At first glance, creativity and its health benefits might only appeal to neurologists, who study the brain, and doctors and therapists when trying to find new treatments for disease or depression. However, this topic should appeal to anyone who’s looking for a way to calm down after a rough time. This especially includes teenagers, who have a lot to go through and figure out in their pre-adulthood phase. A lot of stressful things can happen, especially in middle and high school. When life hits where it hurts, it’s good to take some time off and relieve the stress by creating something.
Works CIted
Kirsten Nunez, Verily Magazine, 5 Proven Ways Creativity is Good for Your Health
Colette DeDonato, How Being More Creative Improves Your Mental and Physical Health
Julia Furman, Personal Experience
Comments
No comments have been posted yet.
Log in to post a comment.