Creativity is an essential part of being human. Contrary to what many people believe, we are all creative by birth. Creativity fuels almost everything we do, from drawing, cooking, all the way to making movies!
However, many of us do not realize the true potential of our creativity, and it stays hidden for the most part. If you don’t engage in creative practices often enough, your mental health will have a negative impact. Using your creative muscles is important to keep you healthy mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Importance of Creativity for Mental Health
What Science Has to Say
When you engage in a creative activity, your brain enters a state of flow. Your mind becomes captivated by what you’re doing and stays in a creative flow. This mental exercise effectively boosts your mental state and reduces your depression and anxiety.
Creativity gives you more control over your thoughts and mind. It allows you to focus better and makes everything more enjoyable.
When you do something creative on a repetitive motion, you gradually become better at it. It can be anything like drawing, knitting, making music, photography, etc. Finishing a creative task successfully will cause your brain’s reward centers to release a chemical called dopamine, which will make you feel better.
Dopamine, also known as the feel-good chemical, is like your brain’s very own powerful anti-depressant. The more creative things you do, the more of this fun chemical gets released into your brain, boosting your mood in the process. It also acts as positive reinforcement!
None of this will happen as often as you need if you stay away from creative practices. Without creativity, you will be fighting a losing battle against depression.
Therapeutic Value of Creativity
Creative practices can help you get through traumatic and depressing experiences. They can keep the anxiety at bay with surprising efficiency. For instance, writing and journaling is an amazing way of exploring your negative thoughts and eliminating them.
Through drawings or even songs, you can express yourself better, which may not be as easy through talking or writing. Creativity gives you lots of ways of confronting your inner demons and fighting them off.
Final Words
If you need help awakening your inner genius and creativity, professionals like Garry Dijon Bowden Jr. can help. His community, known as Dijon’s Dimension, is an excellent platform where you will find all the help you need to unlock your inner creativity.
As you can see, your mental health depends a lot on how much you engage in creative activities. So, be sure to explore your potential, break your creative limits, be as creative as you can to boost your mental health. You will thank yourself in the long run.
Author, freelance writer