Distraction versus Immersion

Creativity as a form of hypnosis 

Creativity for self-care

5 ways that can get your creativity flowing

My personal experiences of creativity and how I use them in my practice

Creativity as a Natural High

Have you ever noticed that when you are being creative you are more relaxed? Have you experienced that feeling of contentment, with a rush of happiness and accomplishment at the end?

Research has shown that when we are creative in some way it causes the brain to release the hormone serotonin. Serotonin is our feel good hormone; it helps us to feel satisfaction, happiness and optimism, thereby improving our mood. Because of this, it can reduce anxiety, stress and low mood. When we have completed our creative task, that feeling of being finished and having a product we are happy with, will release dopamine from the brain. Dopamine is our natural anti-depressant; helping us to feel good and happy. It can also help us with motivation, in so doing it powers us on to do other things.

Distraction Vs Immersion

I chose this title because I felt that these two points are very important when it comes to creativity helping our mental health. So what do I mean when I say distraction? You may have experienced anxiety before and felt those crippling physical effects or you may have something difficult on your mind and keep going over and over the same thoughts. It is common for us to cause our mental health to worsen, by thinking negatively about it and not allowing the thoughts surrounding it to leave our minds. When we do this, the brain responds to our thoughts and releases further stress hormones, thus causing us to feel more stressed or anxious. The process of being creative, will act as a distraction for the brain because the focus is on the creative activity. This means that the focus will move away from the negative thoughts and those stress hormones are less likely to be released, allowing us to feel happier and more relaxed. 

Have you ever been so immersed in something that you don’t even hear when somebody says your name or you’ve forgotten what time it is? 

When we are immersed in something, we are able to put all of our focus and attention into that one task. Research has found that the average person has 60,000 thoughts in one day. When we are creative, it allows us to channel our thinking into just one thing, and something that we have an interest in. When we are immersed in the process of creativity it means that the brain is focusing on one thing and any negativity is lessened, or even channelled into our work. 

This can help people to process trauma for example by writing about the trauma and the feelings it presented them with, or maybe they might be creating something physical to help them express their feelings if they are unable to put them into words. 

Creativity as a form of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a form of relaxation; a state of mind when only one thing has the focus of attention.  The relaxation side of hypnosis is similar to the level of relaxation achieved when meditating, so it can have great benefits on the body. Imagine a body which, for the most part of the day is subjected to physical stress or mental stress. A body that is put through work of some kind throughout the day and then comes home to tidy the house, play a computer game, go to the gym and the list goes on… 

Our bodies were not designed to go through the huge amounts of stress we put them through, therefore relaxation of any kind is extremely important. It reminds the brain that the body can relax and it helps to release some feel-good hormones at the same time.

When you are deep in creativity (of any kind), it can help you to relax, allowing the body to rest and the mind to focus on only one thing, thus resting the mind too. 

Creativity for Self-Care

How often during the day do you do things for other people? Whether that be through your job or home life? Self-care is often spoken about as a way of looking after ourself and our mental health. It can lessen feelings of overwhelm, depression and anxiety and help us to feel loved.

When you are working on something that you enjoy and something JUST for you, it is a form of self-care. You might use that creativity to make a physical object or create a piece of writing or music. Whatever you choose to do, it is something you can be pleased and proud of when it is finished. This helps again to release those feel-good hormones and gets you feeling happier.

5 Ways to be Creative

Do you find yourself saying “I wish I was more creative”? “If only I could create something unique”? If you are finding it difficult to know where to start or feel you need some inspiration for creativity here are my 5 ways to be creative.