Sober Synthesis

Creative Health and Healing

“The key to creativity is being in tune with ourselves to really know how we feel in the face of knowing others may feel differently”.

-Rick Rubin

What are the health benefits of creative activities?

• Relieve stress and anxiety
• Lessen shame, anger, and depression
• Increase brain connectivity (neuroplasticity), especially in the left prefrontal cortex, supporting emotional resilience in a way that is similar to meditation
• Release dopamine to enhance well-being and motivation
• Decrease pain
• Decrease perfectionism
• Improve memory, concentration, frustration tolerance
• Improve immune system functioning

How can I get started or enhance my creativity?

• Journal/doodle 
• Stimulate your brain by making it a habit to do things that challenge you
• Unplug from electronic devices
• Increase your heart rate
  • Improves our ability to think creatively
• Listen to lyric free music and ambient sounds (e.g. ocean waves).
• Spend time outdoors
  • Can increase creativity by up to 50%
• Mindfulness activities 
• Be bored
  • Boredom induces daydreams that can promote creative thinking.
• Limit creative options
  • Sometimes having a few boundaries will help broaden your mind.

Examples of Creative Activities:

• Drawing, painting, sculpting, crafting (e.g. ceramics, jewelry, woodworking)
• Singing, playing a musical instrument, creating music playlists
• Dancing
• Writing
• Gardening
• Photography
• Cooking
• Sewing, knitting, crocheting

Possible questions for thought/sharing:

1. How have creative activities supported your recovery/wellness?
2. What emotion(s) surface when you are creating? Have those emotions changed in recovery?
3. What are challenges to starting and/or maintaining a creative activity?

Disclaimer

This summary is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed.