Creativity – A Powerful Tool for Managing Anxiety
Writing, painting, drawing, dreaming, puzzling, coloring, dancing, crafting, gardening, sewing, playing music, knitting, cooking…
The average person has around 60,000 thoughts a day. I know it sounds counterintuitive, especially if you’re feeling anxious or not well, who wants to spend energy doing something creative, that is NOT PRODUCTIVE. Well… a creative activity can help channel that mental energy and is often compared to meditation for its calming effects on the brain and body. Even simple actions like gardening or sewing trigger the release of dopamine—a natural antidepressant.
Creativity has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress, and it can also support healing from trauma. Research indicates that writing helps process difficult emotions constructively, while painting or drawing allows us to express experiences that may be too overwhelming to put into words.
Creative practice also boosts joy and a sense of fulfillment. Often, when we engage in a creative activity, we become completely absorbed, losing track of time. This is known as the flow state—a mental space where we feel deeply focused and present. Flow not only lowers anxiety and improves mood, but can also slow heart rate and enhance overall well-being.
But it’s not just getting into the flow that supports mental health: repetitive creative actions—like knitting, sketching, or journaling—help us reach that state more easily and result in tangible creations. Each time you complete something, no matter how small, your brain releases dopamine—the “feel-good” hormone that also boosts motivation. Even if the mood boost isn’t immediate, that dopamine hit subtly encourages you to return to these helpful habits.
Personally, I do creative things every week—without taking formal classes: I garden, sew, paint with watercolors, play the ukulele, try out new recipes, make handmade objects(pottery), and write in my journal. These practices bring me joy, satisfaction, and a deep sense of personal growth. They often help me reconnect to myself, even when everything feels overwhelming.
If you’re not sure where to begin with creativity, I highly recommend The Artist’s Way. It’s a book that gently guides you in exploring your creative potential through reflective exercises and activities.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.