Creativity is a wonderful way to help manage your mental health. The ability to create something beautiful and express yourself is a healthy way to channel emotions that may seem too big or overwhelming. Whether it is a blog post, a manuscript, a painting, or even a craft project; it can be therapeutic. Many of the most beautiful pieces of literature or artwork have been inspired by deep emotion. Here are four ways that your creativity can help.
- Putting our thoughts and emotions into words, especially words to share out loud, with others, can be very difficult. Visual art, music, handiwork (e.g., sewing, woodwork), etc., may be the answer in those moments. Often, we feel that we are the only ones who may be experiencing deep emotions. Creating something new out of our emotions can allow us to feel connected to something bigger than ourselves and also know that we are not alone. The idea that we can help ourselves and others through a hard time with our created masterpieces fills us with a sense of accomplishment and community. It is fascinating to see the relationships that can form from sharing.
- Writing (whether it’s journaling, autobiography, fiction) can be simultaneously extremely personal and raw, or it can help to process emotions with a little bit of safe detachment – and it’s a great way to figure out what you want to say to someone. Being able to put words to your emotions helps you process them. Writing a letter to someone who has hurt you, or someone (or something) you are grieving, is a therapeutic way to say what you need to say. You can examine what has been written from a viewpoint of clarity. Plus, it’s not something you even need to send or say aloud. Oftentimes, just the process itself is enough to help.
- Exposing ourselves to art of any kind can prompt emotional experiencing or connect us to emotions we might otherwise be ignoring. Have you ever seen an image, or heard a song, and started tearing up, out of the blue? It’s likely that the song or image freed an emotion you’d been keeping in check. This process allows us to explore our own emotions and determine if there are any emotions that need your time or attention.
- Art can be individual or social – socially, it’s a way to engage in mutual emotional experiencing with others – think of the difference in watching a movie or play from home versus in a theater – the group experience is sometimes more cathartic. Having the option to engage creatively in a group (even virtually) is another way to help us feel connected while processing.
Working through emotions to manage your mental health is not an easy task. With a creative outlet, it helps to ease some of the pressure this causes. Think of your art (in whatever form you are most comfortable with) as a valve that allows you to let some of the emotion escape in healthy increments. You’ll be less likely to be forced to deal with emotion at a less-than-opportune time. It also is a great way to let yourself go and express whatever is going on in your head.