Discovering creativity and creative outlets has been an incredibly helpful element in my mental health recovery.

I have started using various creative methods, including writing poetry and short stories, painting, collaging, and more.

There are five reasons why creativity has been and is so important to me, and I think that if you consider taking part in some creative outlets, you may start to see these benefits as well.

It’s a way to express myself

Struggling with mental illness, I have, and have had, lots of things inside me that I need to express in order to work through them. Doing this creatively allows me to focus on the issue and get it out of myself.

It’s fun

Getting creative is so much fun! The feeling of creating something out of nothing, whether it’s with paint or ink or cut up magazines, seeing something form in front of you is really enjoyable.

It’s a good distraction technique

Focusing on a creative endeavour is a great way to distract from intrusive and/or overwhelming thoughts. I now regularly use this technique to cope with unpleasant emotions

It’s a way to take risks and put myself out there

I’ve always been very shy and timid about putting myself out there, as I have been terrified of rejection or humiliation. This has been so severe that I have isolated myself and never really tried to step outside my comfort zone. Discovering creative outlets and simply enjoying it for the sake of enjoying it has meant that I am more willing to put my creative products out there because I’m less afraid of what people think as it is more for me than anyone else.

It helps me develop new transferable skills

Aside from the creative skills themselves (painting, creative writing, etc), exploring my creativity has helped me to develop confidence, focus, attention to detail, and so on. These skills are transferable to other areas of my life.

Do you take part in any creative endeavours? What do you enjoy about being creative? Let me know in the comments.