Fixing Our Brains Through Creativity
Photo credit: Maxim Ilyahov
As a busy college student with an increasingly short attention span, I don't watch long-form YouTube videos that often anymore. But there are still a few choice channels that I do still watch, with Jenny Mustard being in the top three. Recently, I was watching one of her latest videos, and something she said really struck me. When discussing her scrolling addiction, she stated, "When I write [...], I have zero problems putting my phone away and not looking at it for hours. It is something about creativity that cancels this like, phone addiction of mine."
I'm not sure what, but something about that statement made me stop and think. I instantly began to wonder what the connection is between being creative and controlling addiction. So I paused the video and began doing some research. In this post, I will discuss the ideas that I've begun to form based on the information I've found. I'll put a disclaimer here that I'm not a doctor or a scientist, just a curious person. I am of course capable of forming incorrect conclusions, but I hope that these ideas will be helpful to some.
First of all, according to Johnson & Wales University, one of the main parts of the brain that controls creativity is the prefrontal cortex. Creativity, as anyone who experiences it actively would know, is highly complex; as such, it is controlled by various portions of the brain, so there is not one piece of us that is entirely responsible for keeping our creativity alive. Still, the prefrontal cortex is especially active in the processes of decision-making, problem-solving, self-reflecting, and dealing with emotions, all of which are fundamental parts of the creative process. Furthermore, the part of the brain that causes addiction is also the prefrontal cortex; it is where "compulsive activity happens due to a reduction in impulse control," according to the San Antonio Recovery Center. Again, there are multiple areas that affect addiction, but the prefrontal cortex is an important one since it controls decision-making. (It should also be noted that these functions are not the only ones that the prefrontal cortex serves).
Based on my knowledge of neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain's pathways to strengthen or weaken depending on one's thoughts and activity), the logical conclusion to me is that practicing creativity can bolster the prefrontal cortex's ability to regulate impulse control. In simpler terms, creativity builds the "muscles" of the brain that are necessary to overcome addictive habits. The St. Gregory Recovery Center offers the additional explanation that creativity also helps the brain regulate emotions. This, as mentioned previously, is a function of the prefrontal cortex, so this explanation is another reason for why creativity strengthens one's ability to resist addiction; stronger emotional regulation leads to stronger impulse control.
It is commonly known that many creatives, especially famous ones, often deal with drug and/or alcohol addictions. It is also usually perceived that these substances are the source of their creativity, or at least that they enhance it in some way. However, creativity and addiction do not work together. They battle each other in the brain, and one of them will be victorious. When talking about cocaine addiction specifically, David Bowie said, "I felt that it probably helped me break out of [...] my inhibitions; but of course it doesn't, it just throws you into a real quagmire of psychic and emotional hell [....] It's fashionable to say 'Well, you wouldn't have been able to write those things if you weren't on drugs and all that,' you know, and I just doubt that's really the truth at all." There are individuals in the world, some of which I am myself acquainted with, who believe that they are incapable of reaching their full creative potential without the use of addictive substances. Despite those claims, I believe that creativity comes from within and that it is something we can exercise like any other physical or mental function. It is not a light bulb switching on, it is not a bolt of lightning striking the ground, it is not a perfect storm of any kind. Practice and experience, as well as the willingness to be yourself, are the ingredients for a healthy and productive creative process, even though those ingredients are bereft of the electric eccentricity that so many associate with the act of being creative.
So, what can we do in our daily lives to gain control of our brains and make sure creativity wins the battle? There is no single right answer, but I have some ideas of what could potentially help. Like Jenny Mustard, my addictive behavior is spending too much time on my phone. However, unlike her, writing does not automatically put me into a trance-like state that eliminates my reliance on screen time. As such, I have to think of habits that counteract my screen addiction and aid creativity. One thing I do is limit the number of times a day I'm "allowed" to open certain apps, such as Instagram or Pinterest. Some people also use the time restriction feature on their phones to only allow X amount of minutes on those time-consuming apps. I find that my method works well for me, but others who struggle more with self-regulation may prefer the time restriction method. Another habit I have been fostering since returning to an energy-draining full-time standing job is journaling on my breaks instead of scrolling on social media. When I take breaks at work, I find that I have the impulse to turn to my phone for mindless entertainment. But I'm discovering that doing so does not allow my mind to rest, which in turn causes me to feel completely burnt-out by the time I get home. To fix this, I've created a Google Doc to write down any random thoughts that come into my head during my breaks. This habit makes me feel rested and satisfied, and it also prepares my brain for an evening of creative work. It's sort of like doing mental stretches throughout the day to keep myself ready for a more intense brain-workout session.
The beautiful thing about the human brain is that every single one is different. But as amazing as that is, this fact also poses a challenge since there is no one-size-fits-all cure for addictive behaviors. There are many different ways to be creative, and there are also many ways to be addicted. I myself have an ever-changing brain that responds well to certain good habits for a while, but then gets tired of them and has to replace them with something else. Anyone reading this will need to come up with their own answers of what works for them to help creativity beat addiction. So, what are some productive habits you can practice in order to break the not-so-productive ones? How can you use your artistic skills to heal your brain from whatever is dragging it down?
My next post will include more on writing while working full-time, so keep watch for that one if you want to hear more about staying creative even when you're tired.
Sources:
"Anti-Craving - I'm making better choices." Jenny Mustard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR8ZFj7zM9Q&t=240s
"Unlocking the Power of the Mind: The Brain Region Behind Creativity and Imagination." JWU. https://online.jwu.edu/blog/unlocking-power-mind-brain-region-behind-creativity-and-imagination/
"What Part of the Brain Causes Addiction?" San Antonio Recovery Center. https://www.sanantoniorecoverycenter.com/rehab-blog/what-part-of-the-brain-causes-addiction/
"Conquering Addiction with Creativity: How Creative Outlets Can Support Sobriety." St. Gregory Recovery Center. https://stgregoryctr.com/blog/creativity-can-support-sobriety/
"David Bowie interview on Australian TV 2004." sysplex. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahT4xFY49w4
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