A lot of Americans – nearly half, in fact – are turning to creative activities to keep stress and anxiety at bay.
Be it tickling the ivories, crafting a cozy blanket, dancing up a storm, or solving a crossword, they’re finding solace in doing something creative.
Interestingly, those who think their mental health is excellent are often the ones diving into these activities more often than those who feel their mental health isn’t that great.
A Nationwide Survey on Creativity and Mental Health
These findings are part of a “Healthy Minds Monthly Poll” done in June 2023, all about creativity and mental health.
A group called Morning Consult did the survey, talking to 2,202 adults. The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus 2 points.
The Happy Report: A Rise in Mental Health Ratings
More than three out of four American adults, or 77%, said their mental health was good or even better. That’s up from 63% earlier in the year.
And those who said their mental health was very good or excellent (71%) are the ones most likely to spend time on creative activities.
They do this more than those who said their mental health was just good (50%) or fair to poor (46%).
The Joy of Creating
“Life can be hard. Our jobs and other duties can suck our energy dry, and that’s not good for our mental health,” said Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., the head of the American Psychiatric Association.
“Doing something creative isn’t just for fun. It can help us take a break, use our brains in a new way, and unwind. That paintbrush or puzzle can help us switch gears and relax.”
Creativity: The When and Why
Most people (65%) who took part in the poll said they got creative in their free time. Nearly half of them (46%) said they did it to beat stress and anxiety.
Some did it when they were bored (37%), some while they were working (19%), and some even during tough times (14%).
Top Creativity Stress-Busters
When asked what creative activities they turned to for relief from stress and anxiety, people had quite a few favorites:
- Listening to music: 77%
- Solving puzzles: 39%
- Singing or dancing: 25%
- Drawing, painting or sculpting: 24%
- Crafting: 19%
- Creative writing: 16%
Other popular activities included going to concerts (15%), making online content for fun (14%), playing a musical instrument (13%), visiting art museums (9%), and a variety of other activities like gardening or cooking (11%).
The Power of Positive Actions
“Creative hobbies are a great way to express ourselves and to step away from everyday life,” said Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., the CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association.
“They’re right up there with chatting with friends, enjoying nature, and exercise when it comes to things we can do that make us feel better mentally.
We’re glad to highlight these positive actions and to include them in the conversation about mental health.”
If you care about mental health, please read studies about 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health, and B vitamins could help prevent depression and anxiety.
For more information about mental health, please see recent studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and results showing Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
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