HOW CREATIVITY CAN TRANSFORM YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Engaging in creative activities has been shown to have significant positive effects on mental health and wellbeing. A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that individuals who spent time on creative pursuits experienced increased positive emotions and reduced depressive symptoms. Additionally, research indicates that engaging in creative activities can reduce stress and anxiety, enhance mood and improve overall wellbeing.
At Create, we witness these positive benefits daily and regularly hear from our participants about the impact of taking part in our projects on their mood and wellbeing . We spoke with participants from our young and adult carer projects, inspired:arts and creative:voices, who shared their experiences of taking part.
BALANCING A CARING ROLE WITH OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Finding time for oneself while juggling a caregiving role can be challenging. Whether you are an adult or a young person, making space for other responsibilities such as school, work or self-care can be difficult.
inspired:arts is our programme working with young carers, giving them time away from their caring responsibilities to meet new people, build skills and have fun. Aiden (15) took part last year:
“I care for my mum. She has fibromyalgia, which means she has mobility issues; she also has mental health problems. At this stage, doing GCSEs and everything, it’s hard to divide [my] time.”
“It was hard to make time to come [to this project], but I managed to do it. It is challenging, but you find ways to cope.” – aiden
Our creative:voices programme offers adult carers respite and the chance to connect with other carers through the creative arts. Shabana, a participant who cares for her two children, shared:
“I have a 12-year-old daughter who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and she has a physical disability. She requires a lot of physiotherapy day to day. I also have a seven-year-old boy, who has been diagnosed with autism, dyslexia and has sensory processing issues.
Becoming a carer completely [changed my lifestyle]. I lost my friends. I stopped seeing my family because they didn’t really understand what I was going through. My relationship broke down, as it was just too difficult to juggle a relationship and caring. I always came last.”
MAKING TIME FOR NEW YOURSELF THROUGH CREATE’S PROJECTS
Engaging in creativity not only serves as a mindful escape from daily worries, but also offers participants opportunities to create work they are truly proud of.
“I really enjoyed the chance to express creativity. It was good to see our hard work come to life and it actually turned-out way better than we thought it would. I feel very proud.” – Aiden
“it felt nice [to do something creative]. I haven’t done something like that in a while.” – aiden
“Before this [project], I [had] done nothing creative. Last week was the first time I felt confident enough to put my ideas into practice. I saw some blackberries at the bridge mill and I picked them, extracted the dye from them and then used that dye to print some leaves. And it’s because of what we’ve been doing [on the project].” – Shabana
FINDING RELIEF THROUGH CREATIVITY
Due to the pressure that often comes with caring for a vulnerable person, many carers experience poor mental health. Factors such as financial worries and lack of personal time can increase anxiety and other mental health challenges. Studies show that between 40% and 70% of caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression, with approximately 25% to 50% of these caregivers meeting the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
“Without creativity, life would be dull. This project made me happier than I would have been. It’s given me something to do and I’ve been hanging around with friends. So, it definitely made me happier over these three days.” – Aiden
“[This project has] been really uplifting for my mood. I suffer with a low mood, but doing the artwork gives me moments where I feel like my mind is creating space.” – Shabana
I ALWAYS COMPARE IT TO A GLASS JAR, AND MINE’S REALLY FULL, OVERFLOWING AND CRACKED. i’VE GOT NO MORE SPACE TO DO ANYTHING. BUT WHEN I COME HERE AND DO IT, IT EMPTIES SOME OF THAT JAR. – Shabana
These personal stories highlight the transformative power of creativity in enhancing mental health and wellbeing, especially for those in caregiving roles.
The inspired:arts project that Aiden attended was funded by Sarah Jane Leigh Charitable Trust. The creative:voices project attended by Shabana was funded by The Smiles Fund, awarding funds from Walkers and Comic Relief.
