How Creative Activities Affect Depression

When people are depressed, they spend a lot of their time mulling over the cause of their depression which in turn only increases their depression and misery. Depressed people live insular, bottled-up lives and no longer feel the joy of living. So, a simple way to combat depression is to just start living again!

One of the best ways to bring liveliness in to your life is to keep yourself busy in creative endeavors. Being creative does not mean you have to be an artist – as many people wrongly assume. Instead, creativity comes in many shapes and forms. A few examples are:

-Writing
-Painting
-Drawing
-Knitting
-Sewing
-Cooking
-Playing Sports

In fact, even activities like puzzle games, such as word search and crossword puzzle, are also challenging and entertaining especially when played with other individuals. Basically, the point is to find something you can immerse yourself in while enjoying it at the same time.

For many women, knitting is therapeutic and they can literally spend hours just sitting and knitting items. For others, putting their thoughts and concerns down in a journal or a diary can free them from the real world. Many people distance themselves from their worries and depression by going into an imaginary world through writing fictional stories.

Moreover, as you may have heard, people are often advised to meditate to remove stress and clear their minds. However, not everyone may be inclined to siting still and meditating for long periods. Thus, the method of getting oneself caught up in creative things that one enjoys and considers to be fun works like a charm for many people.

Also, keep in mind that it is not necessary for a person to share their work/activities with others if they do not wish to do so. After all, it is your happiness that determines your mental and emotional state – not others. So, as long as you are seeing results, then that’s all that matters.

From a medical perspective, when we perform a task or an activity that we enjoy, our brain releases a chemical called dopamine which is a natural antidepressant. In fact, exercising is also a great way to naturally increase dopamine. So, that might also be something worth giving a shot.