Is it true that the more creative you are, the harder it is to regulate your emotions?

The short answer to this frequently asked question is, no, it is not harder to regulate your own emotions if you are a highly creative person. As always, however, there are many layers to consider because there are ways in which creativity and emotions interact that can be advantageous but also destructive. 

It is possible to use your creativity to your own detriment. The more creative you are, the more vivid your imagination. It is easier to perceive more negativity, increase bias towards catastrophizing the future and experience a greater worry of criticism and judgement from others. In these situations, your imagination can exacerbate an unpleasant event or interaction and evoke your prophesied nightmares as if they are currently happening to you. Anyone who has a powerful imagination will testify to this. 

Studies have shown that those with ADHD or dyslexia jump from one thought to another with less inhibitions than neurotypical individuals and struggle to press pause at a particular thought, especially those that are negative. Without realising it, they can reach the worst case scenario in their mind and their emotions reflect this, triggering the acute stress response of fight or flight (or freeze or fawn or flop). 

There is an evolutionary advantage to this. Homosapiens are different from other species in the animal kingdom because they have an ability to tell stories and imagine consequences to their actions. Our ability to predict potential future threats by tapping into our current wisdom and experience uses a great deal of creativity and therefore helps us to avoid danger. 

Negative swirling thoughts and emotional dysregulation are certainly not comfortable experiences and unless one has the tools to navigate them, your own creativity may lead you to enhanced experiences of worry, stress, loneliness or fear. 

On the other hand, it is also well documented that creativity in and of itself is one of the best ways in which to regulate one's emotions. Creative pursuits give space for emotional expression and allow one to explore how we are feeling layer by layer, and in deeper, more meaningful ways. 

Studies have shown there are three main ways we use creativity as coping mechanisms to control our emotions:

• a distraction tool - using creativity to avoid stress

• a contemplation tool – using creativity to give us the mind space to reassess problems in our lives and make plans

• a means of self-development to face challenges by building up self-esteem and confidence.

  
  

There are emotional benefits from even a single session of creativity and there are cumulative benefits from regular engagement. And certainly, the more proactive you are with this, the stronger your chance of using your creativity to regulate your emotions. 

When one is highly creative, we have a powerful opportunity to use our imagination for our benefit. We can imagine the best case scenario, choose to engage with the positive aspects of an event or interaction and actively engage in mental images or associations that increase our confidence and help us value our strengths, thereby intensifying our desirable emotions.

The hypnotic process is both valuable and supportive in this process. By being able to enter a state of mental and emotional relaxation, research has shown, we are able to access thoughts, memories and frequencies that are more aligned with our desires and purpose. We can tap into aspects of ourselves where we can overcome the fears and anxieties that act as barriers to achieving our goals. 

Indeed, the hypnosis state awakens creativity within us that may have been previously suppressed. By engaging in hypnosis with a trusted therapist, we can open ourselves up to reframing past events and interactions that have become a blueprint of pain, shame, guilt and fear stopping us from moving forward in our lives. Studies have shown that by reframing or reinterpreting past emotional events, we drastically enhance our ability to regulate our emotions, feeling more confident, calmer and in control when similar events reoccur. This process in itself requires great creativity. 

Perhaps when reading this, your desire to research and find out more about this field has been awakened. Or perhaps you feel a sense of relief that your question has been answered. For me, knowing this information has inspired me to undertake pursuits that I was taught were a ‘waste of time’ when younger. Activities that feed my soul, nourish my body and awaken new parts of my mind. Life is a thrilling adventure, and I want to explore it in as many ways as possible. 

References:

 Hovde, M. (2022) Do people with ADHD think more quickly? https://psychcentral.com/adhd/do-people-with-adhd-think-more-quickly#adhd-thinking-faster. [Accessed 27.09.24]

Harari, Y.N. (2014) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Random House.

 Ucl (2022) Creative activities help the brain to cope with emotions. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2019/may/creative-activities-help-brain-cope-emotions. [Accessed 27.09.24]

Reynolds, E. (2024b) 'Reappraisal' strategy for regulating emotions can also boost creativity. https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/reappraisal-strategy-regulating-emotions-can-also-boost-creativity. [Accessed 28.09.24]