Living Life As An Artistic Being

Teenagers are at high risk for depression and anxiety. They know what we want to hear, and that is what they often give us. Teens know the buzzwords, and talking about their emotions can be wrongly impacted by their preconceived ideas about what they think we want to hear.

Teens who are good with words can use them as a disguise rather than a method of self-discovery. Furthermore, for other adolescents, discussing feelings may be frightening or uncomfortable. The creative process does not allow for that kind of manipulation to happen. Creative arts get teens out of their heads and into their bodies. The teen brain is wired for creativity. Consequently, creative expression is a natural fit to support thriving in adolescents. Creativity is part of building one’s identity. In addition, it supports brain development. Being creative even reduces anxiety. It makes us happier. Creativity and teen mental health go hand in hand.

The act of doing something creative employs various parts of the brain. That is why being creative enhances connectivity in the brain. Connectivity refers to the relationships between different areas of the brain. A study published in 2014 suggests that people with artistic training have improved connectivity between the two hemispheres of their brains. Creative arts, including music and visual art go beyond the rational mind, tapping into our most authentic self. Adolescents, in particular, are attracted to making symbols and graphic depictions. Therefore, they are more attracted to using art as language than to verbal questioning.”

Creativity help teens develop what is known as divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is a process of generating creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. The creative experience produces a natural “high”. Simply viewing art and listening to music stimulates the brain to release dopamine, the “pleasure chemical”. This is the same chemical that is triggered when we fall in love.

Actively making art or music has a similar effect. In addition, it induces a state of flow, a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. This flow describes the experience of being completely absorbed in an activity. It means participating in a reality that is different from that of everyday life. As a result, experiences of flow are the key to sustainable happiness. Teenagers ascribe ‘happiness’ to their moods when they are able to engage in flow activities that stretch their skills and makes them feel alive and proud. Creativity, in particular, produces flow. Moreover, unplugged creative activities for teenagers offer both flow and a mini digital detox.

Creative arts prepares teens to be creative in other areas of life. It comes into play as teens learn new ways of relating to their past, present and new approaches to dealing with pain, trauma, or difficult relationships.

Riaan Vosloo
High School Art and Design Teacher