ADHD and The Importance of Having a Creative Outlet
I perform in an improv group. I have also been known to write poetry. I also design sports jerseys. Why do I do these things? Because I have a need for creativity in my life. Having something into which I can pour my creative juices helps me stay sane. Without a creative outlet, I get restless and depressed. In short, I need to be creative. In fact, I believe all ADHDers need a creative outlet. Here’s why:
It’s Fun
Being creative and building something is downright fun. If a particular creative endeavor is not fun for you, find another one. We need to have fun. I have previously written on the ADHD brain’s need for fun. Fun makes the sucky parts of life bearable.
Sense of Accomplishment
Being creative gives you a sense of accomplishment. At the end of a creative task, you are able to say, “I did that.” When I get done with an improv scene, I smile. I made the audience laugh. It is enjoyable. When I finish a poem, I take pride in knowing I have taken my thoughts and feelings and made something artful with them. I have never posted a jersey design on my Instagram account and not gotten at least one like. In short, when I create something, I feel good. That helps my self-esteem.
Stress Relief
My creative outlets relieve stress. They say laughter is the best medicine. Laughing at what is created in our improv scenes feels great. In fact, the night before my late beagle’s last veterinarian appointment, I could have skipped improv to spend some time with my dog, but I knew I needed a laugh. So, I went to improv. I have no regrets about that decision. Moreover, when things are dark in my life, I often pick up my pen and write about it in my poems. It helps me make sense of what is going on in my life and makes me feel better. As far as designing jerseys is concerned, it relieves the stress and angst I feel while waiting for new jerseys to be released by my favorite teams. I get to see my designs and what could have been for my favorite teams.
Community
I do not do improv alone. I have a team. Over the time we have improvised together, we have gotten to know one another and enjoy each other’s company. We always have a barrel of laughs when we are together. Additionally, when I was going through my most prolific phase of writing poetry (i.e. when I was my most depressed), I was a part of a poetry community in my area. It was great to hear what others were writing and what they were going through. Furthermore, there is a whole online community of designers of jersey concepts.
It Bleeds Over Into Other Areas of Your Life
What you do during your creative time can affect other areas of your life. I feel like my experience with improv has made me a better coach. Writing poetry gets me in touch with my feelings, thereby allowing me to be a better, happier human being. Designing sports jerseys has led to interesting conversations. It gives me something to talk about with others. Sometimes, I am not sure what to say in conversations, but knowing that I design sports jerseys gives me something to throw out when I cannot think of anything.
But, that’s me. What about you? How can you express yourself in a creative way? What do your creative pursuits do for you? Can you think of any benefits to adding a little more creativity to your life?