Our brain loves to be creative. Activities that allow you to express yourself aren’t just fun; they can actually be quite healing as well – which is why things like ‘art therapy’ exist.
One of the ways things like creative writing, dancing, music and art can help is they actually alter your brain waves and create different mental and emotional states, especially if you get ‘absorbed’ in the activity.
The second way these activities help is by acting as distractions, which are sometimes a helpful way to break a worry cycle or help shift your mood.
The third way they help is by allowing you time to process and gain insights into your thoughts, feelings or behaviours. Having insight can help you break patterns and form new habits. These insights play an important role in creating ‘meaning’.
Being able to create meaning from a negative experience is a great way to be more resilient and is an important part of post traumatic growth – not just surviving a trauma, but actually thriving!