Creativity Loss on Medication

mollyyyy · Jun 04, 2017, 12:09 AM

I'm new to this... but I needed some outside commentary on how to rejuvenate creativity while on medication. I'm a writer and a MFA student, but I've lost my jolt. It even feels like I've lost my words. My mind isn't sharp or thought provoking or inspiring.

How have you all regained yourselves while taking medication? Is it possible?

Thank you,
Molly

Wild Coyote · Jun 04, 2017, 11:32 AM

Hi Molly,

Welcome to PC.

I hope you will find info. and support here.
Please make yourself at home. Join in on any thread, join chat, etc.

I am sorry you are feeling you've lost creativity. I think this happens to some people from the meds and/or depression. Sometimes, time helps as some med side-effects diminish over time.

I'm sure others will come along to comment and will be more helpful in answering your question.

WC

Jun 04, 2017, 01:34 PM

Welcome, mollyyy!

It may be a number of things. It may be the particular meds you're on (or maybe side effect that will diminish over time, as WC points out). It could also be that you're a bit overmedicated. That can have a flattening effect.

I have not had diminished creativity on meds. So often you will hear about the opposite, so I hope you can find comfort in my experience, because it means that it is possible. It may even be that creativity is more consistent. I've always been super creative, but there were definite issues with output. When I was up, EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE got made, LOL, but when depressed, jack diddley got done. Now it's more spread out and consistent (I'll still have spells of greater productivity, but remember that even with meds, there will be some swings -- just not as drastic or prolonged usually.)

Espurr1989 · Jun 04, 2017, 01:41 PM

On medication I have had trouble with being creative in writing and being able to focus on a task. I can't offer a lot of help, but I did complete my masters' this past December. My best is to just never give up, and for writing, it helps to go through the whole writing process like they teach in elementary school: brainstorming, prewriting, outline, first draft, editing, and final draft. I dont know if the experience was the same for you, but I know when I was an undergrad, they tended to rush us along by expecting essays and papers to be done in a couple of days, meaning students had to skip over the first two or three of those steps if they wanted to finish by the deadline. That can take a lot of the creativity out of the process as well.

Also, keep in mind that as we get older, our minds slow down a bit too. I know that's not exactly an encouraging thought, but a friend told me that once, and it helped me knowing that the experience is the same for everyone.

Jun 04, 2017, 01:42 PM

I don't have any advice but I feel the same way with my intelligence. Before meds I did well in school and was one of the best math students at my college. After a series of episodes and being on meds I failed half the classes I took and didn't understand anything. It was gone. Similar to my creativity.

Espurr1989 · Jun 04, 2017, 01:51 PM

Yeah, I agree. ^^ Another thing I wanted to say is that it is okay to fail. If you are like me, you haven't really been used to failing and the first time might feel like the end of the world, but it's not. It's only truly failing if you give up on the goal altogether, or don't try to alter your goals into something you can accomplish. You can retake a class and some schools and programs will even let you retry twice before you are kicked out. As long as you are making progress (i.e. finishing a class with an F for the first time) you are still succeeding. All baseball players strike out from time to time, and most are considered very good even if they strike out half of the time that they go up to bat.

Jun 04, 2017, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Espurr1989

Yeah, I agree. ^^ Another thing I wanted to say is that it is okay to fail. If you are like me, you haven't really been used to failing and the first time might feel like the end of the world, but it's not. It's only truly failing if you give up on the goal altogether, or don't try to alter your goals into something you can accomplish. You can retake a class and some schools and programs will even let you retry twice before you are kicked out. As long as you are making progress (i.e. finishing a class with an F for the first time) you are still succeeding. All baseball players strike out from time to time, and most are considered very good even if they strike out half of the time that they go up to bat.

Yeah, it just sucks when every failed class is $600-$900 thrown down the crapper. I'm done with trying to get a degree.

Unrigged64072835 · Jun 04, 2017, 03:53 PM

Hi Mollyyy and welcome to PC!

My mind has taken cognitive hits from meds. I'm in a poetry class and I can tell I'm not writing well, though I'm still getting good grades. At least I'm trying and that's the main point.

Sometimes I can fire up by reading other writers. Or listen to music. Or taking pictures. If I can't express myself one way, I'll try another. Just keep going.

Espurr1989 · Jun 04, 2017, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by escapeartist

Yeah, it just sucks when every failed class is $600-$900 thrown down the crapper. I'm done with trying to get a degree.

Oh yeah, believe me I know. I'm $80k in debt in student loans alone with no job prospects. I probably should have given up long ago.

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