An important video, from depression counselor & survivor Douglas Bloch, on the role of creativity in healing depression & anxiety. Please watch!

[Fuzzybear]

[ShiningOne]

I'm quite skeptical about authors offering their "self help" way of overcoming depression because they seem to only work short term and require lots of commitment and effort (which some people can't really afford).

For example, I used to write and draw, but stopped because they required too much energy and focus. Also, I would always be my own biggest critic and tell myself to give up because I was unsatisfied with what I did.

Still, I enjoyed the pleasant video and may even try to get back into my old hobbies.

[venusss]

commitment and effort are free.

If you can afford spend time being miserably, you can afford spend it doing something that you may enjoy, even in the moment.

[ToeJam]

Originally Posted by ShiningOne

For example, I used to write and draw, but stopped because they required too much energy and focus. Also, I would always be my own biggest critic and tell myself to give up because I was unsatisfied with what I did.

This stood out to me and is something that I've struggled with... now I'm only saying from my perspective so if you don't relate please let me know

For me this was a self esteem issue... I like to write, but in doing so I guess I wanted to share... to have it validated by others rather than just enjoying the activity for me... as such the inner critic would lambast my work and I would give up before I really got started... or god forbid I actually showed someone what I'd written and no matter what they said, I'd be looking for hidden meaning and imagine negativity. If they were to be actually critical then I'd be crushed.

At a stage right now I guess where I'm coming from a point where I couldn't really plummet much further and while in hospital I attended creative writing sessions.... I loved it. Wasn't bothered about what other people thought... it was just a back to basics and doing something because I actually enjoyed it.

Same with pottery... can't pot for peanuts but the activity of just bashing some clay about and moulding it into something simple was really quite pleasant.

Sorry for rabbiting on... I just feel from my own perspective that 'not finding time' was untrue 'for me'... it was an excuse... I found time to watch telly/a movie, or post on forums like this... so ummm, yeah

With that said, I am going to pre-empt a response that you are in fact overwhelmed with jobs to do at home as well as work... so, I'm not laying judgement (and please refer to my first section on 'relating'), just giving me some food for thought on how I've experienced things.

[ShiningOne]

ToeJam,

I'm certainly the sort of person who constantly seeks validity through others (even though I really want to change that.) It's especially difficult because I am very sensitive to criticism much like you say about yourself. I'm aware of it and try to control it, but it's sort of become an emotional reaction that's hard to argue away with logic.

[morganjane]

Okay, let me first state that I think this guy is way oversimplifying a very complicated issue...HOWEVER I also believe creativity in some form is coded into our very being and can indeed be very healing. And you don't need to be "good" at whatever art form you choose. Unless you are a professional artist, being good is irrelevant. The point has more to do with stepping outside of yourself, and pouring yourself into the creative work. No one even needs to see it.