Re: Can creativity be an 'addiction'?

[Guest guest]

Perhaps, it is not accidental that

terms like 'poet's high', 'scientist's

high', 'painter's high' has been in

common usage!

Perhaps, it is also not

accidental that you use terms like

getting our " creative " 'juices'

flowing...

Perhaps, deep down we recognized for

long time that there is a relationship

between the creative activities and the

'juices [which I take to

'scientifically' mean... hormones in

bloodstream] that flow during it and

the 'effect' of 'high' that it produces!

This is quite similar to the effect of

'drugs', Analyzing it little further,

we can also find many other similarities:

- While you are in the middle of these

" creative " activities - you seem to

'forget' all your problems! This is

quite similar to what happens to those

under the influence of a drug.

- While you are in the middle of

" creative " activities " the rest of the

world seems to disappear for you.

- Many of your senses seem to get

quite dulled down, your brain filters

out many signals including body pain,

body ache and even hunger and thirst!

You seem to go on for a long(er) time

without needing food, water or sleep

when under the " creative " spell!

- Even your 'hearing' and 'seeing'

seem to get really dulled [or focused

only what you are doing] - and, you

tend to not hear, not see 'external'

signals!

- You form somewhat of a 'dependency'

on that 'activity' and seem to return

to it again and again for no apparent

reason!

- Initially, you tend to 'deny' that

you are really addicted to it. You

think you are doing it " only " because

its makes you 'feel good' and that you

give it up any time you want!

- You tend to sacrifice things (such

as regular education, career, family

obligations, money, projects,

deadlines) that common wisdom and

logical mind would call more important,

necessary and urgent. You do it in

order to engage in " creative "

activities even when they may not be

bringing any 'external' [such as money

and fame] reward.

It is researched and documented

phenomenon that people with one

addiction tend to get easily addicted

to other. Perhaps, then, it is not

accidental that many " creative " people

are known to be 'flirt' [addicted to

'romantic love']. Perhaps, it is also

not accidental that there is large

percentage of substance (marijuana,

alcohol, drugs) abuse among people with

" creative " tendencies!

In my experience, 'creative zone'

feels very different than the *natural*

state of Peace:

- My experience of Peace is of being

Empty and Available. Being Like Space!

My experience of 'creative zone' is

being very 'absorbed' and being

unavailable to everything else that the

'act' that is taking place right now!

- My experience of Peace is of Total

Relaxation. My experience of 'creative

zone' is of high intensity!

- My experience of Spacious 'no

thought' zone is that my senses get

greatly expanded. I can hear what I

could not hear before. I can see what I

didn't see before. My experience of

'creative zone' is that lot of sound

and sights simply seem to fall out

unless it is related to the activity

that I am engaged in.

- In my relaxed space, I seem to have

an welcoming and loving attitude

towards the whole world. I seem to be

ready, willing and available for all

that the world can bring! In my

'creative zone', I tend to prefer to

shut the whole world out and just be

full absorbed in what I am doing now.

Further, where Peace has a very calm,

still, relaxed and *natural* feeling

inside the body; 'creative zone' feels

intense, focus and 'excited'! I think

that body is definitely aware of the

'juices' that are flowing in during

that time.

I often don't recognize this 'elevation'

of 'juice' level while in the middle of the activity.

But, once that activity has passed I

often *naturally* feel the need to take

a walk, run, exercise or perform some

other physical activity to gets its

'residue' out of my system. It seems

that body too recognizes that it had

been under the influence of an 'agent'!

An 'agent' that it now tries to

'release' [expel] out of its system!

[Guest guest]

And, perhaps, following is the biggest

similarly between the creativity and

'drug use' is:

- You engage in it mainly because the

'effects' that it creates in your

bodymind and not because of the

'external' [such as money, power, fame]

you can get by doing so!

When asked to refrain from " creating " ;

a poet, a painter, a musician indeed

feels quite deprived! There have been

several cases of revolt against

parents, school, society and

authorities to pursue one's creative

" passions " !

This is something that can only be

'understood' by those who have

experienced that 'HIGH " that the

experience of the activity brings and

the 'low' that the lack of it seems to

create! And, to an outside observer it

might look quite silly. It works pretty

much same way with those addicted to

drugs - only they know how it is to

live without them!

It is quite interesting to note that

instances of both the 'influence of

drugs' as well as of being in 'creative

zone' is often characterized by...

Vivid and almost Unrealistic Dreams!

-----

*To understand similarity between the

drugs and hormones and to understand

how their 'effects' can be quite

similar - it might be helpful to note

that some very *powerful* and highly

*addictive* drugs work simply by

changing the 'hormone balance' of the

body! i.e. they work simply by

increasing the flow of one hormone and

decreasing the flow of another hormone

that our body already produces!

[Guest guest]

yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

>

> I agree with this dictionary definition* of

> addiction:

>

> ------

>

> ad·dic·tion : Habitual psychological and

> physiological dependence on a substance

> or practice beyond one's voluntary control.

>

> ------

>

> A practice that I engage in

> against the commands of my rational/

> logical mind just because it makes

> me 'feel good' can be called addiction.

>

> A practice that I engage in at

> the expense of what 'common wisdom'

> [and, my own logical/rational mind]

> might say is more important, necessary

> or urgent can be called an addiction.

>

> When that activity takes little time

> and doesn't damage the mainline [of

> livelihood] it can be called... a hobby,

> a pastime, an entertainment. When that

> activity gets out of balance and

> starts taking time away from activities

> that logical mind says are more *necessary*;

> it works like an 'addiction'!

>

> It is my observation and xperience that

> it gets 'out of balance' quite easily

> and in high percentage of " creative "

> people!

>

> I have seen example of people who have

> practically starved themselves and their

> dependents in order to play music, paint,

> to write fiction or to write poetry. In

> many cases, they have

> done so in spite of hearing from many

> sources that their " creation " has no hope

> i.e. it is not going to reach a wide set

> of audience. In many cases, they have done

> it at the expense of sacrificing their

> main 'career', business and family!

>

> In those circumstances, " creativity "

> does seem to work like an 'addiction'!

>

> We have also heard many stories of

> " mad " scientists, " mad " poets, " mad "

> painters, " mad " philosophers. I take

> " mad " in these phrases to denote someone

> whose behavior goes against common

> wisdom [and logical mind].

>

> I think such people [including myself]

> can then be said to be addicted to

> that 'activity'!

>

> It is a commonly used term and common

> experience that " creative " people get

> " high " while performing their " creative "

> activity such as painting, poetry,

> 'solving puzzles', 'solving scientific

> problems'! And, there also has been research

> linking these activities to the flow

> of certain hormones [chemicals].

>

> I think it is fair to say that

> those people [including me] have

> [chemical???] dependency on these

> activities...

>

>

>

> ----

>

> *

> ad·dic·tion (-dkshn)

> n.

>

> Habitual psychological and physiological dependence on a substance

> or practice beyond one's voluntary control.

>

> The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

for me

LOL

It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

in my plan, schedule and time-table.

My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

LOL

Love,

ac.

[Guest guest]

well. the " truth " might be, that there are people which love and

adore your way of living and others might get nervous ...

i personally love it.

so far you have not died of starvation, right?

lr

> > yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

>

> I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

> for me

>

> LOL

>

> It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

> in my plan, schedule and time-table.

>

> My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

> a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

>

> LOL

>

> Love,

> ac.

>

[Guest guest]

do you have a kind of profession where you " have to " be creative?

> > yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

>

> I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

> for me

>

> LOL

>

> It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

> in my plan, schedule and time-table.

>

> My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

> a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

>

> LOL

>

> Love,

> ac.

>

[Guest guest]

>

> do you have a kind of profession where you " have to " be creative?

Yes... a lot!

They are especially required in " crisis "

situations and that is where I really

excell and have won many awards!

but, still I need to be 'disciplined', 'planned'

, 'consistent' and 'predictable' rest of

the times.

This is where I haven't done too good!

I do think I can be disciplined and

creative! But, discipline has to come

first. I will have to laern to

guide, paln and manage by

creative urge; else, creative " impulse "

would leave no room for anything else.

Love,

ac.

>

>

> > > yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

> >

> > I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

> > for me

> >

> > LOL

> >

> > It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

> > in my plan, schedule and time-table.

> >

> > My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

> > a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

> >

> > LOL

> >

> > Love,

> > ac.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

hm. today i will have one the " number one place " of being addicted

to this list! ooouah i am already sitting here with a retracted

neck. I know i am guilty of writing too much!

nevertheless. i'm not sure if i get you!

does your job have to do with creativity, or do you talk " pictorial "

here?

in the question of getting yourself clear about why u repeatedly

bungee back to old behaviour patterns i might introduce the

transactionsanalysis to you. i found that rather helpul. especially

in combination with something that is called gestalt therapy here in

germany.

love and best wishes precious one r

> > do you have a kind of profession where you " have to " be creative?

>

>

> Yes... a lot!

>

> They are especially required in " crisis "

> situations and that is where I really

> excell and have won many awards!

>

>

> but, still I need to be 'disciplined', 'planned'

> , 'consistent' and 'predictable' rest of

> the times.

>

> This is where I haven't done too good!

>

>

> I do think I can be disciplined and

> creative! But, discipline has to come

> first. I will have to laern to

> guide, paln and manage by

> creative urge; else, creative " impulse "

> would leave no room for anything else.

>

> Love,

> ac.

>

>

> >

> >

> > > > yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

> > >

> > > I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

> > > for me

> > >

> > > LOL

> > >

> > > It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

> > > in my plan, schedule and time-table.

> > >

> > > My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

> > > a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

> > >

> > > LOL

> > >

> > > Love,

> > > ac.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

>

> hm. today i will have one the " number one place " of being addicted

> to this list! ooouah i am already sitting here with a retracted

> neck. I know i am guilty of writing too much!

>

> nevertheless. i'm not sure if i get you!

>

> does your job have to do with creativity, or do you talk " pictorial "

> here?

By " creativity " I mean finding " new "

way of solving a problem [or solving

a 'new problem'] here.

>

> in the question of getting yourself clear about why u repeatedly

> bungee back to old behaviour patterns i might introduce the

> transactionsanalysis to you. i found that rather helpul. especially

> in combination with something that is called gestalt therapy here in

> germany.

I have never heard of transactionsanalysis before

and I don't know what 'gestalt therapy' is really

about.

Love,

ac.

>

> love and best wishes precious one r

> > > do you have a kind of profession where you " have to " be creative?

> >

> >

> > Yes... a lot!

> >

> > They are especially required in " crisis "

> > situations and that is where I really

> > excell and have won many awards!

> >

> >

> > but, still I need to be 'disciplined', 'planned'

> > , 'consistent' and 'predictable' rest of

> > the times.

> >

> > This is where I haven't done too good!

> >

> >

> > I do think I can be disciplined and

> > creative! But, discipline has to come

> > first. I will have to laern to

> > guide, paln and manage by

> > creative urge; else, creative " impulse "

> > would leave no room for anything else.

> >

> > Love,

> > ac.

> >

> >

> > >

> > >

> > > > > yes ok honey, but what do you want to tell us? lr

> > > >

> > > > I think " creativity " works like an 'addiction'

> > > > for me

> > > >

> > > > LOL

> > > >

> > > > It comes at any 'odd' time and creates a havoc

> > > > in my plan, schedule and time-table.

> > > >

> > > > My " attachment " to it prevents me from leading

> > > > a 'disciplined' and 'pre determined' Life!

> > > >

> > > > LOL

> > > >

> > > > Love,

> > > > ac.

> > > >

> > >

> >

>