If you look at history, you will notice that the most beautiful works of art often come from the pain we experience. Pain can be transformed into creativity. The beautiful thing is that creativity can also reduce pain. How is that possible, and what can you do with that yourself?
Creativity and the brain
Before you read why creativity can be good for pain, briefly something about the brain. Not everyone is equally creative. Part of it has to do with genes - there's not much you can do about that. But, it is also good to train. We are often more creative than we think. For example, you may be very creative in your administrative work and come up with new solutions!
It is often said that the 'right hemisphere' is the creative hemisphere. That is not entirely correct. Above all, the brain has to work well together in order to be creative. There are a number of networks of brain parts that work well together with creative people. When you have to be creative more often, you train the cooperation of these networks.
Creativity and pain
When you are creative, it leads to new insights. You often combine existing knowledge to arrive at a new insight. For example, research has shown that writing, for example by keeping a diary, helps for a lot of (emotional) pain. But also painting, drawing, or even making a collage can have this effect.
To be creative in connection with your pain, you have to look at your problem from a different angle. Instead of being 'in' your problem, you step out of it. As if you are floating above it, and investigate how you can express your pain in a different way. Which in turn leads to new insights and possible solutions. These new insights can in turn make your brain less likely to sound the alarm. As a result of which you can experience less pain or negative emotions.
Working on it yourself
Earlier on this blog you already found a writing exercise in relation to your pain. You will regularly find new exercises related to creativity here.