Addiction is very powerful. Anyone who has experienced it, whether a loved one, or personally for themselves, realizes how true of a statement this is. It has been researched over and over, the link between addiction and what drives people to it with little real answers. The truth is, anyone can become susceptible to drugs, alcohol, exercise, food, or any number of other addictions. The link between creativity and addiction, however, is now being investigated as to how often people who consider themselves creative succumb to addictive tendencies.
Creating and Addictive Behavior
Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison-just a few of the names of celebrity artists who lost the fight against addiction. It is not limited to a rock-and-roll lifestyle as there are many people who are artists, musicians, poets, entertainers, and more who have addiction. Some recover from it and others struggle or even lose their life. Whether or not there is a link between people who are creative and addiction may not matter as a prerequisite because it can affect anyone, anywhere, anytime. Many people are attracted to drugs and alcohol for the high and potential to increase their level of creativity-for a time. The challenge with thinking this way is that you might think people ONLY become addicted for this reason. There are myriad reasons it happens, and why it remains a challenge. Most of the time it is personal. It really depends on the person.
Genetics
Genetic variants can develop into a low-functioning dopamine system. If you have this variant, you may be more likely to be a risk-taker, seeking novelty, and at risk of developing compulsive behavior. Novelty-seeking might be a spur to creativity but it might lead a person to go out on a limb more, too. Genetics is only a part of the whole story so it is not fair to pin everything about addiction on genes. You might have the genes but don’t become addicted to anything. It really just depends on so many factors.
Stress
Nothing magical exists about turning 27, but it is the new age everyone is touting as ‘the age of maturity.’ In other words, it is the age in which your adult brain finally kicks in and you are considered out of your teen years. Maturation really has nothing to do with age as much identifying how you see yourself in the world. Stress is a big contributing factor to addictive behavior. Stress is biological in that your body releases stress hormones which bind to receptors in the brain that release stress hormones and trigger cravings. There are other factors which play into it but creative people are not necessarily more stressed than others, nor do they have the genetics. It really is a matter of personality, genetics, stress factors and more than can drive addictive behavior. Creative people are not more susceptible than the average person, even if it may seem that way if you watch the news of celebrities who are fighting addiction.
Oceanfront helps you find that creative spirit and tap into it without triggering relapse or addictive behavior. You can be both creative and sober. We will help you get here. With our premier programs and services, our goal is to help you recover and get back to what you love doing. Call us to find out how we can help you get there: 877-279-1777
