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This study is an opportunity to challenge a received idea: taking drugs or alcohol will increase creativity… It would be an image from the last century, conveyed by the great artistic figures who have lived during this period.
It’s a common idea that we more or less share about great artists, who died of an overdose or alcohol addict during their lifetime: it’s thanks to this grip, whatever the substance, that their creativity was increased. However, this is actually a received idea.
Narcotics, an inefficient way to stimulate the imagination
Researchers from the University of Essex and Humboldt University in Berlin conducted a meta-analysis of published studies on the link between creativity and drug use. Result: narcotics are not effective in boosting the imagination.
Dr Paul Hanel, from the Department of Psychology at Essex explains: “We’ve reviewed hundreds of articles to discover the best ways to spark creativity. We think it’s a positive message to remind people that these substances don’t enhance creativity, given their side effects.”
Creativity: focus on meditation, culture and travel
On the contrary, according to the authors of this work, what works best to boost the creativity of an artist is meditation – such as mindfulness meditation or open thinking – but also the fact of being interested in culture under different forms, such as traveling or studying abroad.
Lead author Jennifer Haase of Humboldt University Berlin added: “There are many ways to enhance and encourage creative thinking because creativity is not a skill to be learned and then applied. Rather, it results from an adjustment between a cognitive mindset and a creative challenge.