“We express our being by creating. Creativity is a necessary sequel to being.” – Rollo May (1994). “The Courage to Create”
It is well-known that health emergencies are associated with unfavourable psychosocial consequences, and the COVID-19 outbreak will inevitably cause distress and leave many people vulnerable to mental health problems. Fear, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress were common psychological
symptoms reported globally. Underlying reasons for these symptoms may be include disruptions in daily routine due to restrictive measures, social isolation, feeling of loneliness, etc. Varieties of mental health supporting strategies are required in a pandemic in order to facilitate lifestyle changes and re-adaptation. Creativity is one of the strategy or skill in daily life which is crucial in problem-solving and dealing with the situation.
Creativity is the ability to generate, create, or discover new ideas, solutions, and possibilities. Although creativity is often associated with the arts. The arts have had a long connection with mental health. First introduced as art therapy, art was used in diagnosis and projection therapy without regarding the aesthetic aspects (Miller 1998).
Creativity can be found in every area of life, from the way you paint or decorate your residence to a new way of understanding how a machine works. Art is useful in developing creative problem solving through experimenting with materials because the artist brings into reality something that is new and original (Thiele and Marsden 2003). We can use art as a reflective process.
It’s been a year of extremes. The ability to think and act creatively is now more important than ever before. Supportive relationships and the physical environment can be significant in providing a creative environment in which we feel safe to take risks and to be resilient in the journey of discovery.
In this way, it is essential to learn the lessons that emerge from the hard times that all of us have been living through over the last year. In that respect, a new standard for our collective lives that is based on positivity, hope and creativity will be key factors for the New Year. Especially when we face hard times, it is all the more important that we remain balanced and focused on what matters to us.
About the Author- Ms. Shivanigi Singh, (practicing counselor) volunteering for national counseling of education research and training (NCERT) and also for the ministry of education to provide psychological support and address mental health concerns due to the Covid-19 pandemic. she has completed a master’s in psychology from the University of Allahabad and a diploma course in guidance and counseling from the regional institute of education.
