Painting, journaling, playing a musical instrument or dancing with friends—these are fun but nonessential pastimes, right?
Not according to a recent survey by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The organization, which creates monthly polls of Americans and mental health, recently published an article, “Americans Who Engage in Creative Activities at Least Weekly Report Better Mental Health.”
The poll queried Americans who participate in several creative pursuits—everything listed above plus things like solving puzzles, crafting, listening to music, and more. What benefits, beyond pleasure, did participants of these activities enjoy?
They survey, published in July, found that on average, American adults who engaged in creative pursuits more often reported very good or excellent mental health. Those who did not engage in creative activities reported only good, fair, or poor mental health.
The most popular creative pursuit by those surveyed was listening to music, which 77 percent of poll participants enjoyed. The least popular—visiting an art museum—was performed only 9 percent of the participants. However, any form of creative practice is believed to have a meaningful impact on one’s mental and emotional health.
