(HealthDay News) — Nearly half of Americans use creative activities to relieve stress or anxiety, according to the results of a recent American Psychiatric Association poll.
The Healthy Minds Monthly poll, conducted by the Morning Consult (June 15 to 18, 2023), included a sample of 2,202 adults.
More than three in four US adults (77%) rated their mental health as good or better, up from 63% at the beginning of the year. Furthermore, adults who rated their mental health as very good or excellent (71%) engaged in creative activities more frequently than those who reported good (50%) or fair or poor (46%) mental health. The top-rated creative activities used to relieve stress and anxiety included listening to music (77%); solving puzzles (39%); singing or dancing (25%); and drawing, painting, or sculpting (24%).
“We live in stressful times, and sometimes our jobs and responsibilities can drain our energy and our mental health,” Petros Levounis, MD, president of the American Psychiatric Association, said in a statement. “Creative activities aren’t just for fun, they can help us take a step back from the daily grind, use our brains differently, and relax. Picking up that paintbrush or solving a tricky puzzle can truly move us to a different mindset.”
