World Mental Health Day 2022

Mental Health and the Benefits of Creativity

Designs in Mind is a working studio, tucked away in Shropshire, where adults living with mental health challenges work together on ambitious, experimental art and design projects.

Our studio is a hive of activity, there are close to 100 of us and we believe that design has the power to positively affect how we feel, not only in how it looks but also through the experience of making.

A creative act such as drawing can help focus the mind, and has even been compared to meditation due to its calming effects on the brain and body. Even just gardening or sewing releases dopamine, a natural anti-depressant.

The Science Behind Creativity

When you are being creative it requires focus and concentration. Its easy to get lost in thought as we paint, sketch or stitch. This meditative state can improve our Mental Health.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that meditation can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression and pain.

Being creative can actually alter your brain for the better. Harvard researchers found meditation can change the brains grey matter, as well as provide nutrients and energy to neurons. These changes can lead to improved mood, memory and a reduction in stress.

What Our Members Say

By coming to designs in mind I've discovered more of a creative side and it helps my Mental Health, as I now use it as a form of distraction and is a much more positive way to manage my agitation. I literally spend hours every day drawing/painting/doodling to help with my thoughts .

Being creative helps my mental health in many ways. I am able to express myself using different mediums. I feel relaxed and at ease when I am doing anything creative. The repetitiveness of embroidery takes your mind off things. I enjoy working with brush and ink as I find it calming.