Is there a relationship between drugs and creativity?

In the art world, drugs and creativity have long been associated. But... what does science say?

The use and abuse of drugs and psychoactive substances has traditionally been related to the ability to create and innovate, to the point that a large number of celebrities from the world of art, music and even science have linked their achievements and creations to drug use.

However, the scientific evidence surrounding this association is not so clear, and the question of whether drugs really make us more creative is still unresolved. whether drugs really make us more creative.

Brain activity, creativity and drug use

Drugs and narcotics are a series of substances consumed with the intention of altering mood, experiencing alternative sensations and in some cases attempting to enhance physical and mental performance. However, their side effects on the their side effects on the body can be extremely harmful and dangerous. and dangerous.

It is necessary to specify that this article is not intended to encourage or support drug use. Rather, we will try to shed some light on the myths and beliefs related to drug use and the development of creativity.

To do so, it is necessary to know what direct effects drugs have on our brain functioning and thus be able to discern whether they really facilitate creative processes or, on the contrary, inhibit and hinder them.

On a general level, narcotics or drugs, both legal and illegal, provoke a series of changes in the organism. Its action on the biochemical reactions of the brain stimulates or inhibits neuronal functioning, which has numerous effects both physically and psychologically. effects both physically and psychologically.

In the case of cannabis, it tends to act on the metabolic processes that regulate mood and pain, among many others. Cocaine, on the other hand, is known to significantly increase dopamine levels in the body, generating large amounts of energy but also being highly addictive.

As for heroin, it provokes a sensation and experience of ecstasy in the person, very much associated with feelings of extreme happiness. associated with feelings of extreme happiness, but its effects on Respiratory functionbut its effects on respiratory function can be lethal.

Enhancing creativity with substances? Let's clarify

In summary, regardless of the type of substance of abuse consumed, it will change the way our brain functions. However, science will have to establish whether these changes occur directly on the brain processes related to creativity or whether it is a secondary or collateral effect of the pleasurable and ecstatic sensations they provoke. or if it is a secondary or collateral effect of the pleasurable and ecstatic sensations that they provoke.

Whatever the conclusion, the side effects of these drugs can be so harmful, and even deadly, that it is necessary to stop and think about whether it is really worth the risk.

What do the studies say?

Contrary to what is claimed in some artistic contexts, according to which the consumption of drugs and narcotics considerably increases people's creativity, a study carried out at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest by the expert in addiction psychology Zsolt Demetrovics, this association is not so simple, and it is still considered that there are nuances. The aim of this research was to demonstrate whether the claim that drugs favor creativity was only a myth or whether, on the contrary, there is empirical evidence to support it. or if, on the contrary, there is empirical evidence to support it.

Demetrovics and his collaborators carried out a systematic review of the articles related to this issue, as a result of which they discovered that there were only 14 empirical studies and 5 case studies that attempted to answer the relationship between drugs and creativity. This is a very small number in relation to the importance of the subject.

An added problem is that most of the empirical research reviewed presented methodological problems such as too small participant samples, standardized assessment instruments and self-reported data. After a thorough review of these articles, it was found that there was a very general association between creativity and substance use. But none of them managed to provide any substantial evidence that drug use directly increased creativity. Therefore, Demetrovics' conclusion was that there really is no direct link between these two factors.

On the other hand, there was a perceived tendency for people to associate a tendency to associate people with high creativity with drug use.It was also found that high creative ability could be a risk factor for drug use, and not the other way around. In addition, it was also shown that drugs had the capacity to substantially alter a person's artistic approach, but not to increase his or her creative output.

Finally, Demetrovics participated in a qualitative study with a sample of 72 people who were professionally engaged in the art world. Most of these participants reported that the use of substances such as alcohol and cannabis helped them to balance the intense emotional states involved in the creative process, thus facilitating the emergence of new ideas and creativity. and creativity.

However, despite the testimonies of the participants, it was not possible to establish a direct causal relationship between drug use and the increase in creative abilities, leaving the answer still up in the air.

Science, art and drug use

There are many cases and stories that relate great celebrities from the world of art, music, literature and even science with drug use, to the point that the artists themselves have publicly stated that drugs facilitated and enhanced the creative process.

Drugs and music: the case of Jim Morrison

It is well known that a large number of artists and composers resort to drug use to find inspiration, as well as to increase their stage performance.as well as to increase their performance on stage. Although there are dozens of cases, Jim Morrison's is one of the best known, both for his talent and his unfortunate end.

The vocalist of The Doors, went through numerous depressive and traumatic episodes that he tried to overcome through his musical creations and drug use. Jim Morrison's immense talent was probably independent of drug use, but he clung to them as an engine of inspiration and as a means to regain his strength.

However, drug addiction was increasingly wearing down his creative capacity, as well as his physical condition, causing his death at the age of 27.

2. Aldous Huxley and inspiration through LSD

The prolific writer, author of great works such as A Brave New World (1932) or The Island (1962), who even tried his hand at painting and even parapsychology; came to attribute the potential of his creativity to the consumption of LSD.. However, he himself warned of the dangers of its consumption, as well as the dependence it can cause.

3. Science, technology and drugs

There are many other stories about the drug-taking tendencies of a large number of famous inventors, scientists and technological geniuses. One of them is the famous inventor Thomas Alva Edison, known to have used a substance known to be a drug.known for consuming a substance known as "cocaine elixir" which contained cocaine combined with wine.

Another example is that of the well-known computer magnate Steve Jobs, who admitted having consumed LSD on some occasions in order to enhance his creativity and expand the limits of his mind.