Any of you use drugs to increase creativity?

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

That was the exact topic title on a photo forum that kicked me out. So will open up discussion here.

Recently I have been thinking I need some drugs, but not for creativity, but to get may ass in gear. Too drained to work hard and fast. Just dragging. Of course, getting more sleep would help. I can see how rock stars take drugs to get energy.

I had to give up drugs in the 80's. I lost my memory for 3 days in 1985. Wanted to jump out of a window, naked. Felt like I was burning up. After that I decided I better preserve any brain cells I got left. But it is always tempting to think how creative I'd be if I just got doped up.

With doc work, you can only be so creative. So lucky creativity is not the end all with my type of work.

[Max Field]

Hang out with people on drugs to increase creativity.

[Phil Connolly]

Personally, I think good art happens when your truthful to yourself and drugs take you further away from yourself. So if anything they get in the way of creativity. A lot of drugs take away the urge to create, e.g alcohol, opioids, weed - they blunt the pain. Me personally my good writing comes from the pain, so masking it with drugs blunts the pain and blunts the work. 

Ultimately, I don't think theres a chemical crutch that replaces doing the work on the creative front.

Sure there are stimulants (coffee included), they may help you physically "do" the work - but again, its not going to change your creative ability. Yes more energy, but can it be applied to the creative process. We've all encountered people on Coke - they may have more energy, but everything coming out their mouth is bullsh1t. Drugs may help you be productive, but whats the point of creating a lot of crap. 

I have had friend's that tried Modafinil, with the idea that it increases focus and devotion to a task. The problem is it doesn't inspire actually creativity, just obsession about completing tasks. So instead of completing the script your just as likely to get stuck alphabetising your DVD collection. Apparently you can get stuck in some obsessive brain loops, which sound more scary then productive. This is second hand info, I've not tried it and based on the experiences I've heard about, it sounds terrible and I wouldn't attempt it.

I know microdosing LSD etc.. is popular in some creative circles. But I'm not sure its worth the risk as LSD is properly illegal and you could get into actual trouble with it. Also micro dosing is so close to not dosing, there is a bit amount of placebo involved in the process and no evidence it actually makes you more creative. 

I'm not puritanical about drugs and have tried chemical routes to improve my creativity. I don't think the results ever helped and in many cases the outcome was more damaging. 

Personally my best work has happened when I'm stone cold sober and properly honest with myself. Drugs have only been a barrier to that. 

Procrastination has been a problem for me in the past. What helped me get past it was Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (I know this isn't for everyone, but it worked for me). In my case a lot of my procrastination was around fear of failure. I'd start a project and abandon it  because I was convinced it was terrible.  Being self critical is important in creative work, but if your too self critical it can be paralysing.  For me the CBT helped me recognise some of those problems and helped me find a way to push through. Its not perfect, but I'm doing much better and I'm making things again. 

In my case the drugs didn't work, but the therapy did

[Gregory Irwin]

WHAT???????????

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

1 hour ago, Gregory Irwin said:

WHAT???????????

That was the topic.

I heard a piece on food author Pollan that says he is into drugs now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/books/review/michael-pollan-how-to-change-your-mind.html

[Gregory Irwin]

53 minutes ago, Daniel D. Teoli Jr. said:

That was the topic.

I heard a piece on food author Pollan that says he is into drugs now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/books/review/michael-pollan-how-to-change-your-mind.html

I understand the topic and it’s very disappointing. Moronic even. 

[Max Field]

50 minutes ago, Gregory Irwin said:

I understand the topic and it’s very disappointing. Moronic even. 

If we look into the raw definition of creativity, then yeah no way in hell do drugs make someone more creative. The world drugs expose you to will make one more of a divergent thinker, but that doesn't mean a whole lot if it isn't put towards a production.