This document discusses the relationship between creativity and anxiety through quotes from creativity coaches and psychologists. It notes that feelings of self-doubt and criticism can produce anxiety around the creative process. It also suggests that some highly creative people avoid or procrastinate their work due to anxiety or forms of anxiety like doubt and fear. Additionally, it references research finding that anxiety sufferers share a superior level of creative intellect and discusses how sensitivity can increase anxiety or lead some adolescents to use drugs to cope.

1. Creative
People
and
Anxiety

2. Fictional writer ‘Charlie Kaufman’
[played by Nicolas Cage] in the movie
“Adaptation” by the real screenwriter
Charlie Kaufman.

3. Creativity coach Lisa A. Riley :
"Feelings of self-doubt,
criticism and negative beliefs
can produce anxiety around
the creative process.”

4. Creativity coach and author
Eric Maisel, PhD asks, “Are
you avoiding your creative
work altogether? Do you
procrastinate? That’s anxiety.”
Quotes by Riley and Maisel are
from my article:
Procrastinating and Distracting Ourselves

5. Eric Maisel also notes:
“Only a small percentage of
creative people work as often
or as deeply as, by all rights,
they might be expected to
work. What stops them?
Anxiety or some face of anxiety
like doubt, worry, or fear..."
Quotes from article:
Eric Maisel on anxiety and developing creativity
Photos from ericmaisel.com

6. "Our data shows us that anxiety
sufferers all share a superior level of
creative intellect. This may not be
experienced as academic prowess,
[but] as a distinct range of both
physical and mental attributes
effecting creativity, emotional
sensitivity and clarity, eccentricity,
creative energy and drive…"
From article: Creative intellect as a marker for genetic predisposition
to high anxiety conditions, by Charles Linden.

7. Psychologist Elaine Aron thinks “high
sensitivity increases the impact of all
emotionally tinged events.”
In her book The Highly Sensitive Child,
she notes that some sensitive adolescents
may drink and use drugs to try to
overcome anxiety or depression
through self-medication.
From my post Sensitive to anxiety.

8. Presenter :
Douglas Eby
M.A. / Psychology
Creator of the
Talent Development Resources
series of sites :
talentdevelop.com

9. For more quotes, articles
and other resources
on this topic of anxiety,
see my Creative Mind post:
To Be More Creative
Deal With Anxiety

10. See more topics - with notes, links,
presentations and other resources
on the page :
Creative People: Personality and Mental Health