Untangling Anxious Signals and Creative Impulses

There are stark differences between imaginative impulses and anxious physiological signals.

Written By

Julia Adolphe

States of high anxiety can produce thought patterns similar to those experienced during the creative process – seemingly disparate thoughts connect to create new meanings and stories – but there are also stark differences between imaginative impulses and anxious physiological signals. I unpack the positive and negative impacts of anxiety on creative work, and why the two are easily confused.