Creativity and anxiety: Why do creative minds feel it more?

If you’re a creative person (like me) you might be all too familiar with the nagging feeling of anxiety that seems to accompany your work (and also your life), It can feel like anxiety is just the way things are... Well, you’re not alone. As someone who’s spent years working with creatives, I’ve seen firsthand how common it is for those who think outside the box to struggle with anxiety. 

Why do creative people often experience more anxiety?

It’s proven that creative minds are more susceptible to anxiety right? We have the image of the struggling, complex artist/ poet in history for a reason, as they say, cliches are just really tired truths. A few reasons:

1. You feel everything deeply:

If you’re creative, chances are you’re more in tune with your emotions and the world around you. While this sensitivity is a gift, it can also make you more prone to overthinking, leading to anxiety.

2. The pursuit of perfection:

Let’s face it — when you’re putting your heart and soul into something, it’s easy to get caught up in making it perfect. But that drive for perfection can quickly spiral into self-doubt and anxiety.

3. Living in the unknown:

Creativity thrives on exploring new ideas and taking risks, but that also means living with a lot of uncertainty. Not knowing how your work will be received can be anxiety-inducing, especially when you’re putting something deeply personal out into the world.

4. The weight of emotional depth:

Many creatives draw from deep emotional wells to fuel their work. This can be incredibly powerful, but it also means you might experience emotions — including anxiety — more intensely.

5. The gift and curse of a powerful imagination:

When creatives imagine something, they imagine it with incredible richness, a HD highly immersive experience, it’s like giving your worst fears to the world's best VR director. It hits differently.

Recognising these patterns is the first step toward managing anxiety so it doesn’t hold you back from your creative potential.

How can I make a difference?

Here’s where quest cognitive hypnotherapy (QCH) comes in. I’ve seen how this approach can really resonate with creative individuals who struggle with anxiety. What I love about QCH is that it doesn’t treat everyone the same — it’s all about understanding you as a unique person. So your version of anxiety belongs to you and you alone.

 1. We pinpoint your triggers:

QCH helps you identify the specific thoughts and situations that trigger your anxiety. Maybe it’s that critical voice in your head, or the fear of not being good enough. Understanding these triggers helps us tackle them head-on.

 2. We change the narrative:

Through hypnosis, QCH helps rewire the negative thought patterns that feed your anxiety. It’s like rewriting the script in your head, replacing the self-doubt with more supportive, positive beliefs.

 3. We build resilience:

QCH isn’t just about dealing with anxiety when it strikes—it also gives you tools to manage it before it becomes overwhelming. Techniques like visualization and mindfulness can help you stay calm and focused, even in stressful situations.

 4. We unlock your creative flow:

The goal of QCH is to help you get back to what you love—creating—without anxiety getting in the way. By reducing the mental clutter, QCH can help you enter a state of flow, where creativity comes naturally and effortlessly.

5. The imagination is the basis: 

Cognitive hypnotherapy is a highly creative approach to hypnotherapy, you'll start to use your imagination to create yourself as much as things that go into the world.

For many creatives, integrating quest cognitive hypnotherapy into their process has been a game-changer. It’s about giving themselves the mental space to create freely, without the weight of anxiety holding them back.