The Healing Power of a Blank Page: How Doodling Can Decrease Your Anxiety
The Healing Power of a Blank Page: How Doodling Can Decrease Your Anxiety
It’s a familiar feeling for many of us who create: the daunting blank page and the pressure to make something meaningful. As someone who develops stories and drawings each month, I often find myself staring at that space, a sense of being overwhelmed creeping in. But then, I pick up a pen and start to doodle. A line becomes a shape, a shape becomes a pattern, and before I know it, my imagination starts to churn. The creative juices begin to flow, the stress melts away, and a sense of calm and possibility replaces the feeling of being overwhelmed.
This experience isn't just a quirky creative habit; it's backed by science. The simple act of doodling, a form of unstructured creative expression, has profound benefits for our mental health.
The Science Behind the Scribble
When we doodle, we're engaging in a process that can help reduce stress and anxiety in several ways. A study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that engaging in creative activities, regardless of artistic experience, can significantly lower cortisol levels, the hormone our bodies produce in response to stress. It’s a form of mindfulness, a way of anchoring ourselves in the present moment. The repetitive motions of drawing lines and shapes can be meditative, giving our minds a break from the cycle of anxious thoughts.
As psychologist Jackie Andrade discovered in a 2009 study, doodling can also improve memory and focus. Participants who doodled while listening to a monotonous phone message recalled 29% more information than those who didn't. This suggests that doodling helps to keep the brain engaged enough to prevent daydreaming, without being so demanding that it distracts from the primary task.
Doodling and other forms of creative expression also activate the reward center of our brain, releasing dopamine, which can improve our mood and create a sense of pleasure and satisfaction. It provides a non-verbal outlet for our emotions, allowing us to process feelings that we might not even have the words for.
Simple Doodling Exercises to Soothe Your Mind
You don’t need to be an artist to reap the benefits of doodling. The goal isn't to create a masterpiece; it's to enjoy the process. Here are a few simple exercises, inspired by art therapy practices, that you can try the next time you're feeling anxious:
Repetitive Patterns: As suggested by art therapist and author Cathy Malchiodi, filling a page with a simple, repeating pattern can be incredibly calming. This could be circles, squares, triangles, or a series of wavy lines. The predictability and rhythm of creating the pattern can be extremely soothing.
Continuous Line Drawing: In her book The Drawing Mind, artist and educator Deborah Putnoi encourages the practice of continuous line drawing. Without lifting your pen from the paper, let your hand move freely across the page. Create loops, zig-zags, and curves. Don't think about what you're drawing; focus on the sensation of the pen moving across the paper.
Nature's Inspiration: Take a cue from the natural world, a common theme in mindfulness practices. Think of a simple element of nature, like a leaf, a flower, or a cloud. Draw it over and over, exploring different variations in size and shape. Nature has an inherently calming effect, and bringing that into your doodles can enhance the sense of peace.
Emotion Swirls: Healthline suggests using colors to express your feelings. Choose a color that represents how you're feeling. Using a pen, crayon, or colored pencil in that shade, create swirls and scribbles that express that emotion. This is a powerful way to externalize and release what you're feeling inside.
Embrace the Imperfect
The beauty of doodling lies in its imperfection. It’s a space free from judgment and expectation. In a world that so often demands perfection, doodling is an act of letting go. As the beloved artist Bob Ross famously said, "We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents." Doodling is a reminder that there is beauty and value in the messy, the spontaneous, and the unstructured.
So, the next time you feel the weight of anxiety or the pressure of a blank page, give yourself permission to doodle. Embrace the squiggles, the smudges, and the happy accidents. You might find that the path to peace and creativity is not a straight line, but a joyful, freeing scribble.
