Do psychiatric drugs stifle creativity?

[Steven_v]

im not saying they all do, and im sure there are loads of people out there who are on psychiatric drugs and manage to be as creative as ever. but, i know for myself however that i used to wright prolifically. and ever since ive been on psychiatric drugs it has dwindled away so that in the last year i have written barely a page.
i was woundering if anyone else has had a similar exsperience. and if anyone has found a happy medium of being on psychiatric drugs and still being able to be creative.

 

[Retired]

Steven,

Have you discussed this with your doctor to see if a dose adjustment might be in order or perhaps a different compound (another medication) might have less effect on supressing creativity.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

In my experience, psychotropic medications do not stifle creativity, although often the individual taking them believes they do.

 

[braveheart]

I don't find that they do.
Rather, what stifles my creativity are the defence mechanisms I've developed over the years to protect me in the face of long term abuse. Now the abuse is no longer happening, I'm working in therapy to unsuppress feelings and defences, and this is allowing my creativity to flow.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

what stifles my creativity are the defence mechanisms I've developed over the years to protect me

Yes. These are much more likely to impede creativity or other aspects of one's life. While defense mechanisms act to protect the individual, they are imperfect and they exact a cost.

 

[Retired]

This information clarifies a misconception I have heard over the years, especially from people with Tourette who had been prescribed halperidol (Haldol) a common and long time used anti psychotic medication which has some benefit in controlling Tourette Syndrome tics.

Many people on this type of therapy frequently reported their creativity being suppressed while taking halperidol.

 

[ladylore]

ok - here is my take on the subject.

Medication produces a different, calmer energy (in my experience). It isn't the burning, frantic, brilliant, intense energy that forced me to be creative just to expell some of that energy to find release.

It has taken a bit of time to get use to the calmer side of myself. Once I got use to it the creativity started to flow again. It's different now but it's still creative energy.