New Research Has Identified A Groundbreaking Way To Manage Pain

If you've ever dealt with chronic pain, you know that it can be incredibly frustrating, distracting, and overall difficult to deal with. But according to new research published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews1, we might want to take a cue from the artists of the world—and transform our suffering into creativity. Here's what they found.

Studying creative expression as a tool for pain management

For this study, lead study author Radwa Khalil, Ph.D., wanted to take a closer look at the connection between creative expression and pain. Khalil is a neuroscientist and researcher, and her work focuses heavily on understanding creativity.

By reviewing existing research on the neurological processes underlying both pain and creativity, the study suggests that the two actually share many of the same mechanisms. Namely, they have overlapping neural systems in the brain that relate to things like attention, cognitive control, executive function, and emotion.

Additional research has also linked creative expression (i.e., creating art and music) with decreased pain perception, so with this connection at play, the researchers note that creativity could have therapeutic benefits for how the brain processes pain.

"The same mechanisms that power our creativity—from generating new ideas to shifting our perspectives—are also involved in how we perceive and regulate pain," Khalil explains, adding that deepening our understanding of this overlap can help us "move past metaphor, towards an empirical understanding of how creative activity can actually foster healing and help people recontextualize their painful experiences."

And not only that, but the findings point to creativity having potential benefits for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD, and even healthy aging.

"Pain typically disrupts cognitive function and narrows our attention, [but] when people intentionally redirect their focus through creative engagement, they activate alternative neural pathways that modulate pain perception," Khalil says. "Not only does this consciously shift attention away from pain" She adds, "it activates dopamine-driven reward systems in the brain, effectively helping to transform one's relationship to suffering."

Leaning into creativity

The study authors note that while there was plenty of data on pain and pain management, there is significantly less research on creative expression and its benefits.

As such, they suggest a new framework for studying pain—one that includes creativity as part of the equation. Their hope is that holistic and therapeutic approaches to creativity and pain can bridge this gap and help people manage pain in a new way.

"If we're going to effectively investigate the therapeutic value of creativity in the context of pain, a collective re-evaluation of the research agenda is needed," Khalil notes. "Implementing this framework broadly within our field opens an exciting new path for research, one that lies right at the intersection of neuroscience, creativity, and health."

The takeaway

While the trope of the tortured artist is one we've all heard, there could be a deeper truth at play; When we lean into creativity, we're able to transform our suffering into something meaningful. And based on the findings of this research, engaging in creative practices could even help you manage pain, too.