Do Drugs Inspire Creativity?

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Not advocating or promoting drug use but there were periods in my life, pot did indeed inspire me to draw, paint or write.

An example,

, but my experience is that marijuana, when used over longer periods, takes away motivation to be creative as well.

I have very little experience with other drugs and none with pharmaceutical stuff so I cannot say anything about that but to end a bit hypocritically....

Please be careful with drugs.

I find cannabis inspiring
I've not taken it often and worked, but I remember I got baked before a test (I'd forgotten I had it, otherwise I wouldn't have touched the stuff and kept myself stone cold sober) and sat in the exam hall and did not stop writing for the whole two and a half hours My brain would not shut off, I kept writing and writing and didn't get stressed or tired. And you know something? I got an A.
Since then, I've been stoned once more when doing work and again have noticed a huge improvement in my coursework. But I have weaned myself away from the people that smoke it and so don't smoke it as often (I havent touched it in nearly two months so far lol) but I do miss it.
I would love to write creatively whilst under the influence, but I'm still a bit sceptic about it. Plus, I don't want to become dependant on it to do my writing by.

I'd say yes, just in the sense that there are certain emotions, certain textures, many of which are difficult to bring together unless you've had a frame of mind in the past that can work as a good frame of reference.

I also have to agree that it depends on what the person has in them to begin with. It can help tie certain concepts together and very vividly that someone hadn't before. Hallucinogens are classic for this, very eerie otherworldly sounding stuff with high crushed glass type crackles or whatever else. Marijuana seems to influence music a lot like ketamine - very thick, heavy, slowed down, almost painful kind of atmosphere; kind of like if any of you had a time when you smoked too much and weren't enjoying yourselves and you'll hear music that personifies that to a T. Other than that I really can't think of a lot - when people roll I know they tend to be much more into textures, that's why a lot of the detroit and acid techno has percussion that sounds like someone knocking on metal, playing it backwards, or a synth that sounds like someone vibrating two pieces of sheet metal together. Other amphetamines or substances though; I'm really doubtful. Alcohol maybe can bring about a sense of severity that can be echoed in music, some artists have been heroin addicts but I think more than anything it was the pain of their lifestyle that drove the quality of the music. Methamphetamine though? No, I think that rock stars will mess with that and cocaine to stay awake for long shows and put on performances but I can't imagine it really putting someone in much of a creative state - they'd probably be too ADD from it.

I knew there was something backwards about me! Cuz it like took less and less of anything to put me into an altered state until just a taste every few weeks was sufficient for my recreation.

Robert Anton Wilson coined the phrase, "The war on some drugs", you know?

Edit on further reflection:
I know the pattern you describe fits some people. People who I'd say are a lot more pre-disposed to addiction than I am perhaps. Maybe you've heard the saying, "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Well, the same sort of thing holds true for substances.

That's hillarious only cuz that's the kind of weird mental images I use to get while using.

The drawing wasn't exactly drawn precise but it did give me more ideas of what I could do with images and still shots recreated onto canvas.

That's not entirely true regarding all kinds of drugs. Most psychedelics aren't chemically addictive, and there is a plethora of famous people and artists that've used psychedelics and that claim they've boosted their imagination through them. Steve Jobs once stated that one of the 2-3 most important things he has done in his life, was tripping on LSD. Aldous Huxley was possibly the most famous. He requested it from his wife on his death bed to give him a LSD 25 intramuscular shot. She gave him two IM doses and he slipped into infinity. Probably an awesome way to die.

There are plenty more, but I can't be bothered to search the entire internet after them, because it's a bit hush-hush. After all, society has always, since the dark middle ages when christianity raged against the people, tried to stop people from taking psychedelics because "normal people were not allowed to see God".

In reply to MissConstrue.... No worries of course but for me they weren't weird or something. Those days I was seriously thinking to make some money selling printed T-shirts in our coffeeshop, where they sell weed and hashies. Here in Holland there a huge bizz around marijuana. From pipes and other smoking devices, ashtrays, lamps and armatures to grow your own mariabuds, you name it but also clothes and T-shirts. Blah (3x).

I have quite a few more drawings like that but I don't smoke the stuff that often anymore. Althou I usually cannot be bothered that much what people think of me.... on this forum-site, being Dutch also, I wish not to be known as a pot head or something. Simply 'cos I'm not.

But one last one for the road.... (I like this fella)


Oh, I hope you stay creative yourself as well.

^Love it.

Yeah I'm not saying they're good. I think maybe because of my attention deficit it made me feel more focused and then grandiousity would kick in.

Now I'm more hypercritical with what I paint and sketch anymore....it's like OCD. Whereas, most stuff I drew I thought looked brilliant without going into the little minial details.

BTW, when I use the word weird I mean that in a good way. I've always had a thing for drawing with their own flare and unique images.

^
Shame about the hypercritical, I know it too but I only show (here) or save what I truly like and throw away what I don't like. Out of 100 tries, maybe 4 or 5 are to my satisfaction. It depends, sometimes a bit more, but I'm a perfectionist for sure and there are periods where I am simply not doing anything creative maybe also because of that.

Please don't talk yourself down, MissC. In the end you, yourself are your own judge. Don't let some critical eye, (imaginary but one does that with oneself), judge you negatively. Try not to do that. Too stringent, I mean.

Plus sometimes being a bit arrogant (grandi even) isn't that bad, imo. Blah (3x).

*sticks fist in mouth, bites it hard*

We see each other on WP later of course but.... Good luck to you, MissConstrue and I'm glad you feel better (I assume), surely better than two month ago.

yes and no because albums such as dr.feelgood by motley crue or sgt. peppers by the beatles those both were created during the bands drug periods and they turned out to be really good albums. But the no part is that it is unhealthy and sometimes the music isn't the person writing it it is the drugs that are writing the music. So as soon as the trip is gone they are generally speaking at a lost. But i think it has it goods and it has its bads.

Mind expanding drugs, are not narcotics and do not have the same psychological nor physiological affects and effects of narcotics. To aquaint them as the same and to read your utter confidence that this is the truth makes me question a lot of your other opinions.
Merle

A few examples come to mind ...

Poe was an alcoholic and probably a laudanum addict, but somehow managed to turn out a lot of work in a very short life.

Lovecraft was a confirmed teetotaler who never smoked (or probably even laid eyes on) pot.

Pink Floyd never did LSD after Syd freaked out, they did drink beer and smoke pot, but those classic albums had no influence from LSD.

Walt Disney was a very moderate drinker, and never touched any substances.

I would it some have the potential to , but not all. Meth is certainly in my experience and everything I learned about this drug not a drug to promote creativity; quite the opposite is the case.

The discussion of meth (which is a form of speed I believe) reminds of what David Bowie once said regarding drug his drug usage. He commented that if he got the idea for a song, he would start writing, and would snort cocaine to keep him awake until he was finished writing.
The drug facilitated the creativity, but didn't inspire it.

Isn't that kind of the definition of "expanding your mind?"



Amphetamines actually can aid in creativity.

I used to take anywhere from 15-30 mg of amphetamines and smoke a bowl of some insanely strong medical weed before sitting down to draw in my sketchbook.

If I just sat and smoked weed, there was no way I'd find the motivation to spend my time drawing, but when I added amphetamines to the mix, I suddenly had the energy, the confidence and a major urge to draw.

Anyways, here's a sketch I did when I was resting on my couch after I broke my back.

Actually, I think it was 'Xanadu' that Coloeridge was writing, when 'a Gentlman from Porlock' engaged him in an hour's worth of conversation, at which point he lost his train of thought (trains not being invented yet... and the poem is one of the more famous unfinished poems known today.

I sometimes muse what would have happened if the gentleman had been diverted for an extra hour or two...

I have my doubts about drugs and creativity, tho...