Substance use and creativity have long been linked. Stimulants and sedatives can help artists boost their productivity and silence their inner critics, allowing for more focused and spontaneous creative outbursts. For anyone hoping to make a living out of their art, the use of these tools may feel downright mandatory at times. Sure no one wants to go down the road Stephen King did and write novels while hooked up on cocaine, but you’ll seldom find a writer who skips their morning coffee. They’re both stimulants, the only differences are their strength and the severity of their side effects.

On a similar note, those interested in understanding the history of art need to be aware of the effects that different substances have on the artist’s brain and behavior. For example, do you know how THC and CBD impacts one’s creative output and productivity?

The two star cannabinoids
Scientists have been able to isolate and identify over a hundred different active agents such as cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis plants. However, two of the most abundant ones are also the most popular: THC and CBD. Both substances can also be bought and consumed in isolation, bet it as part of THC isolates, or CBD isolates and oil.

THC — or Tetrahydrocannabinol — is an intoxicating stimulant. As a stimulant, it raises your heart rate and boosts your alertness. It may help you focus, and in high amounts, it can induce feelings of paranoia. THC causes the subjective feeling of intoxication associated with cannabis. In other words, the substance gets you stoned.

CBD — aka Cannabidiol — is a psychoactive sedative. Its sedative properties affect several of your body’s systems, bring down your heart rate, and reduce the intensity of pain signals. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties serve to further reduce pain and boost a sense of well-being through the body. As a psychoactive substance, CBD also affects your mood, but it does not alter your sense of reality or make you feel intoxicated. In other words, CBD is closer to caffeine than it is to alcohol. It changes your mood, but it doesn’t open up any new realities, or change your behavior in any particular way.

The impacts on creativity
Understanding the differences between the two substances make it easier to understand how they would impact an artist. The use of THC in isolation or as part of a high-THC strain of cannabis can lead to a boost in creativity and increase in focus. Its intoxicating properties are also known to reduce inhibition and make it easier to engage in reckless behavior, which can be useful for artists.

Alcohol is often sought after as a way to help artists reduce their inhibitions. In that context, THC is a much healthier alternative. Finally, although different experiences vary, THC is known to boost creativity on some people, helping them transcend normality and make connections that they would never make while sober.

That said, in high doses, THC can also boost feelings of anxiety, and — as mentioned above — it can induce both panic and paranoia. The intoxication can also make it harder for creative people to focus. While the substance can be helpful, experimentation and moderation are recommended.

CBD, on the other hand, has an almost inverse effect. While THC can help lift artists out of apathy and get them creating — essentially inducing motivation and bringing inspiration —, CBD can be used to calm down stressed artists so that they can focus on their work. The substance is especially effective in treating the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression — all of which can impair one’s ability to create.

In excess, CBD can lower your blood pressure, leaving you feeling tired, sleepy, and unmotivated. If you’d like to know the specifics on how CBD works inside your body, visit Cibdol.com for more information.