How Active Imaginations Can Shape Our Mental Health

When we’re children, our minds and creativity know no bounds. One second, we are pirates sailing through the perilous seas of our bathtub. The next, we are hiding in our indestructible castles built of blankets and sheets. As we get older, however, our creativity levels can dwindle. Our daydreams are often more confined to the limits of reality, and we may be told that it is not okay to be imaginative, especially in a playful manner. While we certainly can get by without this creativity and visualization, having it holds a special place in psychology, in our mental health, and our mental development and maintenance. This article will set out to evaluate and emphasize the importance of the imagination both as a child and in our adulthood, as well as review online therapy as an option for curious parents and families.

Active Imagination And Child Development

You need to look no further than the animal kingdom to see the importance of play and an active imagination in the development of many species. Play behaviors are hardwired into different species to satisfy their needs for fun and to help them develop a variety of abilities that will improve their chances of survival. Similarly, the creativity and imaginative activities that human children engage in play a crucial role in their development.

Benefits

1. The Active Imagination Helps Children Build Valuable Social Skills

If you know a thing or two about play therapy, you know the beneficial effects that come with allowing a child to express their active imagination through pretend situations. Children who play pretend can come up with their worlds and characters, through which they emulate some of the social skills they’ve observed in the real world and figure out how they apply to any given situation.

These benefits become even greater when children play pretend with other children. This allows them to learn about cooperation and compromise with others in an on-hands environment, instead of just from a parent.

2. Imaginative Play Supports Cognitive Development

Through imagined situations, children learn how to problem solve, how to use language, and how the world around them works. Let’s say, for example, that you have a child who is pretending that they are working at a restaurant in outer space. Their experience will teach them how they need to talk to the people around them to keep things moving smoothly. Active creativity will teach them how a real-life restaurant works when they start researching more about the mechanics of a real dining experience, and it will teach them how to come up with their solutions if something should go wrong in the restaurant.

All these skills are skills that we should be fostering in our children because they can apply to real-life situations.

3. Pretend Play Often Includes Physical Activity

Children are wonderful at being active, and it doesn’t stop when they are playing pretend. Besides the cognitive benefits that come from active creativity, pretend play also gives children the opportunity to become more comfortable with their bodies and helps them improve necessary functions, such as motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Active Imagination In Adulthood

In adulthood, it’s not uncommon for someone who has an active imagination to potentially be viewed as childish. Although it’s logical to think that the need for creativity stops once we’ve learned the skills that imagination has to offer us, creativity is just as important in adulthood as it is in childhood, especially when it comes to your mental health. Here’s why:

We Still Need These Skills

Skills that we’ve learned will not just vanish once we stop using them, or use them less frequently. However, the skills that we learn can become less accessible if we don’t use them consistently. Using your active imagination and being creative will keep the skills mentioned above honed for continuous use throughout your adult years.

This Play Relieves Stress And Improves Relationships

Think back to a time when you played a game or engaged in a creative activity using only your mind.

How did it feel? Did it make you feel smarter, more connected, and removed from the stress of everyday life? Creative activities and imaginative games with others allow us to recharge our brains, take a much-needed break from our daily stressors, and help us connect with those around us. This can be especially true when we use creativity in a work environment.

It Keeps Your Mind And Body Energized And Honed 

Something is refreshing and electrifying about doing a creative task and using your active imagination. It allows us to escape, if only for a brief moment, from life as we know it. It allows us to explore new worlds outside of our home, learn new things about our existing world as well as ourselves, and puts us in touch with that childlike part of ourselves at all ages. Our active imagination keeps us on our toes, mentally and physically.

The Term “Active Imagination” Is Just Another Way To Say “Visualization”

There is, at times, a stigma attached to the phrase “active imagination.” When we think of the phrase “active imagination,” we likely don’t conjure up visions of success and abundance in our lives. Instead, we most likely think about people who are extremely creative but whose lives are perhaps less conventional. Maybe we think of a “starving artist,” someone very creative and imaginative, yet who is struggling to make ends meet. However, there are many more artists out there doing quite well for themselves!

One way that society has managed to work around this is by turning the phrase “active imagination” into “visualization.” When we hear the word “visualization,” we may think about the self-help industry and the power of attracting what we want simply by imagining that we already have it.

When we visualize what we want, and we know that we want what we visualize, it tells our subconscious mind that we are capable of obtaining what we want out of life. It is essentially the same principle that you see in other aspects of psychology, such as positive thinking and positive affirmations. Visualization, or active imagination, helps us to reprogram our way of thinking and, therefore, our way of doing.

The Use Of Active Imagination In Psychology

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, some therapists use play therapy when attempting to evaluate and assist children who have behavioral or mental health issues. This type of therapy is usually applied to care for children only and is not very often used in adult cases. For adults, psychologists can apply creativity to psychotherapy to achieve the same effects.

According to chapter 13 in the Handbook of Therapeutic Imagery Techniques, “The theoretical purpose of using imaginary situations is based not only on how the patient views his world but also being able, in time, to ‘open up the closed system of internal reality. Psycho-imagination therapy attempts to put the individual, through his imagery, into a particular situation that would evoke a set of interactions that be useful not only in revealing major problems in the areas of significance in the patient’s life, but would also allow him to relive experiences.”

Conclusion

In summary, therapy helps us address our issues using active imaginations rather than relying on reality alone. This type of therapy may be perfect for your family or those who are highly creative with active imaginations and who may need help with mental health concerns.

If you can relate to the above, a great place for you to start receiving help is BetterHelp. Researchers found that “users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform.” You may read the full study here.

You can also check out an in-person business, like the Active Imaginations Child Development Center in Louisville, Kentucky, to help your child expand their range of imagination. These programs can be especially helpful for toddlers to explore and play before they enter school classrooms. 

For more information and content on online therapy, check out the BetterHelp.com advice page.  Contact us today via Facebook, Instagram, or continue reading to find reviews of some of our board-certified therapists from people experiencing similar types of issues.

BetterHelp Therapist Reviews

“I have been working with Bayley for about three months now. During this time my life has had a tremendous amount of change and self-realization. Bayley has supported me with doing the work to heal by offering creative suggestions, mindful thoughts, and space to feel seen and heard.”

“I highly recommend and trust Dr. Abney as a therapist/counselor/doctor. Words are not enough to describe how professional and perfect he is. His talent for turning negative thoughts and situations into positive ones in such a unique way converts weaknesses into strengths and provides the foundations so we can understand, accept, and love ourselves and see life from a better perspective. Most of us might find it hard to speak to a therapist/ counselor (at least, I did before finding Dr. Abney!) and he has a magic way to make it so simple. Thanks a million, Dr. Abney!!”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it good to have an active imagination?

Having an active imagination is good for both children and their carers. It allows them to think creatively and problem solve without the help of a carer. It can help us process emotions and see things clearer or from multiple perspectives.

How can I help my child with an overactive imagination?

If your child has an overactive imagination, it may lead to them having some anxiety. This is because they may think of the worst possible outcomes for every situation, and stay stuck on thoughts that would be better to let go of. To help them, try to teach them some breathing exercises and coping skills. If it continues to be a concern, reaching out to a therapist may be a good next step.

Why do kids have an active imagination?

Children's brains develop at a rapid pace, with new neurons constantly being fired up. This allows them the ability to think creatively and have vast imaginations. This is actually an important part of development, as it helps them grow in many areas such as emotional intelligence, social skills, speech, and problem-solving.

Can a child be too imaginative?

Generally speaking, no! Imagination is one important part of learning for children. That being said, it may be hard for some children to want to come back to "reality" after intense imaginative play. They may also use imagination to avoid dealing with difficult situations. Neither of these things are major concerns, but just something to be aware of.

Can adults have active imaginations?

Adults can absolutely have active imaginations. Adults with active imaginations make excellent problem solvers, creative thinkers, and artists, and can help them work through complex problems. Anyone can work on improving their imaginative skills, regardless of age.