92 replies to this topic

[shamus]

That's a good one. If mum finds me punching cones in my room I'll just tell her I was 'after a bit of creativity'.



Aniracetam I feel had some positive effects on my imagination. Much more so than piracetam.

[lumnar]

Alcohol might be helpful, especially at certain stages of the creative process. Verbal creativity, depression and alcoholism. An investigation of one hundred American and British writers

the most potent stimulator of creativity is passion.
direct your creative efforts towards something you feel emotionally passionate about.

Are they the same thing? Can one be creative without passion? Or passionate without creativity?

piracetam.... don't know any other, but would like to.

Aniracetam I feel had some positive effects on my imagination. Much more so than piracetam.

I tried Piracetam, briefly, but I didn't notice much of anything. Maybe I didn't give it a proper chance? How would you guys describe the change? Was it a huge effect or a small effect (like on a scale of 1 to 10)?

[graatch]

'Kay, here's your answer:

IIRC at the time crick came up with the double-helix structure of DNA, high on LSD, it was not uncommon for scientists around campus to be using threshold doses to ... open up new pathways of thought, to stimulate the associative faculties, y'know?

[rebuild101]

I tried Piracetam, briefly, but I didn't notice much of anything. Maybe I didn't give it a proper chance? How would you guys describe the change? Was it a huge effect or a small effect (like on a scale of 1 to 10)?

The effects for me were so small I wasn't sure if I could attribute them to the piracetam. At times I felt more social and music seemed more "powerful", but again, it could have been just me. One effect I was pretty sure it was giving me was that I was less interested in drinking.

I would say effects were a 2, though I do plan to restart taking it again sometime hopefully soon.

[platypus]

IIRC at the time crick came up with the double-helix structure of DNA, high on LSD, it was not uncommon for scientists around campus to be using threshold doses to ... open up new pathways of thought, to stimulate the associative faculties, y'know?

Yes, and Nobel laureate Kary Mullis has written a Nature paper about the structure of the universe he envisioned while on LSD. Are there other "supplements" directly linked to at least two Nobel prizes?

[Brafarality]

The best supplement for creativity is fed through your eyes: read. And read things that you're not already knowledgeable about. Creativity is the ability to make unusual associations within the brain -- such as gourmet cooking and archaeology. In other words, the more diverse your knowledge, the easier it is to be creative, because you have database of knowledge capable of cross-referencing a vastly variable set of facts and concepts, and true creativity is the ability to mix and match this database in non-obvious ways, coming up with something all new.

Without that database of diverse knowledge, creativity is like writer's block, starring at a blank page, because you're working from a blank page.

This reply is a guide for the ages, especially the boldfaced excerpt.
Nicely put.

[HereInTheHole]

DukeNukem's advice is great. The only thing I'd add is: cultivate confidence. But this has to be done in parallel with his advice. Too much confidence without the information-rich foundation leads to crap that you and only you think is wonderful. The foundation without the confidence leads to a thousand brillant ideas started but never finished.

As far as taking drugs for creativity, that's probably like taking drugs for athletic performance: a slight edge, but you still have to do 95% of the hard work yourself.

That being said, if you have a poor memory, absolutely take supps to improve that. You can't make those new links if you can't hold on to the pieces.

Edited by NarrativiumX, 30 July 2008 - 07:27 PM.

[Xanthippus]

Hello folks,

I am a musician and athlete looking for some cognitive boosters aimed primarily at increasing my creativity. I currently use Phenylethylamine and L-Theanine, both of which I've gleaned some positive effects but I feel were not profound enough. My research seems to have led me to the racetams. I am thinking of trying a stack including:

Aniracetam
Alpha-GPC
Idebenone

I'm sure some of you creative-minded people have more experience with the world of nootropics than I, so any feedback and experience would be appreciated.

[Mr.Bananas]

If you think you can handle it i would recommend psychedelics like lsd and mushrooms.
From my experiences with alpha-gpc all i get is a single minded autistic state that is far from creative, i dont have any experiences with aniracetam and idebenone.

[Xanthippus]

If you think you can handle it i would recommend psychedelics like lsd and mushrooms.
From my experiences with alpha-gpc all i get is a single minded autistic state that is far from creative, i dont have any experiences with aniracetam and idebenone.

I've used a LOT of LSD and mushrooms in my day but I am looking for something for a day to day creative boost - psychedelics are really only a once every few months thing for me nowadays. They are certainly the unrivaled creativity expander thus far, though.

[meursault]

If you think you can handle it i would recommend psychedelics like lsd and mushrooms.
From my experiences with alpha-gpc all i get is a single minded autistic state that is far from creative, i dont have any experiences with aniracetam and idebenone.

I've used a LOT of LSD and mushrooms in my day but I am looking for something for a day to day creative boost - psychedelics are really only a once every few months thing for me nowadays. They are certainly the unrivaled creativity expander thus far, though.

Some people say piracetam works for them. In consideration of my personal experience, I would not especially recommend them. You have to seek out shifts in perspective, you have to dedicate yourself...in my own experience it's the extra mile or the extra hour that results in more creative ideas, not the nootropic stack.

Edited by czukles, 31 December 2008 - 07:57 PM.

[steelsky]

If you think you can handle it i would recommend psychedelics like lsd and mushrooms.
From my experiences with alpha-gpc all i get is a single minded autistic state that is far from creative, i dont have any experiences with aniracetam and idebenone.

I've used a LOT of LSD and mushrooms in my day but I am looking for something for a day to day creative boost - psychedelics are really only a once every few months thing for me nowadays. They are certainly the unrivaled creativity expander thus far, though.

Some people say piracetam works for them. In consideration of my personal experience, I would not especially recommend them. You have to seek out shifts in perspective, you have to dedicate yourself...in my own experience it's the extra mile or the extra hour that results in more creative ideas, not the nootropic stack.

I agree with the dedication part. I've invested a lot in acquiring a way to look at things "creatively". I also believe my creativity has much to do with my genetics and how my brain is originally wired (no matter how more or less neurotransmitters are passing through my mind). This assumption is based on experience with several psycho-drugs. None of them reduced or increased my creativity.

BTW, a good night's sleep is a very good way to get creative (a bet dreams have a major part in it, but also the rest). I know it's not as sexy as LSD... still.

[meursault]

If you think you can handle it i would recommend psychedelics like lsd and mushrooms.
From my experiences with alpha-gpc all i get is a single minded autistic state that is far from creative, i dont have any experiences with aniracetam and idebenone.

I've used a LOT of LSD and mushrooms in my day but I am looking for something for a day to day creative boost - psychedelics are really only a once every few months thing for me nowadays. They are certainly the unrivaled creativity expander thus far, though.

Some people say piracetam works for them. In consideration of my personal experience, I would not especially recommend them. You have to seek out shifts in perspective, you have to dedicate yourself...in my own experience it's the extra mile or the extra hour that results in more creative ideas, not the nootropic stack.

I agree with the dedication part. I've invested a lot in acquiring a way to look at things "creatively". I also believe my creativity has much to do with my genetics and how my brain is originally wired (no matter how more or less neurotransmitters are passing through my mind). This assumption is based on experience with several psycho-drugs. None of them reduced or increased my creativity.

BTW, a good night's sleep is a very good way to get creative (a bet dreams have a major part in it, but also the rest). I know it's not as sexy as LSD... still.

The phenomena of neuroplasticity should be enough to motivate ANYONE by the fact that attentive and willed action by the mind can RESTRUCTURE the brain. The current understanding of genetic influence or "the way we are wired" is incomplete and not coercive enough to resolve the mind-body question for me, nor is it sophisticated enough (yet?) to reduce me mechanistically enough to accept a genetic fatalism.

Edited by czukles, 31 December 2008 - 09:59 PM.

[bgwithadd]

I don't think there's anything that's guaranteed. For people with ADD, often amphetamines will dampen creativity but for average people it tends to do the opposite, but you could have different effects each way. It will definitely have some sort of effect, but probably better effect at lower levels. I can write more easily on adderal but then anything that's work comes easier on it, but I am not sure it's quite so good as when I write without it.

[Guacamolium]

Piracetam
Inositol

I can brainstorm like crazy with 400mg Pyritinol and 400mg N-acetyl L-tyrosine - not really effective for a relaxed sort of creativity as is demanded from music, but it does help perfect already existing musical creations I've come to notice.

[Xanthippus]

Piracetam
Inositol

I can brainstorm like crazy with 400mg Pyritinol and 400mg N-acetyl L-tyrosine - not really effective for a relaxed sort of creativity as is demanded from music, but it does help perfect already existing musical creations I've come to notice.

Thanks everyone for your responses. While I realize that the ultimate goal in terms of creativity is to induce a change in perspective that is conducive to music, I've concluded long ago that for me, experiencing altered states is one of the best ways of realizing that type of perspective shift. My experiences with LSD brought me in touch with my creative side to an extent that nothing previous had. I believe in leaving no rock unturned, no doors unopened, which is why I feel a desire to experiment with altered states.

Tyrosine has not done much for me, but I am very interested in Pyritinol - it seems to be a compound with novel effects on the brain.

[Rienzo]

I've tried l-tyrosine and l-theanine as well as l-phenylalanine and PEA, but I haven't ever had much luck with using amino acids to heighten creativity. I'd recommend trying SAM-e and NADH, as these have worked well for me. I wrote an article called "Six Natural Ways to Enhance Creativity" which is all about sustainable, day-to-day supplements and habits that may boost creativity. I'm also a musician and songwriter and for a few years I've been intrigued by the idea of using supplements and diet to increase creativity.

Right now I'm doing a little experiment with arachidonic acid. Although it is usually maligned for its inflammatory effect, I think there may be a role for it in creativity if combined with adequate DHA and EPA (to counter its inflammatory effect). Arachidonic acid has been found to increase dopamine synthesis and release, and to inhibit its reuptake (sort of like amphetamines). Mood-stabilizers appear to interfere with AA in order to achieve their effects. Since heightened dopamine neurotransmission appears linked to creative drive and idea generation, increasing dopamine through supplements and diet appears to be a solid approach to enhancing creativity. I just started the experiment so we'll see. You can read more about AA and dopamine here.

[Rienzo]

I would tentatively add moderate alcohol consumption to a creativity stack. There are a couple ways in which alcohol can be used to enhance creativity. First as an aid to incubation when not actively working on a creative problem, and secondly as a low-dose stimulant when actually creating. For me this only works late at night when limited to 1 or 2 glasses of wine. Alcohol as an aid to incubation has been studied, and you can read more about it here. Alcohol as an aid when actually creating is more anecdotal -- the few studies I've read used widely varying amounts of alcohol and were either negative or ambivalent in their conclusions. For more on how to use alcohol as an aid to creativity, see "How Does Alcohol Affect Creativity."

Edited by Rienzo, 19 February 2009 - 06:10 PM.

[Guacamolium]

Arachidonic acid has been found to increase dopamine synthesis and release, and to inhibit its reuptake (sort of like amphetamines). Mood-stabilizers appear to interfere with AA in order to achieve their effects. Since heightened dopamine neurotransmission appears linked to creative drive and idea generation, increasing dopamine through supplements and diet appears to be a solid approach to enhancing creativity.

A simpler way would be to take NALT.

[Xanthippus]

I've tried l-tyrosine and l-theanine as well as l-phenylalanine and PEA, but I haven't ever had much luck with using amino acids to heighten creativity. I'd recommend trying SAM-e and NADH, as these have worked well for me. I wrote an article called "Six Natural Ways to Enhance Creativity" which is all about sustainable, day-to-day supplements and habits that may boost creativity. I'm also a musician and songwriter and for a few years I've been intrigued by the idea of using supplements and diet to increase creativity.

Right now I'm doing a little experiment with arachidonic acid. Although it is usually maligned for its inflammatory effect, I think there may be a role for it in creativity if combined with adequate DHA and EPA (to counter its inflammatory effect). Arachidonic acid has been found to increase dopamine synthesis and release, and to inhibit its reuptake (sort of like amphetamines). Mood-stabilizers appear to interfere with AA in order to achieve their effects. Since heightened dopamine neurotransmission appears linked to creative drive and idea generation, increasing dopamine through supplements and diet appears to be a solid approach to enhancing creativity. I just started the experiment so we'll see. You can read more about AA and dopamine here.

Thanks for the response and informative article. AA is found in large quantities in eggs, as is choline; maybe it's just placebo but I find that after a meal of 4-6 eggs my creative energy is off the walls. Just goes to show the value of a good diet in encouraging optimal mental condition, in areas ranging from creative processes to social interactions.

[Rain]

Hi,

A long time ago I found this stack somewhere

"Possible Creativity/Mood Stack
Tyrosine: 750~1000mg
SAM-e: 400mg (double strength)
Lion's Mane 2x500mg(one morning, one night)
Piracetam 2x800mg (one morning, one afternoon)
Choline Bitratrate 400-600mg
& Galantamine 4mg (2-4 times per week)"

I was going to give it a try on a day in the next few days (once i get Lion's Mane) as a test since these items alone haven't really done too much.

Will there be noticeable effects taking them all at once in the morning on an empty stomach? Or is this more likely to work after a period of time?
Ive been quite bored with life lately making me pretty down, so I'd love to have a day of higher mood & perhaps even increase my creativity to do some writing or something.

Thanks

R

[hendrix]

only herbal and natural options please. i don't handle stimulants or chemicals well. i can guess gotu kola or brahmi but is there anything that more beneficial for creativity?

[Ichoose2live]

The Racetams and playing piano or violin.

[iago]

Creative doing what? Generally, I find piracetam to be good for verbal and musical creativity. The only other racetam I've tried is aniracetam but I don't find that it has the same effect.

[owls]

racetams, bacopa and gotu kola as you already mentioned. perhaps rhodiola and ashwagandha which is personally have no experience with.

playing an instrument, as mentioned above. listening to stimulating music, being around pleasant smells. developing positive emotional relationships. practicing yoga and/or engaging in intense aerobic activity

cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, LSD, ayahuasca, just to name a few of nature's wonders

[InVeritate]

Here is an alternative suggestion: remove distractions. If you are already creative, and I think everybody really is, than the problem may simply be applying it. When that is difficult it gets rationalized as lack of creativity. So, try renewing your focus on whatever you are striving to create and remove the obstacles that may be interfering with the creative process. Remove external stimuli until you are stuck in your own mind.

[The Immortalist]

only herbal and natural options please. i don't handle stimulants or chemicals well. i can guess gotu kola or brahmi but is there anything that more beneficial for creativity?

Creativity in what exactly?

[hendrix]

creativity in visual arts. but generally overall in life if that makes sense.

[platypus]

creativity in visual arts. but generally overall in life if that makes sense.

I guess psychedelics are unbeatable for this as they change the way one perceives things. However, most of the common motives have already been popularized since the 1960s'.

[Major Legend]

Though Piracetam seems to increase my visual acuity, and lifts my brain fog somewhat from previous suspected brain damage. At lower dosages it seems to cause me to have gaps in my thinking, and at higher doses it just seems to make me really wired and non-expressive.

I've always been a really creative and bubbly person before the suspected brain damage accident, I used to be dumb and incredibly creative, very visual/musical mind now I am just dumb.