Art therapy is an old technique and a powerful tool in many therapy settings. It can help improve cognitive and sensory-motor functions, cultivate emotional intelligence and enhance social skills. The therapy entails using art and creative expression to treat psychological disorders and boost mental health.
Whether creating or viewing other people’s artworks, the therapy has many mental health benefits. It is based on the idea that creative expressions can foster mental well-being. While anyone can benefit from art therapy, it benefits people who cannot process their emotions in words.
The process of art therapy involves using different art forms such as painting to express your emotions. It requires working with a trained professional to help with a wide range of conditions and illnesses that affect the brain. Here are some of the well-studied health benefits of art therapy for the mind.
- Reduces stress and anxiety
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Art therapy can help reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety. The technique lowers cortisol levels in the brain to help the body respond to stress. Through art therapy, you can find relief from trauma or overwhelming emotions causing stress and anxiety. For example, grab a notebook and try writing or drawing something to get over nervousness and frustrations.
People can feel overwhelmed by the problems they face, which creates stress and anxieties. Art therapy offers them the opportunity to pause and express their feelings. By creating art, you can acknowledge and recognize feelings that have been lurking in your subconscious.
For example, children with asthma can experience improved feelings of worry and anxiety by participating in art therapy sessions. Individuals with pre-anxiety or anxiety can experience calm and mindfulness through art therapy. You can also visit art galleries to associate yourself with some creative arts to relax the body and mind.
- Reduces depression
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Apart from anxiety, art therapy can help reduce depression. If you are going through severe mental health distress, engaging in any form of art can the brain relax and induce a sense of calmness? It helps you work through the depressive condition and see the world in a different dimension. Painting, drawing, or visiting an art gallery can help those with depression to feel more comfortable. You will have a better emotional state and reduced symptoms of depression. In addition to this you can also try eating fresh and healthy meals that will help in improving the symptoms of depression.
People use art therapy to fight depression and emotional trauma affecting their lives. It offers a way to communicate thoughts and emotions that may seem confusing to articulate by talking. For example, prisoners use art therapy to help their feelings healthily. If you discuss art with a therapist, they can help you release any emotions and have a relaxing mind.
- Provides a creative release
Creativity is one way of remaining healthy while connecting with the world. This applies to any visual expression, such as drawing, painting, writing, or sculpting. Art therapy creates a healthy outlet to express and release all your feelings. If you have feelings of sadness or anger, art can be the only way to release the emotions.
You can use art to communicate how you are feeling creatively. Use the feelings in your body to come up with lines, shapes, and colors that translate your emotional experience into something visual.
Art therapy offers an opportunity to express your inner thoughts and emotions. For example, a person with mental illness can express himself in drawings and other artworks. The therapy allows people to use the creative process in exploring self-expression. In doing so, you can develop new coping skills and imagine future possibilities.
- Improves self-esteem
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Individuals with low confidence and self-esteem can benefit from art therapy. Most people with low confidence are likely to experience mental health issues such as depression. However, engaging in art therapy gives you a feeling of self-accomplishment, which can be valuable to improve your confidence and mental state.
Art can activate the reward pathway in the brain. As you feel good about a visual expression, it creates a pleasurable experience that improves your self-esteem. With art therapy, an individual can examine his inner self and the experiences that have shaped his life.
Art can flex your imaginations for a more hopeful future. It offers an opportunity to recognize your strengths and navigate problems. When you take part in any art therapy, it increases blood flow to the rewards part of the brain.
- Helps with dementia
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Making art induces a flow in the brain that helps stimulate memories in people with dementia. It can help you see your intense feelings more clearly and improve your cognitive health. Drawing and painting enable people to reconnect with the world. It jogs their mind, allowing them to remember and take part in mental activities.
Anything that engages your creative brain is good for the mind. Hence, art therapy can help people suffering from traumatic brain injury or dementia. Children who have trouble controlling their emotions because of trauma can benefit from art therapy.
The Bottom Line
There are many ways of dealing with a mental condition, and art therapy is one of them. Whether painting, drawing, or writing, art therapy is a vehicle to find your meaning and connect with the world. The technique is effective for anyone who struggles with processing their emotions at work. Creative activities can relieve stress and help arrest cognitive decline. Other mental benefits of art therapy include improved mood, improved self-esteem. Art has become an integral part of the therapeutic field.
