Art and Mental Health
According to the CDC, the pandemic has been the source of many mental health challenges. Most have been related to illness and death caused by the disease, physical distancing and even stay-at-home orders.
Art provides an individual who is feeling pressured or overwhelmed with an opportunity to slow down and explore the issues that are occurring in life. It provides a way to manage behavior, reduce anxiety, process feelings, ease stress and help people process the heaviness that they are feeling. Art enhances brain function by impacting understanding, emotions and the nervous system. Even just observing art can stimulate the creation of new ways of thinking.
When you are creating art, whether it is writing in a journal, singing or making a card, you are getting into what is called a ‘flow state’. When you are in this zone and completely focused on the task at hand, you are not worried about time, bodily sensations or any other needs. And working on your creation can be quite joyful. In this state we can stimulate our minds, embrace mindfulness and experience feelings of accomplishment.
Since the focus is on the process and not the final product, art therapy is not about becoming a great artist but about finding meaning and connection in life. All you need is a willingness to experiment, you do not have to be a talented artist. Humans are naturally creative and once you unleash your creativity, your inner artist will quickly wake-up. Art forces us to look beyond that which is necessary to survive and leads us to create for the sake of expression and meaning. It can communicate information, shape our everyday lives, make a social statement and be enjoyed for its creative beauty.
Art therapy has many benefits: boosting your self-esteem, providing a safe outlet to relieve emotions, providing a sense of control over your life and helping you to get to know and understand yourself better. This is a journey of self-discovery that will help you learn how to communicate better with yourself and others as well as eliminate emotional roadblocks.
Creating art stimulates the release of dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel happier because we are doing something pleasurable. It increases drive and improves concentration and when you are done, a sense of completion.
Do not overthink things when it comes to creating art. When you open up and look outside yourself, you realize things are not just about you. Through art, people are able to express thoughts, ideas or fears in unique ways. You can begin to understand that what we are going through is a shared experience and knowing that other people understand what you are feeling helps us all feel better.
Here are today’s Wellness Wednesday Program reading resources:
“Stressed Out? Art can Help Us Get through the Coronavirus Pandemic”, Artists for the Earth, April 2, 2020, EarthDay.org
“How Art Can Help You Cope with the Pandemic”, healthessentials, Cleveland Clinic, October 26, 2020
“The benefits art therapy can have on mental and physical health”, Holly Tiret, Michigan State University Extension, May 25, 2017
