Blog Post #5: Using Art Therapy to Help Alleviate Stress

 What is Art Therapy?      

Art therapy can be used to express your creative side, reduce stress, and get in touch with your feelings! Research has found that just 45 minute of creative activity can reduce your stress, regardless of artistic experience or talent.

 

What Are Some Ways That Art Can Help Alleviate Stress?

·      Art as a form of self-care

·      Helps you tap into a “state of flow”

·      Takes your mind off things

Mental Health Benefits of Art Therapy

1.     It fosters self-awareness

2.     It helps you process and understand emotions 

3.     Offers an emotional release

4.     Builds self-confidence 

5.     Helps in self-discovery

How Can Drawing and Painting Reduce Stress?

·      Dopamine levels are often increased in patients who has newly creative outlets

·      Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that often is low in patients with anxiety, depression, and excessive stress

·      Most people who try art as a form of therapy or stress relief have experienced meaningful reductions in their cortisol levels when doing so. Cortisol is a natural occurring hormone that often appears in high levels in people who are stressed out 

 

What Can You Do for Art Therapy?

·      Ceramics and Clay Work

·      Sculpting

·      Doodling or Scribbling 

·      Collages

·      Fabrics

·      Colouring Books 

·      Textiles

·      Art Journals 

·      Photography

Can You Do Art Therapy On Your Own?

 

Of course! You do not have to see a therapist in order to experience some of the therapeutic benefits of artistic expression. Some art therapy exercises you can do on your own include:

·      Keeping sketchbooks and notebooks 

·      Colouring and colouring books 

·      Painting, drawing, or doodling

·      Scrapbooking

My Personal Experience with Art Therapy

 I chose to focus my topic this week on art therapy since this is something I do a lot in my spare time to help reduce stress! Although I have never seen a professional therapist, I have found that doing it on my own has had many benefits. I spend a lot of my time doing scrapbooking. This is such a great way for me to really focus on the task at hand and forget about my worries and stress for the time I am doing it. I have also found that adult colouring books are very beneficial in helping reduce stress. I find that once you begin an art project, you really get in the zone and end up creating beautiful pieces and also feel a lot better in the process as well. 

Points for Reflection:

I had a great time posting to my blog each week. I have learned so much about natural and effective ways to alleviate stress and I hope you did too! I will definitely be using resources I have found to help me whenever I am feeling stressed!