How Art Therapy For Anxiety Can Help Mental Health
What is art therapy, and what are its benefits? When we think of art therapy, many of us recall images of young children in a room with a therapist drawing their feelings. But the benefits of art therapy don’t necessarily stop when childhood ends. Art therapy for adults can be an effective tool used alone or in conjunction with other treatments for a variety of mental health challenges, including anxiety.
Some artists say that part of the reason they create is that it gives them an emotional outlet in their daily lives. While almost all of us draw or create in some way as children, many of us cease to do so as we grow older. It can be a useful tool for self-expression, especially when talk therapy is difficult. It can be conducted in person and online.
Art therapy for anxiety treatment
As defined by the American Psychological Association, art therapy is “the use of artistic activities, such as painting and clay modeling, in psychotherapy and rehabilitation.” A qualified art therapist may mix it with more traditional methods through the course of treatment to provide their clients with optimal opportunities for self-expression.
Generalized anxiety disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is often characterized by "persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things," according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). GAD generally runs on a spectrum according to the severity of the anxiety symptoms.
People living with GAD may find their worry incredibly hard to control, so much so that their everyday lives can become challenging. They may also have challenges maintaining both personal and professional relationships.
Anxiety disorders
In addition to GAD there are several other types of anxiety, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobia-related disorders.
People with anxiety can have multiple anxiety diagnoses, such as GAD and OCD, for example. Because mental health issues often cluster together, individuals may also experience other disorders, such as substance use disorders or depressive episodes, prior to diagnosis.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
Art therapy for anxiety (GAD)
One possible use for art therapy is in treating GAD and helping to manage anxiety symptoms overall. According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapists use “active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship” in order to “enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities.” These art therapists normally believe this treatment can reduce symptoms by allowing patients to reach their emotions more easily than traditional talk therapy. Using a different sense of the body to express nuanced emotion can help the message come through more clearly.
To see if art therapy could influence symptom reduction, researchers studied its efficacy in treating adult women with anxiety disorders like GAD and panic disorder. Through a randomized control trial study, participants completed online assessments. After creating art, they reported more positive self-evaluation. Post-treatment results also showed a reduction in physical anxiety symptoms, such as elevated heart rate.
Art therapy's effect on mental health
A meta-study observed art therapy's treatment effects on anxiety disorder and depression and found that it can help treat symptoms of both conditions in the majority of patients. Of the seven different papers cited in the meta-study, four reported post-treatment anxiety symptom reduction as well as reduction of severe depression symptoms.
Potential benefits of art therapy for anxiety
Art therapy for managing symptoms has long been a popular tool used in conjunction with more traditional methods because of its many potential benefits. It can serve as an alternate mode of communication. It can also center thoughts, break the cycle of rumination, provide dialogue direction, ease nervous clients, and have an overall calming effect.
Some people experiencing anxiety and depression may also be introverted. Introverts may feel less comfortable opening up, especially if they are still in the early stages of forming a relationship with their therapist. Art therapy can be a way for clients to express how they are feeling at a given moment without having to voice it in words.
A study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science examined the effects of mindfulness-based art therapy conducted on patients that have both Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and anxiety and depression. Researchers found that a significant number of patients participating in the study reported reduced feelings of depression and anxiety, reduced body mass index, and significantly reduced blood pressure due to the treatment.
Ruminating about past events or sources of worry can be one of the major contributing factors to GAD. Rumination can be thought of as a repeated cycle of thinking about a single instance or memory in your life. The cycle can be hard to break; if it is broken, it may easily return.
Art therapy can engage other senses that require the mind to turn its attention away from the cycle of rumination and toward the present. By engaging the mind to visualize and create media with the hands, it may be less able to devote energy to the thought or memory on which the mind is ruminating.
Sometimes talking alone can be difficult between client and therapist if the client has a hard time determining exactly what they are feeling. Clients may feel uncomfortable opening up completely in a verbal way. Or they may want to verbalize how they're feeling, but have difficulty putting their thoughts and emotions into words.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, there is evidence that engagement with artistic activities, either as an observer of the creative efforts of others or as an initiator of one's creative efforts, can enhance one's moods, emotions, and other psychological states as well as have a salient impact on important physiological parameters." Many who use coloring books or clay modeling can attest to the feeling of flow that these practices create. In addition, recent research adds to the growing body of evidence of the benefits of the arts for enhancing well-being.
Art therapy for anxiety is a form of integrative mental health, which means that it can easily be integrated with other therapeutic approaches.
When used in conjunction with other modes of therapy, both types can complement each other and serve as a propellent forward when a tough crossroads is encountered.
How online therapy can help
If you’re experiencing severe anxiety, it can be difficult to reach out for help, especially in person. Symptoms can make it hard to speak to someone new, and even leaving the house to travel to sessions can be challenging. Online therapy may offer a more comfortable alternative for people with anxiety. With this type of counseling, you may chat with a therapist online and get professional help without leaving home.
Online art therapy can be an effective form of treatment. As a recent study demonstrated, art therapy can be successfully adapted to the telehealth format.
Takeaway
Art therapy often involves creating various types of art and interpreting them to gain insight. It can be helpful in treating anxiety in clients of all ages. It can provide an emotional outlet, stop the cycle of rumination, and counteract the potential physical consequences of anxiety all while offering a way to explore artistic expression and boost self-esteem.
How can art therapy support mental health?
A professional art therapist provides art materials and activities for their clients to create art in a therapy setting. The various materials may include decorative materials, colored pencils, paint, clay, and collage materials, among others. Patients are encouraged to create art at their own pace as part of a meditative process that supports self awareness and emotional expression. People often describe making art as some of their happy moments, which may explain why art therapy for anxiety is a successful therapeutic modality.
How can art therapy help with anxiety?
Art therapy activities can help calm anxiety through creative expression. Licensed professionals lend their professional guidance to prompt their clients to create images that help them to express emotions. Patients can create visual representations of anxiety and other negative emotions. Throughout the process, patients can learn coping skills, gain self confidence, and experience personal growth.
Can art therapy help with social anxiety?
Art therapy can help with social anxiety. Making art in a safe space can calm the nervous system and reduce negative feelings. The social interaction that occurs with art therapy in a group setting can increase positive feelings and teach communication skills that help people cope with social anxiety. Art therapy can help create a broader definition of the self in relation to others in social situations.
Is art therapy an effective mental illness treatment?
In a clinical practice, art therapy exercises prompt a client to create art with paint, paper, and other materials. Art therapy can help patients process their emotions related to a mental illness and teach them coping skills.
Can art therapy for anxiety in older adults help?
Art therapy can help older adults with managing anxiety. It has been shown that creative pursuits can increase mental well being for older adults. Social interaction in group art therapy can also lessen anxiety and feelings of isolation in older people.
You can draw anything that brings you calm and joy, and there is no right or wrong way to draw. You can also use a variety of drawing materials such as colored pencil, lead pencil, or charcoal. Some people find Zen Doodles or drawing images of nature to be calming. If you are looking for ideas of things to draw, you can do an internet search or purchase a coloring book for adults.
The most common way to relieve anxiety is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. If you are feeling anxious and are experiencing negative emotions at home one of the best ways to calm your anxious feelings is using a mindfulness exercise such as a body scan or deep breathing.
One fun therapeutic art activity is to visually express an inner feeling such as anxiety through a body outline. Another fun activity is creating a mandala by building your design as you move out from a center point on the paper. You can incorporate abstract designs or realistic images into your mandala, and you can use any medium you wish. If you hang up your finished pieces, they can serve as a visual reminder of the coping strategies you have learned in therapy.
There are three steps to this rule that each involve three things: Name three things you can see, name three sounds you can hear, and move three parts of your body. Practicing this technique regularly can help increase your emotional resilience, which can help with anxiety and stress reduction.
An art therapy exercise can help relieve stress and anxiety. Meditation and breathing exercises can also help with stress and anxiety—they bring awareness to the present moment and foster a deeper understanding of your inner processes, increasing emotional clarity.
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