Art has been used to express feelings for centuries. It is also a good way to improve one’s well-being. Children normally start modeling clay and making drawings to express emotions and reduce stress. Research has shown that art therapy is a valuable tool for improving health when conducted by a skilled therapist.
What is Art Therapy?
Many people wonder how art improves healing. Art therapy is a technique which makes use of diverse types of arts to improve mental, physical, and emotional health. In the mid-20th century, doctors discovered that patients with mental illnesses preferred to express their emotions visually. That was when art therapy was incorporated into the medical field.
How art Improves Healing
Officially, hospital art began in 1959, when artists began specifically designing pieces of art for healthcare facilities. For years, hospitals have strived to restore art and encourage people to come up with creative hospital wall art. Artists and art galleries have played a big role in the health sector. Here are several ways on how art improves healing:
Art makes people active
Limited movement is harmful to someone’s health. When someone is ill, the movements are limited, and that can increase the chances of developing diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and other issues. Art is a good way of having fun and moving around. If you are in a hospital, you can take a few minutes and move around enjoying the artwork around the hospital.
Art helps with handling pain
According to research conducted by Dr. Staricoff, people who took medications to manage pain took fewer medications when art was in their environment compared to those in an environment with no art. It is normal to hear people say that the pain they are feeling is beyond expression. Art provides such people with a way of expressing their pain visually. Art therapy plays a crucial role in helping healthcare professionals understand and handle chronic pain.
Art relieves stress
Art is a great way to relieve stress and manage burnout. The workload in hospitals is intense, and 45% of doctors describe their drive as being low according to research done by Exeter University‘s School of Psychology. Installing artwork in healthcare facilities normally brightens up the environment. It boosts productivity, relieves stress, and encourages creativity. Art in healthcare facilities improves the well-being of healthcare professionals, subsequently makes them offer better services to the patients.
Art helps with expressing the unspeakable
Art can be visceral, cerebral, or both. Art can help someone express complex things without uttering a single word. It is normal for a doctor to encourage people with a mental health condition to paint. The images that the patient will paint will help the doctor get an idea of the patient’s thought process. It is especially common for doctors to encourage trauma patients to paint. It allows the patients a release and helps them deal with suppressed memories and emotions.
Enhances sensory experiences among patients with dementia
Creative experiences and art can help people with dementia. Encouraging them to paint and draw helps them to live a life that is as close as possible to the life they had before dementia set in. It is also advisable to use ephemera, object, and creative activities to manage and support some sensory, physical, and cognitive impairments.
How art improves healing is a subject that has been discussed a lot in the medical field. Everybody has an artistic element. Art is a vehicle that can be used to heal ourselves and others. Contact Smart Art Inc. today to learn more!