4 Art Therapies for Better Mental Health

Many people suffer from mental illnesses, something that is commonly triggered by stress. It takes a lot of money to get professional help and prescribe medication, and often times, lack of money is the source of stress. People can spend from $360 to $2,400 for a single mental illness. Additionally, medicine can be harmful as there are side effects such as diabetes, slow reproduction of brain cells, thoughts of suicide, and such. There are other alternatives such as cognitive behavioral therapy, but most of them only work if patients are good at expressing themselves using words, because those alternatives mainly focus on answering "why" and "how" questions.

Art therapy, on the other hand, breaks out of that mold and doesn't require specific answers. It's a cheap and safe alternative to recover or cope for mental illnesses, since it doesn't compromise physiological health factors. Art therapy comes in many forms:

Theater

In theatrical therapy, improvisation games give therapists a better understanding of what their patients are like, because theater helps people express the underlying issues hidden within the subconscious. It also helps people vent or act happy until they begin to feel better.

Dance

Dance therapy works similarly. Freestyle dance helps therapists analyze the subconscious and can be used to vent or tell a story. Specific styles can be recommended to shape the clients' mind.

Music

Musical therapy is broken down into listening, creating, and performing. Listening to music affects various people differently, and listening to certain ones is a way of coping that can be used as an assessment tool for therapists. Creating lets people express their emotions and their stories, while performing can be a wonderful stress reliever, since it allows people to fully express themselves.

Visual Art

Visual art is diverse as well, as people get to work with all kinds of mediums, from sculpting to painting to sketching. Therapists can assess the subconscious by analyzing what their patients create, as making specific shapes and using specific colors can reveal a lot about a person.

Art therapy can be tailored for certain people. For example, introverts usually start with one-on-one sessions that focus on self-realization, using improv and art. Extroverts, on the other hand, might benefit more from group sessions that focus on communication and sharing their works, helping them gain confidence in their emotions and memories. This flexibility allows therapists to try multiple techniques and see which ones work the best, without experiencing any repercussions.

Since art therapy can range from theater to music to dancing to visual arts, it can match the needs of many different people, with the common goal of recovery. It has no negative side effects, so it's a wonderful way to become self-aware and uncover any underlying issues within the subconscious. Because it's so diverse and accessible, art therapy is an approachable solution for anyone, allowing people to relax, socialize, and exercise their brain at the same time. Who knows, some people may even discover a new talent or hobby.

Now that you know the benefits of art therapy, what are your thoughts on it? Do you think that it's better or worse than other forms of therapy? Comment your answers down below. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel if you enjoy our content, and follow us on our Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook. And as always, thanks for watching and have a fabulous day!