Art is a common way to practice self-expression, but did you know that art is also a way to boost mental health? With chronic conditions on the rise in America, cases of depression, anxiety, and stress have also increased in recent years, causing many physical as well as mental health conditions to worsen. Thankfully, there are ways to reverse this worrying trend. Studies have found that engaging in creative expression can lower stress, anxiety, and depression, while also improving overall psychological health.
Over the past twenty-some years, the relationship between art and health has been investigated by health psychologists in a variety of ways. Specifically, a study has found that music engagement, visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression, and expressive writing are useful in improving emotional states, increasing personal and interpersonal awareness, developing a capacity for self-reflection, and altering behaviors and thinking patterns.
Creating art can be an effective treatment method for mental health.
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Expressive writing, in particular, has been found to have a host of positive effects. One form of expressive writing, journaling, involves writing about emotional topics for a certain amount of time, such as 30 minutes. The study found that after nine weeks of journaling, participants had improved control over their pain and depressed mood regardless of whether they practiced freeform writing (e.g. no prompt or topic direction) or directed writing (e.g. given prompts or writing topics). Similarly, a different study found that patients with chronic pain conditions who expressed anger in their writing were found to have even greater improvements in their healing, as their expression led to making sense of and finding meaning in their anger.
Beyond improving pain management and mental health, expressive writing can also help people find their voices and uncover more about themselves. It can help them work through their feelings, improve their relationships, and see their lives from a new perspective. So, bust out that pen and paper (or computer and keyboard) and write whatever comes to mind! Whether or not you feel that you are struggling to cope with life’s stresses, writing can be freeing in ways that you might not expect, so why not give it a try?
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