It is commonly known that art can help improve our moods, but have we really thought about it? Understanding the true mental impact of art is something we all lose sight of. There is a very evident reason why the famous artists we admire today have continued to paint, write, and dance until their last breath. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t for the money!

While art can be a fun way of self-expression, it is significantly more than that. University of Florida Centre for Arts in Medicine Research Director Jill Sonke states that the creative arts, as well as simply attending concerts or museums, can benefit one’s mental health. 

Creating art as a form of mental health treatment can date back up to the mid-20th century, when the shell-shocked soldiers returning from the trenches and battlefields of World War II drew, sculpted, painted, wrote, and followed many forms of art to help them process what they had witnessed when they were fighting. Since then, the practice has been growing significantly. Today, there are over 5,000 art therapists licensed in the US alone. 

Research has discovered that art can activate reward pathways in the brain, lower one’s anxiety levels, reduce stress, and improve one’s mood. A study using art therapy intervention for post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety among Syrian refugee children concluded that the children displayed a significant reduction in post-traumatic stress and depression as well as lower anxiety levels, PTSD, and dissociation after they partook in art therapy. 

Turning to art as a form of mental health treatment can be important, especially during our current generation. Making art using your hands requires a lot of focus and dedication, which leads to reduction of screen time. Exposure to social media has been proven to have negative effects on our mental health, so keeping yourself away from it as much as possible can save you from all the burdens that come with social media. 

Engaging in the arts has been proven to drastically reduce cortisol levels, which are mostly the reason behind fluctuating moods. Practising the arts helps to boost your self confidence and makes you feel more engaged and resilient while also alleviating your anxiety, stress, and depression. 

Making art can also enable you to take greater responsibility for your own health, well-being, and behaviour, as it helps to maintain levels of independence and curiosity, as well as improve self-control. Moreover, it is one of the healthiest coping mechanisms anyone can partake in. Art also helps in self-expression and gives all artists a chance to connect with others in their community, strengthening both new and already existing relationships. 

It is important to note that you do not have to have extravagant skills just to partake in art therapy, but rather the motivation and enthusiasm to be doing it. Even scribbling on a piece of paper and using your eraser to clean the edges will lower your anxiety and cortisol levels. So let’s get creating!