More than 20% of public health challenges are due to mental illnesses. And this number has only grown due to people experiencing social isolation and physical inactivity. This has created a pressing need for innovative and effective treatments!

Art plays a significant role in offering psychological help, promoting well-being, and enabling social connections for people with mental illnesses. Art therapy refers to creating or looking at art in a therapeutic context. It has played a valuable role in helping people cope with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Creating art using arts and craft supplies has also helped patients with dementia by enhancing their memory and cognitive skills. Here are some more therapeutic benefits of artistic expression.

Stress Relief

Painting, drawing, crafting, or sculpting are all healthy distractions that give your mind a break from overthinking. They also reduce overall stress levels.

A lot of people are using coloring books these days as stress relievers too—from creating them to filling them with creative designs.

Environmental and social factors heighten stress levels for people with PTSD and eating disorders. Looking at or creating art can help people find peace during moments when they are triggered.

Emotional Release

Creating art for therapeutic purposes provides you with a healthy outlet to express all your feelings and let go of your fears. It can be a challenge to reveal complex, built-up emotions like sadness and anger in words. This is where artistic expression comes in!

Making art helps you fulfill your desire for emotional release in the most creative way possible.

Creative Thinking

There are no rights or wrongs with art. You use both hemispheres of your brain while creating art, so it’s deeply stimulative no matter how you do it. You don’t necessarily have to be a talented artist to create ingenious artwork either.

Humans are innately creative. The philosopher and art critic Arthur Danto asserts that art has a “transcendent” characteristic. This means that art is tinged with individualized interpretations and meanings, surpassing even the artist’s vision.

Increased Dopamine Levels

Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter or chemical that’s released when we do something pleasurable. It instantly makes us feel happier, boosting our self-esteem. A psychological study indicated that creating art with arts and craft materials stimulated dopamine release in people. Elevated dopamine levels can also be beneficial for individuals battling anxiety or depression.

Take yourself on a journey of self-discovery and eliminate all the emotional roadblocks by indulging yourself in art. You can now purchase your favorite art supplies online with special discounts at Art Cove.

We are an online craft store that offers a wide range of arts, crafts, embroidery, and jewelry making supplies. Shop here.