Stress and anxiety have become a common problem nowadays and have significantly increased in the last few years. In India, megacities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Chennai report high levels of stress and anxiety. Sad but true, primarily students and working professionals suffer from extreme stress and anxiety issues, as per the surveys. Some common reasons are long working hours, strict deadlines, EMIs, board and competitive exams (JEE, NEET, UPSC, etc.)
Then there are other factors, such as high traffic, population, pollution, health, and social media platforms, that affect people significantly in these locations. Today, we cannot stop stress and external pressures from being presented to us. We have to deal with it every day. Whether you are a student, employee, or parent, you are bound to experience feelings of irritation, restlessness, tension, or even headaches. And severity varies from person to person.
Rarely do people report cases of anxiety and stress today. And so I feel art therapy can come as an effective solution. But why art therapy? And how does it work in relieving problems of stress and anxiety? Let’s learn this in detail in today’s blog…
Why Art Therapy?
Now that we have discussed art therapy in our previous blog, we understand how it works. In simple terms, art therapy uses methods like drawing, journaling, drama, dance, or writing to help people express their emotions. And this process is not only therapeutic but also fun-loving. Here are six reasons why art therapy works so well with many people, and often works better than other therapies:
- Creative And Engaging: Art therapy is more than just talking. Its use of colours, paint brushes, and movement that large people can connect with. Counselling and traditional therapies ask clients questions that might not be discussed. Therapy, in contrast, is a fun, engaging, and enjoyable process that almost everyone can do without hesitation.
- Express Words Through Art: Most people suffering from stress and anxiety are hesitant to communicate their concerns. For those who face communication challenges, art therapy is a viable alternative for expressing emotions and personal experiences.
- Gives Natural Relaxation: When you engage in creative activities, you enter a flow state, which naturally relaxes your mind. This creative flow not only breaks negative cycles but also promotes mindfulness.
- Provides A Sense of Accomplishment: When you finish an artwork or creation, whatever it is, good or bad, you experience a sense of empowerment. When you feel like you can control your paintings, you can also control your emotions. This feeling boosts a person’s self-esteem and motivation.
- Flexible And Adjustable: Art therapy is now quite flexible. And the good thing is you can even learn some techniques and implement them in your daily life. It can be done in individual and group settings, and doesn’t require a fancy place to get started. You can sit in a garden or cafe and take art therapy sessions. Therefore, it is widely accepted in schools, workplaces, and healthcare centres.
- Fun And Approachable: Now, if you ever had those thoughts that counselling is boring and sitting in a 45-minute session feels less pleasing, then it’s okay. We all have such thoughts when counselling feels like a less attractive option. You can switch to multiple therapies or blend art therapy in between. Enjoy the time of creating something and connecting with yourself. This makes it easy and approachable, and people are excited about attending their art therapy sessions.
How Art Therapy Reduce Stress And Anxiety
Now, when it comes to daily stress and anxiety, how art can be helpful. Research shows that art therapy lowers cortisol (a stress hormone) and directly reduces stress levels. We associate emotional expressions with art therapy. Here, studies show how externalizing feelings through art relieves trauma, fear, and anxiety more safely than verbal methods.
When you are working on art, you are moving your hands in a focused direction. This attentive movement creates a flow that temporarily stops all negative and stressful thoughts. This stoppage naturally relaxes a person, and your mood automatically gets uplifted.
A 2023 meta-analysis has reviewed multiple randomized controlled trials, which suggest that art therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress among students, patients, and even trauma survivors. Other studies also showed positive results after 6–8 weeks of art therapy sessions, showing reduced anxiety scores.
There are even case studies that have proved how art therapy helps reduce anxiety in teenagers. Almost 118 young adults who participated in art activities (claywork, painting, drawing) reported that it improved acceptance and goal-directed behavior.
Goal-directed behavior can work wonders in reducing stress and anxiety. It’s a fun, enjoyable, and creative process that helps you feel uplifted and calm when emotional turmoil, low feelings, and daily pressures challenge you.
Learn Art Therapy Course From Indian Counselling Services
Want to break free from daily tensions and indulge in therapeutic activities every day? Then nothing is better than doing an art and movement therapy course online. ICS offers one of the best art therapy courses in India, where you learn creative techniques to try at home, case studies, and how to use art activities live to help people with various mental health challenges. You even know how you can build a rewarding career in this field from a professional art therapist.
Ready to experience the healing nature of Art and movement therapy? Join our batch and begin your journey with us!
