How Art Can Help You Cope With the Pandemic
Many folks lived for course. It gave us an opportunity to be pint-sized Picassos with paint or Michelangelos with elbow macaroni. We didn’t let our egos or skillsets get in the way. Instead, we rolled up our sleeves, unleashed our creativity, and beamed proudly after we presented our “masterpieces” to loved ones. We were quite happy to form things for the special people in our lives long ago. Through our arts and crafts, we could show them just what proportion they meant to us in our own unique ways.
In a time once we can’t see friends and family the maximum amount as we want to, some could be struggling to seek out the proper ways to remain connected — and show our VIPs that they still mean the planet to us. Sure, the video chats, virtual dance parties, and game nights were fun initially. But with the heaviness of the previous couple of months, high-tech communication solutions have begun to lose their luster.
So how can we reconnect with our loved ones in genuine ways, nourish our minds and lift our spirits, especially with the vacations fast approaching? It’s all rooted in art.
Art therapy manager, Tammy Shella, Ph.D., ATR-BC, goes on to assist us to understand how important art will be to fret management and the way we will use it to remain connected to the people we love.
How the pandemic has affected our mental state
According to the CDC, the pandemic has been the source of many psychological state challenges. Most are associated with illness and death caused by the disease, physical distancing, and even stay-at-home orders. A recent survey done by the CDC revealed that cases of tension disorder and emotional disorder increased considerably between April and June within the U.S. of those who participated in the survey, 40.9% reported a minimum of one mental or behavioral health condition — anxiety, depression, trauma, and stressor-related disorder or perhaps increased misuse. Some survey participants even reported that they considered suicide within the 30 day period before they recorded their responses.
After experiencing such a lot less, it’s not hard to urge stuck in a very loop of sadness and despair. It’s also understandable if you’re feeling lonelier than usual or have a good greater must remain isolated. However, maintaining personal connections is one thing that we are able to control. And when all hope is lost, the people we love can help us remember that good items still exist within the world.
How art can help during difficult times
As an art therapist, Tammy Shella has seen how creativity can ease stress and help people process the heaviness that they’re handling. While your stick figures or crocheted bathroom tissue covers won’t win you any awards, creating them can help nurture your inner artist and facilitate your find some peace.
“We all draw. It’s a natural kind of expression, and expressing ourselves visually is an attribute. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to mention things because the verbal side of our brain and therefore the visual side of our brain are two different paths. for instance, post-traumatic stress is stored within the nonverbal areas of our brain. that’s why those that have PTSD are triggered by things like sights, smells, colors, or sounds that remind them of the trauma that occurred. In their case, talking about the event won’t always say the trauma. So thanks to that, just talking about things won’t necessarily help them heal,” says Shella.
Shella adds that art therapy helps patients process what they may not be ready to through traditional therapy sessions.
“Walter Reed National Military center encompasses a big art therapy program for soldiers with PTSD because it helps them express what they can’t express through words. after you consider it, people who’ve experienced major traumas can’t explain what they’re researching. And once we have a difficult time expressing what we’re prying on, we’d have feelings of shame, anger, and depression all bound up inside. we would also mask our emotions to look strong to those around us. But through art therapy, patients can convey how they really feel on the within and reveal things that they weren’t comfortable sharing with the globe.”
While the program that Shella manages is especially for hospital patients, she says that we are able to greatly enjoy creating art reception. And a decent reason to try to do it right now? It can give us a much-needed mental break from current events and permit us to be more mindful.
