Art Therapy Can Boost Mental Health In LGBTQ Communities
This time Jackie writes about Art Therapy could boost your mental health.
Mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse can affect anyone. Due to the unique challenges they are faced with, however, members of the LGBTQ community are more susceptible to these and other mental health disorders. In fact, according to a recent survey by LGBT Hero, 44% of LGBTQ respondents reported thoughts of self-harm, compared to 26% of heterosexual respondents. In addition to this, 79% of LGBTQ respondents stated that their mental health took a turn for the worst during lockdown. While there are many traditional therapies designed to assist in the prevention and treatment of mental health issues, art therapy is rapidly gaining popularity as an effective treatment tool. Here’s how – and why – art can be used to boost the collective mental health of the LGBTQ community.
Art eases the mind
Art therapy has often been compared to meditation, due to the fact that both activities have the ability to transport the mind to a far-off place free of anxiety and stress. While in such a meditative state, it becomes significantly easier to deal with the emotional obstacles you are facing. Although art, in general, can serve as a type of meditation, it has been found that drawing or painting scenes of nature is particularly relaxing. Similarly, learning to paint or draw certain aspects of the human form, such as emotion-filled human eyes, can also be very cathartic, and helps you to explore your own emotions.
It’s a healthy outlet for pent-up emotions
Art therapy has been found to be very effective in helping individuals with mental health concerns deal with their emotions. Structured art therapy and informal art activities can both provide a very healthy outlet for the anger, fear, frustration and hurt often experienced by members of the LGBTQ community. Creating art and talking about it with a trained therapist can make it a lot easier to make sense of your muddled feelings. By pouring all your emotions into your drawing, painting or sculpture, you can effectively work through even the most complex of your emotions that you may never have been able to verbalise to anyone else.
Improved self-esteem is a life changer
Due to the harassment and discrimination the LGBTQ community face on a daily basis, many individuals live with diminished self-esteem. Instead of walking tall with their heads held high, they try to hide from the world, hoping to become invisible. Art therapy can help an individual to rebuild their self-esteem and confidence by supplying them with a notable sense of accomplishment. Even if you do not possess much natural artistic ability, completing an art project is bound to fill you with pride. More often than not, accomplishment can be derived from merely engaging in art activities, and not just after viewing the end result.
Art therapy can be of great benefit to members of the LGBTQ community. Even engaging in casual art activities can help ease anxiety and ward off depression.