What Are the Benefits of Art Therapy for Drug Addiction?
There are numerous benefits to art therapy for drug and alcohol addiction recovery. Here is a closer look at some benefits art therapy can have on addicts during the recovery process:
- Alternative Communication: When in a sober state, it can be overwhelming and even humiliating to think back on past actions during a substance-induced state. This can be increasingly difficult to talk about with a counselor but communicating their feelings about their past behaviors is a crucial part of the recovery process. Art therapy gives patients the chance to communicate their thoughts without having to reach too far out of their comfort zone and talk about them openly. Perhaps the time to discuss it out loud will come but art therapy can be the first step in improving communication.
- Developing Self-Worth: Art therapy for drug and alcohol addiction recovery is an important tool in building self-worth. Developing this increased sense of self-confidence is a critical part of recovering from substance abuse. This can be a tricky thing to improve through traditional therapies. Art therapy can help individuals connect with themselves on a deeper level, visualize their pain and suffering, and see just how much potential they truly have hidden away. Breakthroughs in self-love are a game-changer for recovering addicts.
- Self-Reflection: It can be tough to put what we think of ourselves into words. Sculpting or painting oneself throughout the recovery process gives the patient an opportunity to see themselves as an outsider would. This can open the door to an even deeper understanding of oneself and the power to move forward. Self-reflection can be emotionally overwhelming but it can also be rewarding.
- Emotional Healing: Healing is a hard task for addicts to achieve. However, once they develop enough self-worth and consider themselves worthy of forgiveness, emotional healing can begin. Art therapy for substance abuse addiction recovery allows people to express themselves in ways they never thought possible before. This emotional journey may be filled with ups and downs but it can bring an addict into sobriety by arming them with the one tool they need most: the ability to deal with their emotions.
The Three Goals of Art Therapy
There are three pillars of art therapy that come together to help patients recover from addiction. Here are the three goals of art therapy as it relates to substance abuse patients:
Identify the problem: The first goal of art therapy is to help patients understand their addiction. Through art therapy, they can discover the social, biological, environmental, and behavioral causes as well as the consequences of their substance abuse disorder. To manage the problem, patients must first understand it.
Develop new coping strategies: Art therapy for substance abuse addiction recovery serves as a new outlet for the patient to describe their feelings and connect with the outside world. Instead of turning to substance abuse, patients can turn to art to release their complicated emotions and frustrations in a healthy way.
Maintain sobriety: Art therapy also aims to provide patients with a continued outlet of communication to lean on to prevent relapse. By continually using art to maintain their emotional balance, relapse will become less and less likely over time.
What Does Art Therapy Look Like for Drug Addiction?
Clinical psychologist and mental health specialist Margarita Tartakovsky describes three common techniques that are used in art therapy:
1. Gestalt Approach: in this method, the artwork is used as a surface-level introduction before delving into any deeper meanings. The therapist will help the person distinguish their feelings through the painting and use the artwork as a tool to describe emotions or thoughts that are hard to articulate out loud.
2. Active Imagination Approach: in this technique, the individual will let their imagination wander and draw whatever comes to mind. With this spontaneous free association, the door might be opened to introspection or a new take on previous ideas.
3. “Third-Hand” Approach: Acting as a “third hand”, in this approach the therapist helps with the production of the actual painting. While the patient’s idea still dominates the drawing or painting, the therapist helps bring their vision to reality.
What Are Some Art Therapy Addiction Exercises?
If you or a loved one is looking to experiment with art as a therapy method, here are some places to start:
1. Draw without thinking: While it may be hard to just pick up a pencil or paintbrush and just start drawing, try to draw whatever feels natural with no expectation for what the outcome should look like.
2. Draw a painful scene: While certain memories may hurt too much to talk about, by using a nonverbal technique like drawing or painting, it may help to process and release some of those negative emotions.
3. Experiment with different mediums: Using your hands in art therapy, like with clay or even finger painting, can be a great way to connect physically with art and focus more on the process.
4. Draw your ideal future: By visualizing your ideal sober future, it can give you a concrete goal to strive towards. It can help to what a healthy life would look like on paper.
5. Work with a professional: With a professional art therapist, they can help you process and channel your emotions from your creative work. They can also help facilitate the creative process and focus your artistic energy.
How Do I Know if Art Therapy Is for Me?
Art therapy with a licensed art therapist is not only reserved for those with artistic inclinations. Anyone and everyone can benefit from engaging in art therapy. Art therapy is proven to help people deal with anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. It can help those suffering learn to manage their feelings and behaviors, relieve symptoms of stress and even help them develop interpersonal skills.
The goal of art therapy isn’t to discover the next Pablo Picasso. The goal is to give the patient an outlet to express themselves in a new way—a simpler way. Art therapy can also improve cognitive function and enhance brain connectivity. Addiction is a disease that dramatically affects the brain and its functionality. Art therapy for substance abuse addiction recovery is an effective tool for rebalancing the brain and helping patients find their path to sobriety.
Mental illness and emotional traumas are often the culprits behind substance abuse disorders and art therapy can be invaluable in managing those exact issues. Group art therapy can also be a helpful treatment option because it allows patients to connect with others like them. They can witness each other’s progress and grow together. Individual therapy is also an option.
Find out more about the benefits of individual therapy.
What Do I Need to Start Art Therapy?
You don’t need any special tools or a deep understanding of the arts to get started in an art therapy program for substance abuse disorders. To start art therapy and really have the program make a difference, patients need to be committed to getting clean and staying sober. This is a challenge in and of itself. Facing the possibility of life without a crutch can be scary, but it is the best way for you to move forward.
The patient must be ready and willing to try it. Whether the patient is ready to believe in themselves is not the main concern. That will come with time and treatment. All that’s needed to take the first step is the will to lead a happier, healthier life.
Substance abuse disorders can be very difficult to struggle with, but there are ways you can achieve sobriety today and for the long run. Getting sober and staying sober begins with that very first step. Seeking treatment from experience rehab and recovery professionals can increase your odds of kicking your old habits and preventing relapse in the future.
Does Art Therapy Really Work?
There are countless studies that have proven the efficacy of art therapy in relation to mental health issues and substance abuse disorders. There is definitive proof that art therapy can help people deal with many problems including emotional distress, emotional trauma, mental disorders and substance abuse disorders.
Art therapy helps patients better understand themselves, their strengths, and their weaknesses. In addition, art therapy actually alters connections in the brain, making it easier for patients to connect with their emotions and regulate them.
How Do I Get Started?
If you or a loved one are suffering from substance abuse disorder, know that you are not alone. As alone as you may feel, there are many people out there who are dealing with the exact same issues and are finding their path to healing every day. You can, too.
If you are considering art therapy, call us at Cardinal Recovery and ask about our treatment plans. We can help you find the treatment strategies that work best for your individual needs and help you commence the recovery process. One day at a time, you can do this. We’re here to help.
