Damage to brain cells leads to a loss in the capacity to communicate, impacting thought, behaviour and feelings [25-27]. The economic loss caused by mental health disorders is estimated to be USD 1.03 trillion between 2012 and 2030 [1]. Despite technological advances, the puzzle of mental disease causation remains a complex interaction of the environment, brain and mind [11]. Art therapy can help us feel empowered in our recovery by coming to realisations and moving through emotional difficulties without the use of substances. Being able to visually see our emotions and thoughts in front of us in the form of a piece of art can help us then verbalise what is happening in our inner world.
- The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) states that music therapy is useful regardless of musical background, and examples of clinical music therapy include lyric analysis, relaxation training, songwriting, musical games, and improvising music based on emotions or other topics relevant to treatment.
- Technology was also cited as potentially overwhelming and distracting from the creative process (Orr, 2012).
- We chose an integrative review framework as a guide to allow us to undertake a well-rounded but flexible evidence synthesis that would present a breadth of perspectives and combine methodologies without overvaluing specific hierarchies of evidence (Whittemore and Knafl, 2005).
Music Therapy
Avolition, anhedonia, alogia, avolition, and affective flattening are the hallmarks of negative schizophrenia. In mixed schizophrenia, either both negative and positive symptoms are noticeable, or neither is noticeable [22]. Mental and behavioural problems are responsible for 12% of the global disease burden [9].
- The art therapist can also offer some general prompts, such as “Are there moments that inspire happiness?
- But we also know how powerful, helpful, and effective alternative and creative therapies such as music and art therapy can be.
- It is necessary for the investigation to include not only subjective scale evaluations, but also objective means such as brain imaging and hematological examinations to be more convincing.
- Reports on successful practice with hospitalized children highlight the benefit of adaptations enabled by technology to compensate for physical and emotional challenges (Thong, 2007; Malchiodi and Johnson, 2013).
- Schizophrenia is a complex functional psychotic mental illness that affects about 1% of the population at some point in their life (Kolliakou et al., 2011).
Art Therapy And Mental Health
As suggested previously, the review confirmed that the perception of digital technology in art therapy realm is dominated by ambivalence and tendencies to pull toward and against, which seems an appropriate attitude on encountering something which we do not yet fully understand. Both an increasing interest in the opportunities that digital technology potentially brings, as well as cautiousness around implementation have been apparent in the literature examined. An observation was made in a paper published over two decades ago that the small size of a computer screen and small mouse movements, art therapy for addiction used at that time to create images on-screen, could “tame emotions” (Collie and Čubranić, 1999). Similar concern that the standardization of digital tools for art making could impede emotional or creative expression was voiced in forthcoming publications (Collie et al., 2006; Orr, 2012). It was also speculated that a computer image, that exists as multiple copies of itself, might not be an adequate container for emotional material (Collie and Čubranić, 1999) and that using computers for art making might put more emphasis on the product than on the artistic process (Collie et al., 2006).
Lincoln Recovery
To begin, each participant will draw four dots—one in each corner of the paper—and then connect them to draw a square border. Within that square, they can draw lines to create as many sections as they desire and begin drawing dashes, lines, strokes, or dots to create more shapes. The participants should use colors that represent positivity and those that they enjoy the most.
This process involves the client using a fluid medium, such as paint, to help illustrate feelings of being out of control or self-destructive. Being able to view this experience outside of oneself in the form of art can help us finally acknowledge our need and desire to attain sobriety. Seeing this visually can help create a visual representation of where we truly are internally.
A 2018 study found that listening to “Weightless,” an instrumental song by Marconi Union, reduced anxiety in study participants by 65%. Those with depression had an improved self-image and a stronger sense of self-esteem. Another study found participants with PTSD felt more relaxed, had reduced behaviors that contributed to poor emotional function, and had increased emotional responses.
Art Therapy in Addiction Recovery
