Art And The Soul
You have probably heard that watching paint dry can be oddly therapeutic. However, did you know that art itself can help ease and soothe the human soul? There are many mental benefits associated with art. Max Lang-Orsini, an aspiring artist has testified to turning to art as a relief and escape from the mental turmoil that life has put him through.
The Coronavirus pandemic has led to self-isolation of many individuals who live alone. People working abroad or in new environments suffered depression and loneliness during the lockdown since they had no one to socialize or talk to. As humans, such isolation may have taken a toll on the minds of most people.
How Painting Art Can Benefit The Mind:
Helps Treat Or Prevent Depression
Many of the greatest artists in history such as Van Gogh, O’Keeffe, Munch and many more struggled with mental illnesses like depression at some point. This leads to the belief that artists are more likely to suffer with mental health issues.
However, a study carried out at (RCAC), Research Center for Arts and Culture, found that artists such as painters experience fewer feelings of anxiety, loneliness and depression than the average person. The research also revealed that artists are more likely to have a high morale about themselves and life.
In another study, scientists found that people with moderate to severe forms of depression experienced an improvement in their mental health after taking up the creative side and started using painting and visual arts as part of their treatment.
Neuroscientists are still trying to figure out how visual art impacts the mental health of individuals. One thing for certain is that artists and painters have used their craft over the centuries to work through their emotions and express themselves during difficult and dark times in life, and sometimes to cope, it’s where the term ‘art therapy’ comes from.
Helps You Cope With Stress
Many painters claim that there is nothing else in this world as relaxing and soothing as painting. Getting into the flow of a good paint can be a relief to the mind. Painting helps to take your mind off the problems you are facing. In some cases, painting has been compared to meditation.
Therapy based on art is continuously proving to be so effective in helping people cope with stress. The special kind of paint therapy is now used as a tool for treating individuals suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Thanks to technology, there is advance in neuroscience and imaging of the brain. Scientists are now beginning to understand what happens to the brain when you find ways to express yourself artistically through painting and other forms of art.
In Germany, researchers found that people who spent time coming up with visual arts through painting and other forms of art, showed increased levels of connectivity to their brains, during MRI scans.
The people also demonstrated great improvement in their psychological resilience. The research demonstrated that painting could help individuals cope with negative emotions during hard times, and manage to find reasons to be happy when life becomes tough.
If you have been suffering from poor mental health, maybe all you need to do is take up a painting class. As proved by research, oil on a canvas is a cheap and easy way to relieve the mind from stress and anxiety. You can also watch painting videos on YouTube, such as Bob Ross, in case you do not know how to paint and cannot enroll into a painting class.
