By: Jayita Bandargal
Introduction
The earliest known form of communication is through art- cave paintings. People used these methods to express and communicate, and still use these techniques today. Art is an outlet for pent-up emotions, a distraction from daily life, and an escape from reality. It bridges your inner and outer worlds, especially for teenagers. Art includes drawing, painting, theater, pottery, etc. How does art help us express ourselves? What are the changes that our minds go through with art? Does art therapy help Teenagers? These are the few questions this article will answer.
Expression
Art helps us look inside. Inside our mind to see our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Since we tap into our emotions, we become aware of what we think instead of mindlessly drowning in them. We can use these feelings to create art instead of letting them take over us. Self-expression through art has been proven to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. Art transcends language barriers and conveys emotions that words cannot express. It gives a deeper feeling which can evoke emotions. These emotions draw us closer to that art piece of that piece we are working on. It is an outcome of the emotions poured by the creator and creates a link between people and the creator. We share our personal stories, perspectives, and opinions without uttering a sound. The interpretation lies with the viewer. This way of communication and expression can be much stronger than the ones we share with words.
Therapy
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art as a way to express and communicate feelings and ideas. Adolescence is a period where teenagers go through drastic changes in their minds and body. Along with this, they form their sense of self which is affected by various factors making them feel lost and lonely on their journey. Understanding them is complicated. A teenager with negative emotions is even more challenging. This is where art therapy comes in. Often, teenagers use their words as a way of hiding or struggle to express themselves with words. As mentioned earlier, art transcends language barriers. Imagery taps into a person's earliest way of knowing and reacting to the world; therefore, it is not foreign to the experience of learning (Riley S, 2001). Art allows the client to distance themselves from their problem and see it in a different view or perspective allowing them to work towards solving it.
Teenagers are allowed to express their experiences using any media present in the room. The process of working with artistic materials itself exploits brain plasticity. Multiple studies demonstrate that physical actions and sensory experiences modify neural development, potentially accentuating identity development (Vaisvaser, S, 2021). They respond better to art as it is a non-threatening way of communication that helps them showcase their rawest form of emotion without the fear of judgment.
Working
Art shapes our brains. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to stimuli. The process and creating and interpreting art promotes plasticity which creates more neuronal connections thus increasing our cognitive and problem-solving attributes. When we are in touch with its art it activates our visual cortex (processes visual details), frontal lobe (linking visual data to existing data), and amygdala (the emotion center). It lights up the pleasure centers of our brain and reward mechanism which helps us feel relaxed and happier. All these are the biological reasons why art therapy works and how teenagers benefit from it.
‘The arts are being used in at least six distinct ways to heal the body: as preventative medicine; as symptom relief for everyday health issues; as treatment or intervention for illness, developmental issues, and accidents; as psychological support; as a tool for successfully living with chronic issues; and at the end of life to provide solace and meaning’ (Magsamen S, Ross I, 2023).
References
Riley, S. (2001). Art therapy with adolescents. Western Journal of Medicine, 175(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.1136/ewjm.175.1.54
Kelemen, L. J. (2022). Art Therapy Open Studio and Teen Identity Development: Helping Adolescents Recover from Mental Health Conditions. Children, 9(7), 1029. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9071029
Martinez, V (Nov, 2018). Expressing Yourself Through Art.
Shotwell, M (Mar, 2023). How Art Makes Us More Human: Why Being Creative is So Important in Life.
https://www.cultivategrandrapids.org/post/how-art-makes-us-more-human-why-being-creative-is -so-important-in-life
Gharib, M (Jan, 2020). Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/11/795010044/feeling-artsy-heres-how-makin g-art-helps-your-brain
Suttie, J (April, 2023). What Art Does for Your Brain?
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