Art therapy in the treatment of addiction has been proved to be effective. It is a form of non-verbal communication which avails the artist to employ any form which they deem fit. Addiction to either alcohol or drugs has various origins. It could be as a result of traumas at childhood, depression, stress amongst others. Due to the fact there are lots of delicate factors enmeshed in this, there are also lots of treatments in place.
Art therapy aids the patient in coming to terms with incidents which occurred in the past, and also reduce the amount of shame which often serves as a side-effect to searching for help. The creation of art is exclusively the work-function of the artist.
Addicts in recovery can communicate their thoughts and feelings in the following categories:
- Visual and Fine art: This is a form of arts which involves painting, sculpting, cut-paper art and drawing. This requires lots of creative thinking from the individual.
- Performance arts: For this category, the individual would either have to be a performing dancer, a music artist, an instrumentalist, or an actor. This requires the addict to put in more action and physical action
- Applied art: This category involves sewing, cooking, woodworking and jewelry making
- Literature: In this category, there is only one example, which is creative writing
Taking a permanent break from addiction happens to be a very difficult decision to make, based on the fact that it could be quite disorienting, wherein all sorts of emotions could surface. No two persons can have the same reaction in the same way, this is why there are various forms of art therapy which are excellent for counsellors, and therapies who want to put to trial, different methods. A Luxury Treatment Center is the kind of programs that typically incorporate Art Therapy.
One of the features of putting art to use in order to cope with addiction, is the fact that it can be used irrespective of the age. It takes a lot of patience to know what works well for you, and learning what you have the capacity to handle in a safe and healthy environment¸ is one of the most appropriate ways of recovering from substance abuse.
Channeling your energies in a beneficial way is a good habit which must be imbibed.