Art is a powerful thing, with the World Health Organization (WHO) announcing just this week that “engaging with the arts can be beneficial for both mental and physical health,” with the many benefits of the arts including stress and pain management, and improved immunity. In countries like the UK, individuals who consult their doctors with a wide range of issues – from social isolation to chronic pain – are being referred to a ‘link worker’ who in turn connects them with community activities such as participatory art activities. Whether created in a formal (i.e. art therapy) or informal setting, art can benefit those battling everything from severe stress to intense headaches. These are just a few ways in which art can help reduce or manage the pain so many people across the globe have to deal with.
Art Therapy and Headaches
In a July 2019 study undertaken by researchers at the University of Washington, it was found that art-based mindfulness activities could reduce headaches ( a common side-effect of stress in teens). After three weeks of twice-weekly art therapy sessions, participants to the study saw their headache prevalence drop by almost 40%. Researchers stated that there is something powerful about creating art, and using it as a means to identify and take steps to reduce stress and headache triggers. In the study, teen females were asked to draw a body and show where they were feeling stressed. After taking part in mindfulness and drawing sessions, however, there was a discernible change. Lead researcher, Elin Björling, stated that “In the beginning, everything was in pieces, and in the end, everything was flowing through the whole body.”
Making Any Form of Art is Beneficial
Individuals battling everything from headaches to back pain should know that if by any chance they do not have time to attend formal art therapy sessions, any level of artistic creation can beneficial at lowering stress – which is a known trigger for pain. Beginners who don’t know where to start can benefit from visiting a beautiful natural spot (which in itself lowers stress hormone levels) and drawing wildlife like birds and butterflies, flowers, and other items. As they sketch, color, or paint animals and plants, they can find that they become so immersed in creation that they enter ‘the Zone’ – a place in which time seems to stop and focus is dramatically enhanced. A 2016 study by researchers at Drexel University found that just 45 minutes of art creation significantly lowers (stress hormone) cortisol. This, said scientists, holds true “whether you’re Van Gogh or a stick-figure sketcher.”
Art vs Anxiety, and Pain
Anxiety is one of the most common mental conditions in America, and it is intricately tied in with stress and pain. A study by scientists at Northwestern Memorial Hospital found that art therapy significantly reduced both pain and anxiety in people with cancer. To be precise, this type of therapy saw cancer patients report significant reductions in eight out of the nine symptoms contained in the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale.
Art therapy can help reduce pain in many ways, helping soothe cancer-related pain, headaches, and stress. Studies have shown that people can benefit even by making art themselves at any level. Art can also be used as part of a multi-faceted approach against pain and stress. This approach may also include holistic pursuits such as mindfulness meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi.
By Chrissy Phillips
