{"id":7580,"date":"2024-01-16T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T01:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiamd.com\/?p=7580"},"modified":"2025-08-20T12:10:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T12:10:23","slug":"art-as-therapy-in-stress-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/2024\/01\/16\/art-as-therapy-in-stress-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Art as Therapy in Stress Management"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article was fact-checked by Professor <a href=\"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/make-an-appointment\/?dr=kua_ee_heok\">Kua Ee Heok<\/a>, senior consultant psychiatrist at Mind Care Clinic, Farrer Park Hospital, Singapore.<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/doctors\/kua-ee-heok\/\">About the Doctor<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/what-is-art-therapy-2795755\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Art therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dates back centuries, but it officially gained recognition in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/9781118306543.ch1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1940<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when doctors acknowledged its mental health benefits. Engaging in artmaking activities has been shown to ease emotional distress and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7075503\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">trigger feel-good brain chemicals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In fact, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/07421656.2016.1166832\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealed a significant reduction in stress hormones just within 45 minutes of artmaking.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/AsiaMDWhatsAppEN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Follow us on WhatsApp for the latest updates: https:\/\/bit.ly\/AsiaMDWhatsAppEN\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h1>How art therapy can help you with anxiety and depression:<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing a way to reflect on yourself, release emotions, and heal from trauma.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distract yourself from troubling thoughts, offering moments of relaxation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encouraging mindfulness by being present in the art-making process<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel a sense of control over the artistic process, helping to balance out anxiety<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Join group sessions to connect with others, reducing feelings of isolation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Group sessions foster social interaction and support, reducing feelings of isolation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Face artistic challenges to improve problem-solving skills and coping strategies, ultimately boosting your self-efficacy and self-esteem<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s13063-018-2988-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recent study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the National University of Singapore Mind Science Center looked at how intervention of art therapy over nine months improved memory, attention, psychological well-being, and even showed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.nus.edu.sg\/nmsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/10\/art_of_remediating_agerelated_cognitive_decline_art_therapy_enhances_cognition_and_increases_cortical_thickness_in_mild_cognitive_impairment.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">positive changes in brain scans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Art therapy involved looking at artworks, discussing thoughts and feelings as a group, and creating art (e.g. drawings, sculptures), led by trained therapists in weekly sessions for 3 months and then bi-weekly sessions for the next 6 months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Choosing the Right Art Therapy for You<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When stress gets too much and anxiety takes over, it&#8217;s easy to feel overwhelmed by your own thoughts. But art therapy can help you hit pause on those intense feelings and regain a sense of control.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ever heard of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/mindfulness-based-art-therapy-4588189\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (MBAT)? It combines art and mindfulness, to help you explore yourself and kick anxiety to the curb. Instead of getting stuck in the same old thoughts, MBAT guides you toward a kind and non-judgmental mindset, easing distress and paving the way for personal growth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And then there&#8217;s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/expressive-arts-therapy-definition-types-techniques-and-efficacy-5197564\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Expressive Art Therapy<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This one&#8217;s all about letting it out \u2013 stress, emotions, the whole shebang. It&#8217;s a free pass to express yourself through art, a great outlet for those dealing with post-traumatic stress. So, why not give it a shot? Your canvas might just become your sanctuary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Art therapy can be a highly individualized experience. It&#8217;s super personal, influenced by <\/span><b>personal preferences and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/vark-learning-styles-2795156\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>sensory inclinations<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Experiment with different modalities to find the right fit and consider combining methods. If you want a tailor-made approach, chat with a qualified art therapist. They&#8217;ll help you figure out the perfect fit for your artistic journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Practical Tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start Small. If you&#8217;re new to art therapy, begin with simple activities like colouring books or doodling.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set the scene. Create a calm, no-distraction zone for your art therapy sessions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enjoy the ride. It&#8217;s all about the journey, not the destination. Focus on letting your emotions out and discovering yourself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stay Consistent. Make art therapy a regular part of your routine.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get extra help. If you&#8217;re dealing with severe anxiety or stress, consider working with licensed art therapists. They can tweak sessions to fit your unique needs and goals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Engaging in artmaking activities has been shown to ease emotional distress and trigger feel-good brain chemicals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":7581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[170],"tags":[230,237,403,510,757,763,1050,1294,1337,1445,1570,1605,1798,1826],"class_list":["post-7580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medical-wellness","tag-anxiety","tag-art-therapy","tag-creative-expression","tag-expressive-art-therapy","tag-mental-health","tag-mindfulness-based-art-therapy","tag-stress","tag-1294","tag-1337","tag-1445","tag-1570","tag-1605","tag-1798","tag-1826"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.0","language":"km","enabled_languages":["en","zh","ko","ja","mn","vi","ta","th","ms","km","id","my","hi"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":true},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":true},"ko":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ja":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"mn":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"vi":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ta":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"th":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ms":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"km":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"id":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"my":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"hi":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7580"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10264,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7580\/revisions\/10264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiamd.bqubetech.com\/km\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}