While the holiday season can be exciting, it can also be a stressful and anxiety-inducing time for many people.

Between holiday planning, increased expenses, and family dynamics, it can be a struggle to keep your sanity, let alone a festive mood! While breathing exercises and other techniques are helpful, sometimes a more tangible solution is needed. Art therapy has been shown to help manage stress and anxiety, giving people a creative way to cope. The beauty of art therapy is that there are endless options you can tailor to your needs, skills and preferences. Let’s take a look at how it works!

Anxiety is Everywhere

According to the World Health Organization, anxiety is one of the world’s most common health problems.

It can have a wide range of effects on your body, including exhaustion, anxiety, burnout, a weakened immune system, and even organ damage. Anxiety refers to thought and behavioral issues that result from fear that is real or imagined. Fleeting feelings of anxiety are normal, but can quickly morph into a chronic problem that interrupts daily life. Rumination, which is repeatedly having negative thoughts about the past, present or future, is a hallmark symptom of anxiety.

The Art of Distraction

Art therapy helps disrupt those thoughts by redirecting your attention away from worrying and focusing it on something else. This helps to regulate your nervous system so you can let your mind and body relax. It also has the added benefits of increasing self-esteem and reducing overstimulation, while providing an opportunity to work with your hands. Not only is art therapy effective, it’s simple, cheap, and is something you can do with others or alone and in a wide range of settings. 

When trying art therapy on your own, it is important to remember to go with the flow, and not worry about the final result. A great way to ease into art therapy is by coloring. Research has suggested that coloring a complex geometric pattern can induce a meditative state, ultimately relieving stress and anxiety.  Mandalas, an ancient art form that comes from the Sanskrit word “circle”, are a great starting point if you’re looking for something to draw or color. There are lots of free versions available online.

Art-ternatives

If coloring isn’t your speed, try collage, sculpture, painting, or any combination of them. Use found items like magazines to cut out images and words, then glue them together to make a collage. Your work can be literal, or you can focus on shapes or colors rather than images for a more abstract result. If you prefer sculpture, Playdoh and other modeling clay can often be found at discount stores, or you can make your own at home out of a few simple ingredients.

Remember, there’s no wrong way to create art!  

If you’re short on time but are feeling anxious, try a one minute brain dump. Grab a piece of paper and something to write with, put on a timer for one minute, and then draw or write all of the things causing you anxiety in a speech bubble. This allows you to get it all out onto paper, but has a time limit to prevent you from dwelling on them. If you find it helpful, you can then crumple up that paper and throw it away, allowing you to “toss out” your anxiety.  

Art is for Everyone

The idea of creating art can be intimidating if you don’t have experience, but it’s important to remember that art therapy is all about giving you a reprieve from your anxious thoughts. The quality of your art doesn’t matter. Whether your art showcases stick figures or looks like it belongs in a museum, as long as you’ve created something that makes you feel good, you’re doing it right!