Upon deciding to get professional help for your addiction, there are several options for the compassionate care you can receive. Many addiction treatment centers offer patients different kinds of therapy, such as individual, group, skills-focused, relapse prevention, and even art therapy in addiction rehab. All of those forms of therapy, including an art therapy program, can be used in concert to provide a holistic, individualized approach to self-expression, healing, and recovery. Reach out to A Better State online, or call us at 781.412.1488 today to learn how our art therapy and addiction treatment can help you find peace and a way forward in living a healthier and happy life without drugs or alcohol.
The Different Types of Art Therapy
In art therapy and addiction recovery, you will use your existing creativity and imagination to make art that allows you to express yourself healthily and productively. You may be thinking that you are not a creative person. Still, with the help of our caring, skilled professional therapists, your creativity will be tapped into and harnessed, allowing you to find an artistic way forward to heal and recover during your addiction treatment. The goal of art therapy is for the individual to expand their methods of communication to convey better their life experiences, pain, joy, feelings, and hope for the future.
Some of the types of art therapy in addiction rehab that you may participate in include:
- Painting and drawing
- Collage
- Sculpting
- Dancing and acting
- Playing music
- Journaling and writing poetry
- Photography
Art therapy in addiction rehab can be helpful to people who are undergoing addiction treatment because it provides them with ways to understand and cope with their substance abuse. Art therapy and traditional talk therapy, in a group setting or one-on-one, help you practice introspection and develop essential healthy coping skills that will aid you in living a clean and sober life in recovery. However, art therapy and addiction treatment can be a great way for an individual to explore the many aspects of their life further that they might not be able to express verbally or in other conversational and more traditionally familiar ways. When in a group setting, art therapy and addiction recovery can also help people going through addiction treatment grow closer and better understand each other’s experiences and feelings, which will foster empathy, and trust and possibly provide the chance for introspection and learning.
4 Ways Art Therapy Helps with Addiction
There are several benefits to art therapy when someone is in addiction treatment. Some of the key benefits include:
- Provides a Healthy Outlet for Self-Expression: Emotions like grief and guilt and shame, and anger are too complicated to express, either written or verbally. Some patients need more space and latitude to process the delicate issues behind their addiction, such as trauma or abuse. Creating art may help you express yourself and release those pent-up emotions.
- Start Down a Path of Personal Discovery: Art therapy and addiction treatment can be an intensely reflective process. You will draw, paint or sculpt the progress you are making and as you witness your creative output, your journey of personal discovery will become clearer.
- Help to Prevent Relapse: A relapse prevention plan is essential to the recovery puzzle. Art therapy in addiction rehab is one holistic approach that can provide you with an extra tool to help you cope with emotional triggers you will face throughout the rest of your life. When creating art, you can learn how to overcome negative emotions and express yourself in a healthy, tangibly productive way.
- Have a New Hobby: Chances are, addiction occupies a large portion of your life, possibly overtaking previously held passions and hobbies. Art therapy helps with addiction recovery is to providing you with a new, healthy hobby to fill your day with something positive. If you enjoy art therapy in addiction rehab, you may turn painting, drawing, dancing, or photography into a new hobby. Because creating art releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical that elevates your energy and concentration to new heights, this is a great way to experience long-term recovery.
Learn More at A Better State
Discover more about the power inherent in art therapy and addiction treatment by contacting us using our secure online form or call us at 781.412.1488 today.
