You didn’t know what art could do for you until now

It’s widely known that art is powerful. Art has a special power that sometimes is unexplainable with terms that humans can understand, whereas sometimes with studies and research, scientists can explain the benefits of art. Whether you view or create art, there’s still a lot of things that art can do for you and the most popular one is to help people who struggle with their mental health. 

A lot of people turn to the art world to find a little help with their mental health problems. It’s not easy for someone to deal with their mental health issues, but it’s not impossible, and art is one of the most powerful ways someone can improve their mental health. You may question the above statement. You may think “How is art able to improve someone’s mental health?” but the truth is that there are a lot of studies that back this up. What art can do for you is no longer unknown to us humans, but if it’s unknown to you then why don’t you continue reading this article and start living in the known? You’ll be surprised.

First things first, we are going to talk about what art can do for you if you are a creator. If you are an experienced creator, you may already know what art has to offer because you’ve probably lived it. However, if you are just starting then no worries, continue reading and you’ll find out.

    1.  Express yourself

People who struggle with mental issues find this really helpful. Usually, thoughts, emotions, and feelings can be explained with words. That’s why many artists use art as an outlet. The truth is that not everyone expresses themselves through painting, but they can use songs, sports, or any other activity that they may find helpful.

However, with art, you can use drawings and paintings and talk to people, which if you think about it, is amazing. That’s the power of art and what distinguishes good artists from great artists. Great artists can express themselves and speak through art and people will understand what they are saying.

Just like Jackson Pollock said “Every good painter paints what he is” and Edward Hopper said, “If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint”. From the saying of these famous artists, you can see how artists use art to express themselves

    2.  Art reduces stress

How can art relieve stress and lower anxiety levels? Well, activities like sculpting and painting are relaxing because they create a distraction for the brain which leads to breaking from usual thoughts for a little bit. 

Art could be seen as a form of meditation too as it forces your mind to slow down, it makes you focus only on one thing, and it creates a peaceful field in your mind which is what meditation is all about. It’s also been proven that 45 minutes of creating art can reduce almost 75% of your stress levels.

Art can help a lot with a person’s well-being and improve his quality of life and anyone who struggles with anxiety and stress should not neglect art.

    3.  Higher problem-solving skills and becoming more                       observant

Your attention and focus go straight to your piece of art. Art requires detail and it makes you pay close attention to the environment you are in, which makes you more observant. 

As an artist, you have to use your imagination and creativity. This makes you think out of the box, you put your mind into your work, and as you try to use your imagination to create something unique, the blood flow increases in your brain. Thinking outside of the box enhances your problem-solving skills and helps you adapt easier in different environments.

These are some of the benefits all of us humans can gain through art. But, even if you are not an artist, you can still benefit from someone else’s art.

    1.  Reduce stress

Just like being an artist, viewing art can also reduce your stress levels and improve your well-being. That’s why many hospitals and recovery places put paintings on the walls to help patients with their stress levels.

Also, it’s proven that art can increase productivity in workplaces. Many people think that this can’t be true because they feel art can distract you while working, but it’s completely the opposite. Having artwork around your workspace can give you a little break from work, which can help with your stress or it can open your mind and even change your attitude. Thus, with

just 5 minutes of being lost in a painting, you can reduce stress levels, open your mind, and change your attitude which all lead to higher productivity ratings.

    2.  Improve thinking and empathy

A study conducted by the University of Arkansas followed 10000 students and their behavior after visiting an art museum. The results showed that around 70% of the students had thinking improvements with higher levels of tolerance and empathy.

The results of this study and studies similar to this show that viewing art is extremely helpful when it comes to functions and feelings associated with the brain.

    3.  Encourages love

One last benefit but not the least is the connection between art and love. A study made by researchers in the UK showed that viewing different artworks triggers a certain chemical in the brain called dopamine which associates with beautiful feelings of pleasure and love. This feeling is much like that time that you were deeply in love and you just felt butterflies in your stomach.

Last words

Now, you’ve seen what art can do for you, with all the benefits mentioned above backed by science and different studies. However, if you have been painting for a while you can probably see the significant changes in your mental health, the way you think, and your well-being in general.

It’s never too late to start, so don’t get discouraged if you think you are too old to get involved with painting. If you like it no one can stop you. Trust and believe in yourself and in time you’ll start seeing those changes tools.