Art Therapy Essay

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Throughout history, Art has been the subject of contrasting opinions. It is without doubt that the aesthetics of Art, and the process of creating it, can bring happiness to ones life and provide inspiration for many, but we also associate Art with troubled souls such as Vincent Van Gogh, Richard Dadd and Mark Rothko. Regarded as some of the most important Artists' of their time, it is well documented that they all struggled with mental health issues in some form. Did Art contribute to their declining mental state, or did they use this as a vehicle to communicate matters that words simply couldn't express? As Adrienne Sussman, who wrote the article 'Mental Illness and Creativity: A neurological view of the tortured artist' (Sussman 2007) states “Our culture is full of assumptions and stereotypes about how the mind works, perhaps none so enduring as the legend of the 'tortured artist'. The contradiction of the genius who creates great artwork despite (or because of) mental illness has been part of Western legend for thousands of years. The Image is durable, but science has not yet been able to conclusively verify or disprove it” It was this argument that lead me to consider whether art is indeed good for our health, and if so, to what extent it could assist in the role of treating a disease, or mental illness. This essay will discuss the introduction of Art Therapy as a medical tool, and how this new form of treatment has evolved to become a popular practice in treating many neurological disorders. Furthermore, if Art Therapy, which is still regarded as in it's infancy as a study, can be regarded as a form of healing, or more so as a placebo, which can subsequently improve the well-being of a person and their quality of life. Alt... ... middle of paper ... ...lly, much of the components required to communicate visually are still intact. This study highlights the importance of art therapy as a form of treatment, but only in a neurological sense. Although the long-term benefits of art therapy are currently unknown, it is not beyond reason to conclude that this form of treatment would only be effective in improving the patients well-being and quality of life, rather than to assist in the cure of such illnesses. Art therapy has also been widely utilized in the field of mental health. According to (The Mental Health Foundation, 2014) “1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year”. Therapy and/or medication may not be required for all forms of mental health, but for more severe disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, intervention is key to treating and possible recovery.

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