How Art Saved Me

Forty million U.S adults suffer from an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. I am definitely one of those people.

Creating art allows me to be able to simultaneously heal and learn. Not only am I finding healthy ways to express myself but I’m also exposing myself to different artists and cultures. This allows me to gain so much knowledge and perspective about the world around me. Getting to see how others choose to express themselves inspires me to find more creative ways to express myself.

While exploring art’s different mediums, I am also able to learn about myself. I learn more about what I like and what sparks my interest and creativity. There is no better feeling than feeling inspired. I find that when my creativity is sparked, I feel as though there isn’t anything I can’t do.

Clients who have experienced emotional trauma, physical violence, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues can benefit from expressing themselves creatively, says verywell mind, an online mental health resource.

Although art has changed for my life the better, I can’t say it’s the perfect solution for my anxiety and depression. I still suffer from both on a daily basis but, I know I’ve made a step in the right direction by becoming an artist. Art made me realize growth is possible even in the darkest places.

A few days ago my phone sent me a notification of a picture from 3 years ago. It was a photo of my first painting. Seeing this was definitely a surreal moment for me. It made me realize how far I’ve come, not only as an artist, but as an individual. Art has always been there for me when I felt like I had no other place to turn to.

I’ve suffered with anxiety and depression ever since I was in high school. I have never found comfort in relying on other people when it comes to expressing myself. This is definitely a result of not having an emotional support system growing up. This essentially prevented me from being able to develop any healthy coping mechanisms.

Things began to look up for me once I was introduced to art by my friends in college. Art encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and explore new possibilities. It constantly reminds me that self expression comes in many forms. My self expression isn’t the same way another person might express themselves.

Becoming an artist definitely helped initiate this journey of healing and growth I’ve been on the last couple of years. I can say it has 100% improved the quality of my life.

Instead of focusing on getting the best possible finished product, I focus on being present throughout the process. Being present while creating lets me take something away from the experience each time.

Personally, I enjoy the medium of drawing the most. It makes me feel as though I have the most control over my art. I do enjoy also experimenting with other mediums. I hope to continue learning about graphic design, photography, and painting. My art tends to focus a lot on the human experience. I like being able to capture all the different emotions humans go through. My art highlights the important factors in our lives that make us who we are.

I believe that the process of creating art is similar to the process of how one should approach their life.

In both art and life in general, It’s all about just having fun. You’ll never regret taking the time to simply enjoy yourself: regardless of if you enjoyed the final product or not.