Art therapy, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a nontraditional type of therapeutic modality that is considered to be “not only compatible with but also essential to the success of treatment” for many individuals in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction. Art therapy can be extremely beneficial to rehab patients in many ways, often creating new avenues for recovery, self-expression, and confidence building.
Alternative to Talk Therapy
Many individuals, especially those in substance abuse rehab centers, struggle with talk therapy sessions. Sometimes it can be extremely difficult to speak about oneself to a counselor or psychologist, and it can take a long time for a person to warm up to this concept. With art therapy, it can often be much easier for a person to express their feelings because they do not necessarily need to speak about them directly, something that can make art therapy an alternative to talk therapy, at least in the beginning of treatment.
In addition, this program has also been found to be largely beneficial to adolescents who are struggling with drug abuse issues, as “the expressive arts program provides a means of accessing feelings that adolescent clients may otherwise deny, suppress, or lack words to describe.” Art therapy is a great way of easing patients into treatment and allowing them to start with something easier than traditional therapy.
Self-Expression
Art therapy helps you express yourself.
According to a study from the Journal of Addictions Nursing, “Main assumptions underlying art therapy are that the patient will be able to express him/herself through a non-verbal, imaginative, and creative exercise,” but the program itself can mean so much more. The self-expression that is often achieved through art therapy can create something amazing for the patient that they may have never experienced before. In addition, it allows people to learn a way to express themselves that will be available to them even when they leave treatment, as they can always return to the type of art with which they connected and create new pieces.
Confidence Building
Being able to create something and express feelings inside oneself is incredibly beneficial to one’s confidence level, allowing patients to feel better about themselves as well as happier. This program itself is often able to increase confidence levels in many individuals and help patients become stronger every day. Substance abuse often takes away many of the things that give people confidence and happiness in their lives, and when art therapy is able to restore some of these feelings, it is very helpful to a person’s overall recovery.
Art Therapy as a Part of Rehab
As stated previously, art therapy takes its place in a rehab program easily and can be a fundamental part of the program itself. While patients still often need the traditional methods of treatment, this option can open someone up in ways they never imagined or allow them necessary alternatives through which to heal, making art therapy an extremely beneficial addition to substance abuse rehab.
Do You Want to Find a Treatment Program Near You That Utilizes Art Therapy?
Call 888-646-0635Who Answers? today, and we will help you find a program where you can be treated with art therapy among other beneficial rehabilitation methods.
Finding the best drug treatment program for an addict is like finding a needle in a haystack. There’s thousands of drug rehab programs both residential and outpatient but how do you choose the best one? Residential drug rehab programs are designed with the addict’s comfort in mind but each one is very different from the….
Behavioral issues are problematic by themselves but with the added help of substance addiction, they can be amplified. From moodiness to impulsivity, behavioral issues can only be strengthened with the use of a substance and may break up relationships along its destructive path. Substance addiction can fuel behavioral problems in many ways. The Lying Behavior….
Alcoholism is a dangerous condition that requires immediate treatment. For those who can’t stop drinking alcohol on their own there are options available that can provide help. Alcoholism treatment is providing in a number of ways, most often beginning with alcoholism detoxification and then on to alcoholism rehab centers. For severe cases of alcoholism where….
When it comes to abusing drugs and alcohol, the consequences can be extreme. There are legal ramifications, damage to family relationships, and issues that arise at work. But a common occurrence that doesn’t get a lot of light shined on it is the relationship between addiction and homelessness. Stability Is Hard for Addicted Individuals Homelessness….
If you’ve decided to seek the help of an alcohol rehab program then you’ve already made a very big and promising decision about your well-being. The next step is to make sure that your treatment and rehabilitation is a success. Here are a few tips for success in alcohol rehab that should keep you motivated….
For years, there has been a debate on whether or not there are similarities between food and drug addiction. However, studies have shown that both addictions have similar characteristics. There are many ways a food addiction and drug addiction are alike. Reward System in the Brain The most relevant similarity between these two addictions is….
Alcoholism is a serious condition that warrants immediate treatment at an alcohol rehab center. If you aren’t sure what types of services and treatment are offered at alcohol rehab then chances are you are afraid to seek out the treatment for fear of the unknown. We all fear what we don’t know or are unsure….
Feelings of denial can cast a wide net within the life of an addict. The effects of drugs on the mind make it all but impossible for addicts to acknowledge, let alone confront, how drugs have damaged their lives. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as of 2009, an estimated 23.5 million people….
You’ve been in drug rehab before, you’ve tried to do what it takes to heal and overcome addiction and yet you have relapsed once, twice or even many times—but why? Why is it that the drug rehab that you have tried in the past hasn’t worked and what is it going to take to get….
The transgender community faces specific hurdles to sobriety and specific triggers for substance abuse that aren’t widespread among all communities. Given the high percentage of transgender people with a substance use disorder, treatment programs need to be attuned to these needs and meeting them with regularity. But, that isn’t the case. For a variety of….
Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline will be answered or returned by one of the treatment providers listed, each of which is a paid advertiser.
By calling the helpline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. There is no obligation to enter treatment.
