Many people find peace in the healing power of art. We know that returning to creative outlets can be one of the most rewarding parts of addiction recovery. Finding that help at a holistic drug rehab center in Portland, Oregon, is a smart and often fundamental first step to managing addiction. Contact Crestview Recovery by calling 866.262.0531 to learn more about our rehabilitation programs.
Art therapy can be an ideal tool for some people who are battling addiction. Although this can take many forms and be applied in many different ways, the benefits of art therapy can’t be denied. As part of an addiction treatment program, the benefits of art therapy include:
- Improved mindfulness
- Creative expression
- Relaxation
The benefits of art therapy can be beneficial when used in conjunction with a good recovery program and help us recover in many ways. Many aspects of our lives become damaged by addiction. Art therapy helps us find avenues of healing and provides tools and methods to help us cope with and overcome addiction.
The Benefits of Art Therapy in Recovery
A medium for communication, a channel to release stress or a tool to relax, and a method of physical release are just a few of the benefits of art therapy in recovery. From painting to drawing, and even coloring (yes, like coloring books), are some of the methods used in the application of art therapy in Oregon treatment programs.
Some of the core reasons behind addiction lie deep inside us, and art therapy is one means to reach those buried and hidden emotions. Only until we reach those hidden and buried hurts can we begin to deal with them. Art therapy is a creative tool that can help us find, communicate, and understand those feelings. In doing so, we can also reveal the possible causes of our addiction.
Life Skills in Recovery
One area that addiction affects is life management. Addiction makes it difficult to deal with even daily life situations, often meaning that stress, worry, and anxiety end up feeding the addiction. It becomes a self-propelled and vicious cycle. Another one of the benefits of art therapy is discovering healthy ways to let go, channel, or redirect emotions that used to drive us deeper into addiction.
Art Like Recovery Is a Beautiful Thing
Learning to find freedom and tap into the spirituality of art is something that can only be experienced. However, that freedom and finding those places inside us that connect with art generally comes after we learn how to relax. This connection is another one of the many benefits of art therapy in recovery.
A life controlled by addiction is rarely calm, rarely peaceful, and filled with anxiety, fear, distrust, and cluttered thoughts. Art therapy is a great tool to teach us how to relax again. With that newfound peace comes clarity, and as a part of your recovery program, it also becomes healing. Recovery is a beautiful thing, like art, and together you can use these tools as part of a good recovery program to start your healing. Are you ready to paint your world in the colors of recovery?
Art Healing and Recovery
It isn’t possible to replicate the benefits art therapy can give to a person. Even in the most confined spaces and amid the ugliest situations, we can find freedom in art. A kind of freedom that hints at a life of recovery and sobriety. If you are ready to be free from the control of drugs and end your addiction, contact Crestview Recovery by calling 866.262.0531.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, we want you to know that help is available. Call us today at 866.262.0531 to begin painting the picture of your new life. We can help.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
