5 ways arts, crafts and creativity can benefit your mental health
By Nick Jones
Whilst the pandemic appears to be (touchwood) receding into the background, many of us may be beginning to take tentative steps back into the world of social interaction. Whilst this may be the case for some, there are others who may not yet feel comfortable rejoining the masses. For example, the elderly in particular may have encountered greater loneliness, thus nurturing one’s mental health becomes paramount. Of course, there are different ways we can do this, but one distinct approach that I’ve personally found beneficial is by pursuing various arts and crafts activities.
Arts and crafts fall under a broad banner for anything that can range from music to sewing to knitting - you name it! There is a plethora in the choice of activities to explore, with each of these varying in accessibility and cost. Nevertheless, whatever you choose to try, you may discover these five unique benefits (among others) that can be elicited from taking up these activities.
1. A creative emotional outlet
Never is this more visible than in art, literature and music, where an artist’s emotions are vividly or subliminally expressed in their art-form. Whilst this outlet can be a form of public expression, it’s important to also acknowledge that this outlet should first and foremost be for yourself. It’s perfectly acceptable to write a song or paint a picture entirely for yourself, using it as a way of journalling your emotions, and channelling them into a healthy activity. Personally, I enjoy creating songs or observational writing as a way of processing my emotions and the world around me. I’ve also found this to be particularly useful when articulating my mental health to others, which can be a great alternative way to encourage more people to share their feelings and emotions, especially if they feel more comfortable expressing themselves creatively.
2. Increased confidence and self-esteem
Who wouldn’t want to conquer new skills such as perseverance and boosted self-confidence? After all, what improves self-esteem more than picking up a new skill! Arts and crafts has the added caveat of regular milestones that help facilitate progress, as well as high skill ceilings that provide something to aim for and induces progression. It’s through this progression that you can build up your self-esteem, eventually reaching various points from beginner to intermediate and beyond, tackling projects and creating art that you may never have thought you’d have been able to reach.
3. Promotes mindfulness and relaxation
The nature of some arts and crafts activities help to induce mindfulness and can be profoundly relaxing. This is particularly present in activities such as crochet and knitting, where it’s important to remain focused on which knots you are using, as well as making sure that you’re properly following your chosen pattern. This enhanced focus can be what’s described as “flow state”, a state of being where you’re completely focused on the task at hand, therefore completely diverting your attention away from anything else you may have your mind on. Moreover, pursuing a mindful hobby can also help introduce mindfulness into other areas of your life such as practicing living in the moment, further diverting and dispersing any thoughts or worries you may have about the past or future.
4. Social connections
Music is a great example of a collaborative art-form where you can meet new and like-minded people. For instance, playing or creating music with others can provide an enhanced experience whilst developing your musicianship as well as social skills. Thus, this sense of connectedness and shared interest can help to limit feelings of loneliness, fostering better quality relationships with others. This can be pursued in person or via other methods, such as through social media and online forums, with this digital approach becoming more popular and feasible since the start of the pandemic.
Additionally, crafting is a great way to create gifts for others as a means of showing your appreciation for them. Creating something meaningful can be fulfilling for both ends and is a great way to develop your relationships and for others to appreciate your hard work and thoughtfulness too!
5. Stress management
Lastly, arts and crafts do wonders for stress management and alleviation of any pent-up tension. Stress is something that will affect everyone at various points in their lives so it’s important to maintain hobbies and activities that can help disperse these everyday pressures and prevent further mental health problems. In turn, these activities can help improve your mood by reminding you to slow down and enjoy your free time engaging in creative activities. Aside from the obvious benefits of reduced stress, there are other added caveats such as getting a better night’s rest, boosting your immune system, and reducing blood pressure!
Final words
These benefits merely scratch the surface of what arts and crafts can do for us and our mental health, with the virtues that these activities bestow on us being virtually limitless. Nonetheless, hopefully this was able to give you some inspiration and encouragement to explore the world of arts and crafts. Despite the vast choice of activities, it’s important to not overwhelm yourself and try one activity at a time. Some of the most accessible arts and crafts I would recommend are painting, drawing, crochet, knitting and musical activities such as guitar. All these activities are great for beginners, easy to learn yet hard to master, and require minimum financial down payment to make significant progress in. Having said that, my last piece of advice would be to remain as open-minded as possible, and to simply get started!