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Addiction treatment is complex, often involving several different types of therapy and treatment methods. Many treatment programs include some type of creative therapy, such as art therapy or music therapy. Creative expression has been found to be a healthy, safe way for people in addiction treatment to express their feelings.
Expressive Therapy
Expressive therapy is a term that encompasses any type of creative therapy, including art and music therapy. In expressive therapy, patients use a creative medium of some kind to express themselves non-verbally. Doing so encourages self-exploration as well as self-expression. How the therapy works depends on the creative medium being used.
In some types of art therapy, for example, patients create artwork independently, and then with guidance from their therapist, they analyze their creation and what it means. In other words, they explore what it was that they were trying to express with their work. In music therapy, patients may either choose types of music to listen to and then try to understand why they chose a particular song, or music therapy may involve writing songs to express their feelings.
Other types of expressive therapy include:
• Drama therapy which involves role playing.
• Dance therapy in which patients express themselves with movement.
• Writing therapy, which may involve journaling or writing poetry or stories to express feelings.
Creativity in treatment, however, does not necessarily have to be a formal type of therapy. Often, patients simply benefit from having a sketchbook or a journal so that they can express themselves privately.
The Benefits of Creativity in Addiction Treatment
Creative expression in addiction treatment has a host of benefits.
• Safe self-expression: Often in treatment, patients find it hard to communicate their feelings verbally due to shame or fear of judgment. Creative outlets offer a safe way to express complex emotions.
• Self-exploration: When emotions are expressed creatively, patients are faced with those emotions, which they then must explore and understand. This kind of self-exploration can help patients to understand their own behavior, and to have more compassion for themselves.
• Stress reduction: Being creative by painting, sculpting, writing, or in any other way can be relaxing and calming, thus reducing feelings of stress.
• Builds self-esteem: Creating artwork in whatever form can be a source of pride and a sense of accomplishment. Working on their skills and seeing improvement can increase those feelings, leading to better overall self-esteem.
• Combats boredom: During down times in treatment, patients often struggle to find activities to occupy their time and become bored, which can lead to cravings. Having a creative outlet gives people something to do, and a distraction from their cravings.
• Promotes mindfulness: Mindfulness means being fully present in the moment. With creative expression, people are focused fully on what they are creating, not on negative thoughts about the past or fear of the future.
• Mental health benefits: Some evidence shows that creative expression stimulates parts of the brain linked to pleasure, similar to what drugs and alcohol do. This can reduce anxiety and depression in a healthy way.
• Social connection: Sometimes creative therapy is done in groups, which gives patients an opportunity to connect with peers socially. This can happen after treatment as well if someone chooses, for example, to take an art class.
Creativity As a Part of Comprehensive Treatment
While expressive therapy and creative expression can be a powerful treatment and recovery tool, it does not replace other types of treatment. It can be complementary, however, to those other treatments.
For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common form of therapy used in addiction treatment programs, such as those offered at Bridges of Hope. CBT teaches patients to recognize their own negative or destructive thoughts and to challenge those thoughts. It also teaches healthy coping skills to manage life’s stressors. Creative expression can be one of the coping skills learned.
Group therapy is also a critical part of addiction treatment, giving patients the opportunity to interact and share emotions and experiences with peers. Some group therapy can come in the form of art, music, or drama therapy.
Finding Your Purpose in Creative Expression
After treatment, one of the biggest challenges that people in recovery face is the gap in their lives left by drugs or alcohol. During active addiction, your time and energy is focused on getting and using substances, so after treatment you have to find a new purpose. For some people, that purpose can be creative expression.
Creative endeavors, whether painting, sculpting, writing songs, or poetry, can be a healthy coping strategy. Being creative can be a daily part of your life in recovery, and something to turn to during challenging times. Having this kind of purpose and outlet can help to prevent relapse.
In Closing
Creativity, whether in the form of expressive therapy, or as a personal outlet, can be extremely helpful in addiction treatment and beyond. It offers many benefits, the most important of which is safe self-expression. It’s critical for people in recovery to be able to express and understand their emotions, and creative endeavors can be a healthy way to do so. Creativity can also be part of your long-term recovery strategy, giving you the purpose you need to build a more fulfilling life.