Torianna Marasco

Time and time again, art has proven a significant way to benefit mental health.

Art can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, while also promoting emotional expression, self-awareness, and a sense of well-being.

With May being Mental Health Awareness month, I encourage you to find an art form that helps with your mental health this month, whatever that may be.

The great thing about art is that with so many forms to choose from, everyone can find something to enjoy. What’s even better is you don’t have to be good at it to appreciate it and for it to prove beneficial.

Try writing.

Whether it’s poetry, a journal entry, song lyrics, fiction, or something else entirely, getting the words out of your head can help dissolve an overactive mind.

Clearly, I do a lot of writing, both for work and personally. While work is quite different than what I might put in a journal, both are great ways to help my mental health.

Writing things down often forces you to slow down, as we typically can’t type or write as fast as we think. Slowing down not only calms your mind but also helps you process your thoughts better.

And, even if you’re moving quickly, we have this saying, “Puke on the page, then go back and clean it up.” As gross as it sounds, it can be very therapeutic to just get it all out there, exhale, and go from there.

And if words evade you, try drawing.

Whether you specialize in stick figures or flowers, don’t overthink it, and put pencil to paper. Try putting your thoughts onto the page, even if that means drawing something very abstract.

Sometimes, looking at what you’ve put on paper will help you come to terms with the emotions you’re feeling or your thoughts. If you can, clear your mind and just let yourself draw. It may reveal more than you think.

If you aren’t satisfied with drawing and need something more mindless, try coloring.

I’m the proud owner of several adult coloring books, and they are the perfect escape to free your mind.

Research suggests that coloring is a great activity to ease anxiety. It becomes easier to tune out distractions when you’re so focused on staying inside the lines.

A clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, Susan Albers, said in a New York Times article that “It’s a great form of meditation for people who hate meditation.”

If you’re more of a musical person, music is another fantastic art form to help your mental health.

Listening to music, playing an instrument, or singing can all be beneficial, research shows.

A New York Times article by Christina Caron says a 2022 study surveyed more than 650 people in four age groups and asked them to rank the artistic activities that helped them “feel better.” The youngest participants, ages 18 to 24, overwhelmingly rated musical activities as most effective. Across all ages, “singing” was ranked among the top activities.

Music is great because there is such a large variety as well. Something for everyone.

There are genres, artists, and songs that all can fit into different moods, which can help you either embrace what you’re feeling or maybe even work to counteract it.

For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious, a soothing classical song can help ease those worries. Or, if you’re feeling happy and want to hold onto that feeling, fun and upbeat music might help do the trick.

If you enjoy words but don’t want to create them yourself, pick up a book. Literature is another art form that can help mental health.

Sculpting and pottery are other great ways to use your hands and distract your mind. Though it can be a sloppy hobby, sometimes getting messy and diving into an activity might be just what you need.

Cinema and film are also great options. A well-produced movie could do the trick for you.

Staying in the digital realm, try photography. Look for the beauty or various emotions in the world around you, and capture those moments.

There’s no one way to do things or a right or wrong way to work on your mental health. Even if art isn’t your forte, there are still plenty of ways to better your mental health.

For example, try meditation or working out, or maybe even a good night’s sleep. Therapy or connecting with others are other great options as well.

For the month of May, take the time to educate yourself on mental health and the ways that you or the people around you can work on improving it.

Do whatever works best for you to process your emotions and thoughts to better your mental health.